Prospects of Communication and Cultural Interaction in the Contemporary Digital Journey

Abstract

The contemporary world is witnessing technological development in all areas and aspects of life, and literature is an integral part of this process. Therefore, it is necessary to rethink the position of literature and the most important developments and innovations that have affected it according to the accompanying cultural environment. From this perspective, I attempted in this presentation to "question the genre of travel" as an important component of Arabic literature. I tried to observe the most significant changes it has benefited from in the context of globalization and the era of digital transformation.

The evocation of elements of technological and digital development prompts us to ask the question: Is travel writing still prevalent and well-received in terms of both creation and reception? Or can we categorize it alongside a range of other creative writing forms under the label "travel narrative," regardless of the context in which it appears? The pace of travel has expanded, its means and modes have changed, social media has emerged, and the rate of engagement with it has accelerated, blending enjoyment with benefit, and adventure with exploration. Here, we present the hypothesis of intervention:

"Can it be said that the digital journey is an evolved and mutated form that has emerged as a breakthrough and alternative to the traditional journey? Has the virtual become a substitute for the real, and the image a substitute for description and narrative? In other words, can we conduct a comparative study between the medieval journey of Ibn Battuta and the journey 'In the Footsteps of Ibn Battuta in the Twenty-First Century' by Yassine Ghalam, the young man of the twenty-first century? The former is recorded on paper, while the latter is recorded digitally."

Contemporary Arab youth have become more inclined to embark on these types of individual journeys for the sake of adventure and also as a means of connecting with the outside world: both the real and the virtual (through social media). It is also a way of direct cultural interaction between different peoples and cultures. A group of traveling youth have found their niche in daily and direct communication through various digital networks and platforms, establishing connections among themselves and with the Arab world from a following audience (Flowers) and fans who support the documented travel experience broadcasted through digital channels. Here, we recall some examples such as the Moroccan traveler Othman Al-Zoulati, Rashid Ghalam, young Zakaria Al-Safari, young Abdelhadi Al-Sukrati, traveler Hafsa Benailah, Ibtissam Azaoui, and Mariam Belkhiyal, and the list goes on.