YouTube Diplomacy With Queen Rania

<p>Last week, Jordan’s Queen Rania kicked off an East-West dialogue by posting a video on YouTube called “<a title=”Send me your stereotypes” href=”http://youtube.com/watch?v=TFf897bUW2Y” target=”_blank”>
<font color=”#800080″>Send me your stereotypes</font>
</a>.” From now through August 12 (International Youth Day), Rania will work to address “some of the common stereotypes that [Westerners] hear about the Arab world,” by responding to video questions submitted on <a title=”her YouTube channel” href=”http://youtube.com/user/QueenRania” target=”_blank”>her YouTube channel</a>.</p>
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<embed src=”http://www.youtube.com/v/TFf897bUW2Y&hl=en” type=”application/x-shockwave-flash” wmode=”transparent” width=”425″ height=”355″>
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<p>
<a title=”Zeynab at Muslimah Media Watch” href=”http://muslimahmediawatch.blogspot.com/2008/04/queen-ranias-youtube-crusade.html” target=”_blank”>Zeynab at Muslimah Media Watch</a> is both hopeful and skeptical about Rania’s <a title=”YouTube diplomacy” href=”http://ninthstreetrecords.blogspot.com/2008/04/youtube-diplomacy-with-queen-rania.html” target=”_blank”>YouTube diplomacy</a>.</p>
<p>
<i>My main worry about this project is that it will be an excuse for Islamophobic ranting, with loud voices who aren’t interested in allowing others to refute negative stereotypes about Arabs and Muslims. That it won’t be a dialogue, that no one will learn anything. Or that the “truths” presented won’t be accepted because they are not black-and-white, but instead are complex and sticky: for example, explaining that female genital cutting is not an Islamic practice, but one that is tied to local cultures, might not satisfy a poster who thinks this practice and all who engage in it are barbaric.</i>
</p>
<p>
<a title=”More than 40 responses have been posted” href=”http://youtube.com/video_response_view_all?v=TFf897bUW2Y” target=”_blank”>
<font color=”#800080″>More than 40 responses have been posted</font>
</a> thus far.</p>
<p>–<a title=”Danielle Maestretti” href=”https://www.utne.com/bios/danielle-maestretti.aspx”>
<em>Danielle Maestretti</em>
</a>
</p>