Arab Gothic (Un)Imaginaries: A Postdigital Feminist Tale
摘要
Grand narratives surrounding history, truth, and gender were seemingly hollowed out by postmodernism’s camp, kitsch, and play. But today social media is haunting our sleep while the nightmare of late capitalism is playing on an endless loop of conceptual found-footage. Hence, the postdigital condition—whereby digital infrastructures, Wi-Fi, and technologies, are almost inescapable—has elements of a Gothic saga. To explore the enduring popularity of Gothic gender imaginaries, this study will consider the reoccurring manifestations of terrifying jinn shapeshifters (spirit figures) and their relevance to Arab female imaginaries. Taking the case of @Ranoy7, who tells scary stories on YouTube, postdigital feminist enquiry offers a critical intervention into Arab Gothic (un)imaginaries of female jinn and their hegemonic significance within the uncanny commercialism of the postdigital condition.