 |
 |
Hi All, For what it's worth, I have found this discussion both illuminating (for sometimes contradictory reasons) and interesting. I read the blog post by my Roehampton colleague, Michael Chanan and have since read every single email in this thread - although there are now many different threads - "null" "Untitled message" "Unsubscribe" and "Behind the News from Gaza" However, I read them all. I must say that I thoroughly agree with Joanne Knowles points. I think this is entirely the appropriate forum for this discussion, even if, at times it has become a little heated, I think it has remained "on point". It is also very rare that such discussion and debate "breaks out" on this list, and I for one, certainly welome it and have "enjoyed" it. I like the list, and the emails regarding CFP's, conference announcements, job vacancies, book announcements etc are as useful as this latest - and rare - discussion. I think there is a place for all. Even if this latest debate has distracted me from my research, we surely ought to be engaged in precisely this kind of debate and analysis. In truth, as someone engaged in critical discourse analysis of broadcast current affairs journalism and their coverage of conflict, it served less as distraction, and more information. The Judith Butler piece and the "On The Media" podcast re "Loaded Language" in particular, were excellent and useful additions to the discussion AND my own research :-) .... so thanks for that. If there comes a time when the discussion is "shut-down" or heads elsewhere, then please, include my email address in the discussion. In the meantime - and with apologies if some of the following seems obvious to journalism and media scholars - given that this began as a discussion about media coverage, I add these thoughts. There might be very - I don't want to use the term "good" - but established reasons as to why the ongoing Israel/Palestine "conflict" <-- even this term is loaded and insufficient... is reported as it is. Not all of these reasons can be summarised as "propaganda" or "pro-Israeli/Western bias" and I am of course wary of such assertions. The very journalistic "logic" of reporting, the demands of and for drama, information, "news", access to "legitimate sources" and developments, means "peace" is always framed, not on its own terms, but instead as "the absence of war". War simply *is* dramatic, it is the frame [discourse], it is the mark against which non-war is measured. It is "news[worthy] in a way that a "peace process" never is. None of this is to excuse some of the lamentable coverage. Some of which has included repeating the phrase "incursion" to describe an invasion - as Kirsty Wark did on Newsnight. BBC News also repeatedly use the term "operations" to describe aerial bombardment of Gaza. The use of the term "operation" is enormously problematic, it locates the [potential] killing of people within the discourse of medicine. Operations are also careful and precise....the aerial bombardment is anything but, the phrase though, is repeated without challenge. However, to repeat, I don't want to excuse the media narrative, but to locate the coverage in the discourse and logic of news media work. After all, we have "War correspondents" but the journalistic position of “peace correspondent” is absent. There are simply no peace correspondents’. I am reminded of Gadi Wolfsfeld: "…there is an inherent contradiction between the logic of peace process[es] and the professional demands of journalists. A peace process is complicated; journalists demand simplicity. A peace process takes time to unfold and develop; journalists demand immediate results. Most of a peace process is marked by dull, tedious negotiations; journalists require drama. A successful peace process leads to a reduction in tensions; journalists focus on conflict. Many of the significant developments within a peace process must take place behind closed doors; journalists demand information and action." (Wolfsfeld, G. 1997: 67) With apologies for length. I'm done Chris Chris Roberts Senior Lecturer Media, Cultural Studies & Journalism Room: QB035 University of Roehampton | London | SW15 5PJ [log in to unmask] | www.roehampton.ac.uk Tel: +44 (0) 20 8392 5036 T @chr1sr0berts http://www.roehampton.ac.uk/staff/ChristopherRoberts/ Follow us on TWITTER | Find us on FACEBOOK Watch us on YOUTUBE | Check in on FOURSQUARE ________________________________________ From: Media, Communications and Cultural Studies Association (MeCCSA) [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Cahal McLaughlin [[log in to unmask]] Sent: 31 July 2014 10:54 To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: Behind the News from Gaza I put my hands up Simon. I misread your email. I agree with your point! As Larsson once said, 'Pants first, trousers second.' Cahal Cahal McLaughlin Professor of Film Studies School of Creative Arts Queen's University Belfast Room 003, First Floor 21 University Square Belfast BT7 1NN 00 44 2890 973634 www.prisonsmemoryarchive.com ________________________________________ From: Media, Communications and Cultural Studies Association (MeCCSA) [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Dawes, Simon 2005 (PGR) [[log in to unmask]] Sent: 31 July 2014 09:43 To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: Behind the News from Gaza Apologies for having spoken on behalf of others. Allow me to rephrase my argument. I’m angry at the Israeli government at the moment