The Styrian provincial branch of the right-wing populist FPÖ party (the Freedom Party of Austria) launched its anti-mosque online flash game called "Moschee Baba" ("Bye Bye Mosque") in advance of regional elections which are to be held on 26 September. The objective of the game is to shoot down minarets that are being built. That raised criticism from the local Muslim community, the Social Democratic Party of Austria and the Green Party. The public prosecutor in Graz, the capital of the Styria region, has opened an investigation into the game after receiving the Green Party's complaint. At this time, the game is taken offline and the statement on the website says: "Due to the political influence of our opponents this game was banned by the Austrian justice! Now, it's up to you to decide on 26 September."

This book looks at the role that communications technologies play in advancing democratic transitions in Muslim countries. As such, its central question is whether technology holds the potential to substantially enhance democracy. Certainly, no democratic transition has occurred solely because of the internet. But, as Philip Howard argues, no democratic transition can occur today without the internet. According to Howard, the major (and perhaps only meaningful) forum for civic debate in most Muslim countries today is online. Activists both within diasporic communities and within authoritarian states, including Iran, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, are the drivers of this debate, which centers around issues such as the interpretation of Islamic texts, gender roles, and security issues. Drawing upon material from interviews with telecommunications policy makers and activists in Azerbaijan, Egypt, Tajikistan and Tanzania and a comparative study of 74 countries with large Muslim populations, Howard demonstrates that these forums have been the means to organize activist movements that have lead to successful democratic insurgencies.

Craig Detweiler's collection of up-to-the-minute essays on video games' theological themes is an engaging and provocative book for gamers, parents, pastors, media scholars, and theologians--virtually anyone who has dared to consider the ramifications of modern society's obsession with video games and online media.