Hossein Derakhshan

Este archivo solo abarca los artículos del autor incorporados a este sitio a partir del 1 de diciembre de 2006. Para fechas anteriores realice una búsqueda entrecomillando su nombre.

MundoOriente Próximo,

If you are Iranian, much of your life for the past few years has depended on a messaging app called Telegram. It has become something of a parallel, but uncensored, internet.

Since 2013, Telegram has replaced email, chat, forums, blogs, news websites, e-commerce, social networks, dating services and, for many, even television. With Telegram, Iranians keep in touch with family and friends, read the news, shop, discuss soccer, babies, marriage and politics. It’s the best of Twitter and the most viral videos on YouTube. People use it to download music and films, and, of course, to flirt. They also use it to read speeches from the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who blasts out content over his official channel.…  Seguir leyendo »

ReflexionesDemocracia,

Les démagogues du monde entier, qu’ils soient de droite ou de gauche, doivent aimer la télévision. Ce média linéaire, passif, centré sur l’image et guidé par les émotions, a réduit la politique à un reality show. Comme l’explique Neil Postman dans Amusing Ourselves to Death («s’amuser à mort»), la télévision a dégradé le niveau du discours public dans la plupart des démocraties. Des Etats-Unis à l’Iran, du Venezuela à la France, de l’Egypte à la Russie, de l’Italie à la Turquie, la compétition est aussi rude pour obtenir le regard vide des téléspectateurs que les voix des électeurs. Dans de nombreux pays, ce regard est transformé en bulletin de vote.…  Seguir leyendo »

MundoOriente Próximo,

The view from Russia.

Russia’s military intervention in Syria is largely a war of choice marketed as a necessity to defeat the terror of Islamic State. It brings Russia back from the cold as an indispensable power.

Sending forces into combat allowed Moscow to muscle its way to the centre of global diplomacy on Syria, while turning the conversation away from Ukraine. Displays of new military prowess and power diplomacy have become the primary sources of popular legitimacy for the Russian leaders. Moscow launched airstrikes in Syria on 30 September with only 15% of Russians paying attention but a month of relentless TV coverage has focused people’s minds the way the Kremlin wanted.…  Seguir leyendo »