because of the “shameful” bombing of schools etc – as I’m angry at al-Assad etc for the atrocities they’ve committed. But I’m even angrier with Israel, and consequently more vocal about my anger, not because the number of victims is higher (which it isn’t), but because I’m confronted with people (in everyday life and in the media) who defend Israel’s actions, or who seem reluctant to criticise Israel directly. I’m yet to meet anybody who is willing to defend al-Assad, however. As the Guardian article, to which Cahal links, says: “The US, which has been at odds with Israel's prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, over efforts to secure a ceasefire, condemned the school shelling but did not specifically blame Israel.” The failure to ‘specifically blame Israel’ frustrates me personally. Expressing that anger and frustration does not mean that I (or, I believe, anybody else) fully endorse(s) Hamas rockets, as Elina keeps suggesting, and certainly not that I think that al-Assad or Isis (as suggested in the HP article) are not as bad as Israel. I just don’t wake up in the morning asking ‘why can’t anybody see that what al-Assad is doing is shameful?’. Again, sorry for having spoken on behalf of others; I was just responding to the introduction of the HP article into the debate. Simon Simon Dawes http://smdawes.wordpress.com/ ________________________________________ From: Cahal McLaughlin [[log in to unmask]] Sent: 31 July 2014 09:43 To: Dawes, Simon 2005 (PGR); [log in to unmask] Subject: RE: Behind the News from Gaza Dear Simon, You cannot tell me why I am angry. Much less can you tell me that it has to do with the fact that 'Israel is Israel'. Your argument is shallow, not evidence-based and presumptuous. Today's report from the Guardian, quoting the UN as describing Israel's actions as 'shameful', might give you a better clue as to my anger: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jul/30/world-disgrace-gaza-un-shelter-school-israel. Less of the rhetoric and more of the evidence, please. Cahal Cahal McLaughlin Professor of Film Studies School of Creative Arts Queen's University Belfast Room 003, First Floor 21 University Square Belfast BT7 1NN 00 44 2890 973634 www.prisonsmemoryarchive.com ________________________________________ From: Media, Communications and Cultural Studies Association (MeCCSA) [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Dawes, Simon 2005 (PGR) [[log in to unmask]] Sent: 31 July 2014 08:27 To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: Behind the News from Gaza Hi Ingo (and all) – I’m afraid I do not consider that Huffington Post article to be noteworthy, or to add anything to this discussion. It’s naïve and one-sided whilst pretending to be a sober, objective and neutral take on the issue. The reason people on this list and elsewhere are angry about Israel’s long-term treatment of the Palestinians, and the current bombardment in particular, is that ‘popular opinion’ has for so long been to excuse anything Israel does just because they’re Israel. No-one on this list would ever excuse Isis, and all would no doubt denounce al-Assad in Syria. But our political leaders aren’t exactly rushing to arm or defend them, and no-one’s treading on eggshells for fear of saying anything critical of them that might appear racist. It’s always been much more of a sensitive issue to criticise Israel, and it’s incredibly frustrating that political leaders in the west are not more explicitly denouncing what Israel is currently doing – as they have done with al-Assad. Simon Dawes http://smdawes.wordpress.com/ ________________________________ From: Media, Communications and Cultural Studies Association (MeCCSA) [[log in to unmask]] on behalf of Ingo Petzke [[log in to unmask]] Sent: 31 July 2014 08:58 To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: Behind the News from Gaza Sorry guys, but I am really disgusted about the tone of this "discussion". Though I definitely don't agree with many of Elina's points I admire her for standing up to this endless barrage of all-too-often personal mudslinging at her. Imho the last 16 hours or so have not been precisely an example of academic discussion on this list but rather of knee-jerk reflexes. Sorry... A few might find this article noteworthy. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ali-a-rizvi/post_8056_b_5602701.html Ingo Am 31.07.2014 08:33, schrieb Elina Bardach-Yalov: This is a very interesting comment - you actually have no idea that in Israel bomb shelters are build in the houses. And this is only because since 1970s-80s the government ordered to build bomb shelters in every single building (we have rockets and missiles exploding here quite frequently). The fact that HAMAS ordered the civilians not to do it (human shield, you know) is a huge problem for the IDF. Dr. Elina Bardach-Yalov David Yellin College of Education On Jul 31, 2014, at 9:14 AM, Gabriel Moreno <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>> wrote: Do all of you people under the barrage of Hamas terrorist rockets have internet-ready bomb shelters? That goes some way to explain how you manage to disassociate yourself from the conditions experienced by innocent women and children in Gaza. "They're all terrorists, kill them all" Sent from my iPad On 31 Jul 2014, at 02:17, Elina Bardach-Yalov <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>> wrote: I wish someone was paying me for these emails, unfortunately no one does. But