Marc Lynch draws on interviews conducted in the Middle East and analyses of Arab satellite television programs, op-ed pages, and public opinion polls to examine the nature, evolution, and influence of the new Arab public sphere. According to Lynch, the days of monolithic Arab opinion are over, and the way in which Arab governments and the United States engage this newly confident and influential public sphere will profoundly shape the future of the Arab world. Lynch pays close attention to the revolution of the formation and expression of public opinion, presenting detailed discussions of Arab arguments about sanctions and the 2003 American and British invasion and occupation of Iraq. He also suggests how the United States can develop and improve its involvement with the Arab public sphere by entering it as it is instead of treating it as an enemy to be defeated or an object to be manipulated.

Marc Lynch examines how new Arab media have challenged the stagnant status quo by encouraging open debate about Iraq, Palestine, Islamism, and other vital political issues. These public arguments have redefined what it means to be Arab and reshaped the realm of political possibility in the Middle East. How Arab governments and the United States engage this newly confident and influential public sphere will profoundly shape the future of the Arab world.