Shereen El Feki: Pop culture in the Arab world

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In this section, the speaker introduces Barbie and Fulla as two dolls representing different cultures. The speaker challenges the notion of a clash of civilizations and highlights examples of cross-cultural hybridization in the Arab world.

Introduction to Barbie and Fulla

• The speaker introduces Barbie and Fulla as dolls representing Western and Arab cultures respectively.

• Contrary to the idea of a clash of civilizations, the speaker believes that cultural exchange and hybridization are prevalent in the Arab world.

4Shbab: Islamic MTV

• 4Shbab is an Arab TV channel targeting youth, combining Western innovations with Islamic values.

• Music videos on 4Shbab aim to inspire young people through Islam and address life's challenges.

"The 99": Islamic Superheroes

• "The 99" is a comic book series featuring Islamic superheroes created by Naif Al Mutawa.

• Each character in "The 99" embodies one of the attributes of Allah, promoting justice, wisdom, mercy, among others.

• "The 99" has expanded into an animated series, theme park, and collaboration with other popular superheroes like Superman and Wonder Woman.

Cross-Cultural Hybridization

• Examples like 4Shbab and "The 99" demonstrate how different cultures intertwine within Islam.

• Throughout history, Islam has borrowed from various civilizations while adapting its own traditions.

• Cultural meshing rather than clash is a more accurate representation of interactions between civilizations.

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