frankly saying, I don't care. When you are sitting in the bomb shelter and have absolutely no social life it is quite nice to talk to other people even if they disagree with you... Dr. Elina Bardach-Yalov David Yellin College of Education On Jul 30, 2014, at 11:37 PM, Emad S M <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>> wrote: Elina, over zealous dedication indicates you are using this forum as part of your media job. However, looking at your emotional responses and utterly unreasonable justifications indicate a high level of tension on the Israeli side. Nothing personal here, you probably are a very good person, but sometimes a man has to wonder if your motives are financial or just mere indoctrination. I do not rule out either, but most probably I'd put it down as a financially motivated negating dogma. Perhaps it is too late to fight a media war you are already losing, thanks to the out-of-control Israeli Army that turned Gaza into a scene from a horror movie. Calling the occupation 'propaganda' is frankly embarrassing. If the Israeli officials truly believe that marketing such an out of this world notion, then...well, it indicates nothing but those people are running out of words and pretexts, let alone directions. I am not going to explain to you why Gaza is a land under military occupation, you probably know that but choose to close your eyes to the blunt facts and pretend they do not exist with the hope someday the problem will sort itself out. I'm sorry to break it to you, but..no, it will not sort itself out whether or not you choose to ignore it. What Israel is going through at the moment, like it always has, is a textbook post-holocaust existential paranoia coupled with a wide scale indoctrination that aims to eliminate and dehumanize the other - the Palestinian people - as a possible existential threat. It is not about Hamas or Islamic Jihad or whoever, but rather against any Palestinian who stands up to the occupation. The Israeli Army - wounded by unexpected resistance - is clearly targeting the social infrastructure of the 'terrorist organizations', hoping to break the will of Palestinians to fight. I wonder, if Palestinians choose to surrender - which is a far-fetched imagination and you know that - then what? Will Israel leave them alone? Can Israel genuinely live and let them live? Or even more importantly, is Israel capable of co-existing with a Palestinian state? Psychologically speaking, can Israel survive without a military occupation? On behalf of the Palestinian families who were blown up to smithereens, Thank you, but sorry, apology not accepted. Have the Jews ever imagined being able to hunt down Nazi officers and bring them to justice?! Someday... -------------------------------------------------------- MeCCSA mailing list -------------------------------------------------------- To manage your subscription or unsubscribe from the MECCSA list, please visit: https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?SUBED1=MECCSA&A=1 ------------------------------------------------------- MeCCSA is the subject association for the field of media, communication and cultural studies in UK Higher Education. This mailing list is a free service and is not restricted to members. It is an unmoderated list and content reflect the views of those who post to the list and not of MeCCSA as an organisation. MeCCSA recommends that the list be used only for posting of information (for example about events, publications, conferences, lectures) of interest to members or to promote discussion of current issues of wide general interest in the field. Posts to the MeCCSA mailing list are public, indexed by Google, and can be accessed from the JISCMail website (http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/meccsa.html). Any messages posted to the list are subject to the JISCMail acceptable use policy, which states that users should avoid “engaging in unreasonable behaviour, or disrupting the general flow of discussion on a list.” For further information, please visit: http://www.meccsa.org.uk/ -------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------- MeCCSA mailing list -------------------------------------------------------- To manage your subscription or unsubscribe from the MECCSA list, please visit: https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?SUBED1=MECCSA&A=1 ------------------------------------------------------- MeCCSA is the subject association for the field of media, communication and cultural studies in UK Higher Education. This mailing list is a free service and is not restricted to members. It is an unmoderated list and content reflect the views of those who post to the list and not of MeCCSA as an organisation. MeCCSA recommends that the list be used only for posting of information (for example about events, publications, conferences, lectures) of interest to members or to promote discussion of current issues of wide general interest in the field. Posts to the MeCCSA mailing list are public, indexed by Google, and can be accessed from the JISCMail website (http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/meccsa.html). Any messages posted to the list are subject to the JISCMail acceptable use policy, which states that users should avoid “engaging in unreasonable behaviour, or disrupting the general flow of discussion on a list.” For further information, please visit: http://www.meccsa.org.uk/ -------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------- MeCCSA