Book Title: Technological Innovation and Sustainability for Business Competitive Advantage: Can Peace Journalism Flourish or Fade in Digital Media? Evidence from the Middle East

Editor: Zainab Abdul-Nabi

Publisher: Emerald Publishing Limited

Year of Publication: 2026

Language: English

Pages: 216

Edited by Zainab Abdul-Nabi, the 2026 volume Technological Innovation and Sustainability for Business Competitive Advantage: Can Peace Journalism Flourish or Fade in Digital Media? Evidence from the Middle East examines the complex role of social and digital media in fostering peace in the conflict-ridden region of the Middle East. While establishing the significant role media play in advancing the discourse of peace and community building, this edited volume raises serious criticisms of the BBC’s Instagram coverage of the Gaza War. Given the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and the increasingly contested role of digital and social media in shaping public perceptions, this book is a valuable collaborative effort to gauge the capacities and deficiencies of such platforms.

The first chapter explains the theoretical pillars of the book. Both peace journalism (PJ) and framing theory rely on selection and salience—i.e., the presence or absence of certain characteristics, facts, or criteria (Lynch and Galtung 2010; Youngblood 2016). The father of PJ, Galtung (1998), defines it as a conscientious media practice that intentionally focuses on peacemaking, peacekeeping, and impacting society in favor of peace. In contrast, war journalism is a practice that legitimizes violence. PJ orientations are peace/conflict, people, truth, and solution. However, war journalism follows four opposing orientations: War/violence, elites, propaganda, and victory.

Conducted by Aljulyami, Alghamdi, Abdul-Nabi, and Alawainati (2026), the first study of the book examines the coverage of Riyadh Season 2024 by prominent Arab social media influencers and their followers on the platform X, showing a correlation between influencers’ frames and the comments they elicited. This study, aligning with prior research (Aruguete and Calvo 2018), highlights the role of social media users in shaping prominent social issues and issue reframing through the selection and sharing of news.

Malibari and Abdul-Nabi (2026) examine the media frames presented in the YouTube episodes of the Saudi podcast Socrates and the comments they elicited. Their analysis shows that PJ frames were dominant. In another study of the book, Bashir and Abdul-Nabi (2026) investigate the extent to which a Saudi Arabian center for combating extremist ideology (Etidal) embodies the pillars of the peace and war theory in its YouTube visual content. They argue that colors and imagery were utilized to promote peace and condemn extremism. However, unlike the optimistic studies of this book, research also shows that digital and social media platforms can be susceptible to escalatory discourse—especially in countries affected by conflict and violence, such as Nigeria (Aghadiegwu and Ogbonna 2015; Auwal and Ersoy 2022), and Pakistan (Fahmy and Hussain 2023).

The coverage of the Gaza War on the Instagram accounts of the BBC Arabic and BBC English in 2023 and 2024 is the focus of the study done by Al-Kaabi and Abdul-Nabi (2026). The researchers conclude that the two channels were more similar than different. Neither channel uses the truth frame, challenges statements by officials or the Israeli army, nor decodes the propaganda circulated in mainstream media. Both channels frame the Israeli attack as fighting Hamas terrorism and aggression. They do not present the root causes and structural violence that Palestinians were enduring before the October 7 attack by Hamas. While Palestinian civilians are quoted extensively, the authors do not consider it a people-oriented characteristic of PJ. Civilian sources discuss the visible impacts of war, a characteristic of war journalism coverage. The solution frame is prominent. However, the authors argue that, since the sources are elites, this implies a passive tendency to put PJ into practice.

Alansari and Jahani (2026) analyze the depiction of the Lebanese Civil War (1975–1990) in two feature films: Al-Qannas by Iraqi filmmaker Faisal Al-Yasiri and West Beirut by Lebanese director Ziad Doueiri. The study shows that both movies effectively demonstrate the devastating consequences of the war on individuals and society. Al-Qannas is a movie about a sectarian sniper, his psychological alienation, and emotional numbness. West Beirut is the story of characters who yearn for freedom and normalcy amid a catastrophic war. Prior research also shows the importance of cinema in the Middle East in creating alternative and resistance discourses (Khanjani 2025). During the Iran-Iraq War, three hallmark movies made in Iran challenged the mainstream narrative of war and mobilization publicized by the government of Iran. These movies used three techniques: escapism (avoiding the topic of war while depicting the most afflicted region); symbolism (criticizing the status quo through signs and symbols); and alternative narrative making (focusing on the plight of civilians and the importance of peace) to rewrite the story of people and challenge the one imposed on them by state policies.

The book edited by Zainab Abdul-Nabi demonstrates the significant, positive potential of digital and social platforms in shaping audiences’ attitudes and impressions. It also raises serious criticisms of the BBC’s coverage of a certain war. More research is required to determine whether a prominent channel like the BBC handles conflicts differently or whether this is a common problem in its coverage. This book focuses on a few Arab countries and conflicts in the Middle East—including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Palestine. The role of these media in other countries and recent and ongoing conflicts in the region is another issue that needs further investigation. Especially given contested findings on the role of these media, a comparison of their roles across countries involved in civil unrest and war and those with stable political systems might show critical differences. This book is a must-read for communication scholars and students interested in the contexts of digital and social media, as well as peace journalism.