Elan Magazine Discusses Sandstorm

Oct 31, 2011 by AdeelShah    Comments Off    Posted under: Headline, International Trade, Social Entrepreneurship, U.S. Policy

The revolutions in the Middle East and North Africa have toppled one dictator at a time from Ben Ali, Mubarak and just recently, Gaddafi in a remarkably tenacious struggle for democracy and freedom. This grassroots movement has captured the attention of the world with today’s rapid-fire news feed and communication networks. How were ordinary citizens in these countries able to unravel the seams of the authoritarian regimes in such a short time? Who is responsible for instigating the chain of events? ‘Sandstorm: a leaderless revolution in the digital age’ by Adeel A. Shah and Sheheryar T. Sardar, attempts to deconstruct the story of this unique youth-powered uprising with the help of modern technology.

‘Sandstorm,’ published in July 2011, describes the new “global generation” as educated, digitally raised youth with mounting frustrations over the status quo, ultimately leading them to use technology to help make their concerns heard. What makes this book different is the authors’ depth in analyzing the role social media played in the revolutions in the Arab Spring and the motivation behind the push for change.

Shah is the chairman and CEO of TelniaSoft, Inc., an international business process outsourcing company, and Sardar is a founding partner of Sardar Law Firm, LLC, specializing in corporate law, digital media, venture capital and emerging markets. Both of them were intrigued by the fact that there was no leader, no singular person in charge of the revolution and how quickly news was disseminated through social… read more here.