mailing list -------------------------------------------------------- To manage your subscription or unsubscribe from the MECCSA list, please visit: https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?SUBED1=MECCSA&A=1 ------------------------------------------------------- MeCCSA is the subject association for the field of media, communication and cultural studies in UK Higher Education. This mailing list is a free service and is not restricted to members. It is an unmoderated list and content reflect the views of those who post to the list and not of MeCCSA as an organisation. MeCCSA recommends that the list be used only for posting of information (for example about events, publications, conferences, lectures) of interest to members or to promote discussion of current issues of wide general interest in the field. Posts to the MeCCSA mailing list are public, indexed by Google, and can be accessed from the JISCMail website (http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/meccsa.html). Any messages posted to the list are subject to the JISCMail acceptable use policy, which states that users should avoid “engaging in unreasonable behaviour, or disrupting the general flow of discussion on a list.” For further information, please visit: http://www.meccsa.org.uk/ -------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------- MeCCSA mailing list -------------------------------------------------------- To manage your subscription or unsubscribe from the MECCSA list, please visit: https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?SUBED1=MECCSA&A=1 ------------------------------------------------------- MeCCSA is the subject association for the field of media, communication and cultural studies in UK Higher Education. This mailing list is a free service and is not restricted to members. It is an unmoderated list and content reflect the views of those who post to the list and not of MeCCSA as an organisation. MeCCSA recommends that the list be used only for posting of information (for example about events, publications, conferences, lectures) of interest to members or to promote discussion of current issues of wide general interest in the field. Posts to the MeCCSA mailing list are public, indexed by Google, and can be accessed from the JISCMail website (http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/meccsa.html). Any messages posted to the list are subject to the JISCMail acceptable use policy, which states that users should avoid “engaging in unreasonable behaviour, or disrupting the general flow of discussion on a list.” For further information, please visit: http://www.meccsa.org.uk/ -------------------------------------------------------- DISCLAIMER: This email is intended solely for the addressee. It may contain private and confidential information. If you are not the intended addressee, please take no action based on it nor show a copy to anyone. In this case, please reply to this email to highlight the error. Opinions and information in this email that do not relate to the official business of Nottingham Trent University shall be understood as neither given nor endorsed by the University. Nottingham Trent University has taken steps to ensure that this email and any attachments are virus-free, but we do advise that the recipient should check that the email and its attachments are actually virus free. This is in keeping with good computing practice. -------------------------------------------------------- MeCCSA mailing list -------------------------------------------------------- To manage your subscription or unsubscribe from the MECCSA list, please visit: https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?SUBED1=MECCSA&A=1 ------------------------------------------------------- MeCCSA is the subject association for the field of media, communication and cultural studies in UK Higher Education. This mailing list is a free service and is not restricted to members. It is an unmoderated list and content reflect the views of those who post to the list and not of MeCCSA as an organisation. MeCCSA recommends that the list be used only for posting of information (for example about events, publications, conferences, lectures) of interest to members or to promote discussion of current issues of wide general interest in the field. Posts to the MeCCSA mailing list are public, indexed by Google, and can be accessed from the JISCMail website (http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/meccsa.html). Any messages posted to the list are subject to the JISCMail acceptable use policy, which states that users should avoid “engaging in unreasonable behaviour, or disrupting the general flow of discussion on a list.” For further information, please visit: http://www.meccsa.org.uk/ -------------------------------------------------------- DISCLAIMER: This email is intended solely for the addressee. It may contain private and confidential information. If you are not the intended addressee, please take no action based on it nor show a copy to anyone. In this case, please reply to this email to highlight the error. Opinions and information in this email that do not relate to the official business of Nottingham Trent University shall be understood as neither given nor endorsed by the University. Nottingham Trent University has taken steps to ensure that this email and any attachments are virus-free, but we do advise that the recipient should check that