Red, Green, and Blue: Social Media as a Battleground
This is Part 5 of 6 in our series in collaboration with the Middle East Forum.
AJU’s President Jeffrey Herbst, Arcane International’s Majd Bader, and journalist/social media influencer Emily Austin will come together for a critical discussion on how Islamist groups in the Middle East use social media as a tool for propaganda and radicalization. The panel will delve into the sophisticated methods these groups employ to spread extremist ideologies, recruit followers, and coordinate activities online. In addition, the speakers will examine the counter-terrorism strategies and technological solutions that are being deployed to disrupt and combat these digital efforts.
Majd Bader is the managing partner and head of strategic partnerships of Arcane International. Bader has a background in international relations and strategy, has worked in the business and high-tech industries, as well as the Prime Minister’s Office.
Emily Austin is a journalist and social media influencer. Austin has worked as an MTV anchor, served as a Miss Universe Judge, and is now a boxing broadcaster for DAZN. She can also be seen as a commentator on Fox News and other networks. Emily has been awarded Jerusalem Posts award for combating antisemitism, Channel 7’s outspoken award, BatSheva’s Fierce Woman award, and more for her pro-Israel activism.
Dr. Jeffrey Herbst, the fourth president of American Jewish University (AJU), is an advocate for academic innovation. His leadership at AJU includes fostering growth in the Maas Center for Jewish Journeys, expanding the Maven digital platform, and improving the Brandeis-Bardin Campus. Formerly, he served as president and CEO of the Newseum and the Newseum Institute in Washington, DC. Notable achievements include successfully overseeing a half billion-dollar fundraising campaign, implementing a university-wide strategic plan, and enhancing educational programming at Colgate University, where he was president from 2010 to 2015. Dr. Herbst holds a summa cum laude bachelor’s degree from Princeton University, as well as a master’s and doctorate in political science from Yale University. He is the author of the award-winning “States and Power in Africa” and, with several co-authors, the just-published “Making Africa Work.” In addition to many books and articles, he has been published in Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and many other digital and print publications around the world.