The Sheikh's Batmobile: In Pursuit of American Pop Culture in the Muslim World

Inspired by a ten-year-old Kazakh’s startlingly enthusiastic reflections on the merits of Borat, rogue journalist Richard Poplak sets out on a two-year odyssey to explore modern Muslims’ appreciation and appropriation of America’s pop cultural fixations. He is curious to see what happens to our pop songs and sitcoms after they’ve been beamed beyond the closed doors of the Islamic world via satellite dishes, pirate radio and the internet. Hopping a flight from the Eurasian hinterlands to Tripoli, he searches in vain for a legendary alleyway where years before, hundreds of children reputedly acted out the scenes of Hello, Lionel Ritchie’s once celebrated MTV clip.

Libya is just the first stop on a globe trotting tour of more than a dozen struggling democracies, autocratic theocracies, failed states and rogue regimes. On the ground, he’s surprised to find thriving creative communities operating under the radar and a myriad of peculiar local obsessions, including Lebanon’s multi-million dollar plastic surgery industry, a bullish Saudi market for customized muscle cars and Indonesia’s thriving DIY hardcore punk scene. Along the way he’s body slammed by WWE enthusiasts in Afghanistan, bowls with the chief of police in small town Kazakhstan and keeps it realer than real with Palestinian hip hop artists amidst the staccato AK-47 fire of the Gaza Strip.

Each encounter is unique, but within the distinct local cultural flavours he finds unity in a generation of artists and enthusiasts keen to re-imagine their nations as places of opportunity, creativity and freedom by reinterpreting and remixing ideas from the west with their own established and emerging traditions. Poplak challenges North American readers to engage with these dispatches from their Eastern brethren, suggesting that a pop cultural dialogue may triumph where a centuries long tradition of terrorism, imperialism, warfare and nation building have failed.

About the Author: Richard Poplak is the author of the acclaimed Ja, No, Man: Growing Up White in Apartheid-Era South Africa. He has written for, among others, The Walrus, THIS Magazine, Toronto Life and the Globe and Mail and has directed numerous short films, music videos and commercials. He lives in Toronto.

Comments

[kamagra online]

high quality entertainment no doubt, I love watching the show, the maneuvers, the superstars and most importantly the Divas WOW! girls in short that the WWE is the best in sports entertainment.

[sildenafil]

King genre par excellence the most commonly consumed by the general public, throughout history there have been great exponents who have made a lot through his talent, great blog thanks for sharing.

[viagra online]

this is the music genre par excellence, liked by young and old, has always been known as great exponents of music have emerged out of this genre, this is the case of the now defunct and loved by many MJ Jackson, Madonna, Britney Spears among others.
Kathleen T. Ryan
Lane Tecumsah 3209
Cedar Rapids, IA 52 401

[acheter du priligy]

Great idea. I think Muslims pop music market is a great source that is just born few years ago.

[viagra online]

Well, anything that numbs your eyes has to have a load of bad ingredients in them. Just because these companies are trying to green up their image doesn't mean they are really moving forward. I think that the care of our babies has to be the first and foremost. Glad you shared this with so many.

[Inversiones en oro]

Thanks for a marvelous posting! I seriously enjoyed reading it, you can be a great author

[arizona limos]

This event is wonderful. I want to see different cultures that ties up together.

[Viagra]

This would be a great intro for anyone looking to learn anything about this. Thanks.

[submit url]

I have been looking for sites like this for a long time. Thank you!

[dating]

Hello .. I have never seen a smart articles that you created. It really helped me to get back my ideas for writing. I will save this post, for I learn more

[japanese used cars]

Choose Reliable Dealer
Buy used cars from reliable dealer, this is because used cars can be a crap and it might turn in to a wastage of money therefore it is very important to choose the used car seller wisely.

[中古車査定]

Whenever you buy car, keep in mind that car warranty is a must. If you manufacturer's warranty is expired do not forget to buy extended warranty this is because if you are short of funds and you meet an accident or need an urgent repair your insurance provider will bear the expenses.

[中古車買取]

I would like to share some more information related to used cars purchase market in Japan. Follow this link to find more useful information regarding selling your used cars or to find the estimated selling price of your used cars.