ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book explains the politics of Al Jazeera, particularly as they relate to the question of the public sphere. It presents Al Jazeera and regional crises. In official Arab circles, Al Jazeera has acquired a maverick image and even prompted diplomatic crises. Al Jazeera is a relatively free channel operating in what many observers perceive as one of the regions that are less inclined toward freedom of expression. The experiment of Al Jazeera is fraught with a number of difficulties, chief among which is the perception that the inroads made by alternative Arab media such as Al Jazeera will obfuscate the real need for change. The book aims to set the ground for other contributions by situating Al Jazeera squarely within the geo-political constraints of Qatar and its political entanglement within a fast-changing region.
