Controlling Information and Civil Society: Tools and Consequences
摘要
It is not exaggeration to state that Qaboos has dominated the official narrative in Oman; portraying himself throughout his reign as integral to building the modern state while rewriting history to amplify only his achievements, which helped further consolidate the extent of his control over that state. This hegemony would not have occurred without absolute control over information, which in Oman is more systematic compared to the other Gulf countries. The Qaboos regimeQaboos Regime monopolized the media, education, and even the Friday prayer sermon. Thus, it can be said that the level of control of information was a tool to maintain a grip on the narrative, while at the same time being an inevitable result of the absolute nature of the regime. It has always been an effective way to measure the extent of the regime's control.