the email and its attachments are actually virus free. This is in keeping with good computing practice. -------------------------------------------------------- MeCCSA mailing list -------------------------------------------------------- To manage your subscription or unsubscribe from the MECCSA list, please visit: https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?SUBED1=MECCSA&A=1 ------------------------------------------------------- MeCCSA is the subject association for the field of media, communication and cultural studies in UK Higher Education. This mailing list is a free service and is not restricted to members. It is an unmoderated list and content reflect the views of those who post to the list and not of MeCCSA as an organisation. MeCCSA recommends that the list be used only for posting of information (for example about events, publications, conferences, lectures) of interest to members or to promote discussion of current issues of wide general interest in the field. Posts to the MeCCSA mailing list are public, indexed by Google, and can be accessed from the JISCMail website (http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/meccsa.html). Any messages posted to the list are subject to the JISCMail acceptable use policy, which states that users should avoid “engaging in unreasonable behaviour, or disrupting the general flow of discussion on a list.” For further information, please visit: http://www.meccsa.org.uk/ -------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------- MeCCSA mailing list -------------------------------------------------------- To manage your subscription or unsubscribe from the MECCSA list, please visit: https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?SUBED1=MECCSA&A=1 ------------------------------------------------------- MeCCSA is the subject association for the field of media, communication and cultural studies in UK Higher Education. This mailing list is a free service and is not restricted to members. It is an unmoderated list and content reflect the views of those who post to the list and not of MeCCSA as an organisation. MeCCSA recommends that the list be used only for posting of information (for example about events, publications, conferences, lectures) of interest to members or to promote discussion of current issues of wide general interest in the field. Posts to the MeCCSA mailing list are public, indexed by Google, and can be accessed from the JISCMail website (http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/meccsa.html). Any messages posted to the list are subject to the JISCMail acceptable use policy, which states that users should avoid “engaging in unreasonable behaviour, or disrupting the general flow of discussion on a list.” For further information, please visit: http://www.meccsa.org.uk/ -------------------------------------------------------- Consider the environment. Please don't print this e-mail unless you really need to. This email and any attachments are confidential and intended solely for the addressee and may also be privileged or exempt from disclosure under applicable law. If you are not the addressee, or have received this e-mail in error, please notify the sender immediately, delete it from your system and do not copy, disclose or otherwise act upon any part of this email or its attachments. Internet communications are not guaranteed to be secure or virus-free. University of Roehampton does not accept responsibility for any loss arising from unauthorised access to, or interference with, any Internet communications by any third party, or from the transmission of any viruses. Any opinion or other information in this e-mail or its attachments that does not relate to the business of University of Roehampton is personal to the sender and is not given or endorsed by University of Roehampton. University of Roehampton is the trading name of Roehampton University, a company limited by guarantee incorporated in England under number 5161359. Registered Office: Grove House, Roehampton Lane, London SW15 5PJ. An exempt charity. -------------------------------------------------------- MeCCSA mailing list -------------------------------------------------------- To manage your subscription or unsubscribe from the MECCSA list, please visit: https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?SUBED1=MECCSA&A=1 ------------------------------------------------------- MeCCSA is the subject association for the field of media, communication and cultural studies in UK Higher Education. This mailing list is a free service and is not restricted to members. It is an unmoderated list and content reflect the views of those who post to the list and not of MeCCSA as an organisation. MeCCSA recommends that the list be used only for posting of information (for example about events, publications, conferences, lectures) of interest to members or to promote discussion of current issues of wide general interest in the field. Posts to the MeCCSA mailing list are public, indexed by Google, and can be accessed from the JISCMail website (http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/meccsa.html). Any messages posted to the list are subject to the JISCMail acceptable use policy, which states that users should avoid engaging in unreasonable behaviour, or disrupting the general flow of discussion on a list. For further information, please visit: http://www.meccsa.org.uk/ --------------------------------------------------------