Two inter-disciplinary academic networks debating this issue quite extensively are below.
-Bath Conflict Network: https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?A0=BATH-CONFLICT-NETWORK
- Organised Persuasive Communication and Contemporary Propaganda network: https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?A0=ORGANISEDPERSUASIVECOMMUNICATION
I'd encourage anyone interested in PREVENT and other issues of conflict, persuasion and contemporary propaganda to join in.
Best
Vian
Dr. Vian Bakir
Course Leader BA (Hons) Journalism (NSS top Journalism course in UK 2015)
School of Creative Studies & Media, Office 14, John Phillips Building
Bangor University, Bangor, Wales, UK, LL57 2DG
email: [log in to unmask]
Twitter University staff page
Network for study of Media & Persuasive Communication
PI: ESRC Seminar Series. DATA - PSST! Debating & Assessing Transparency Arrangements - Privacy, Security, Surveillance, Trust
New Special Issue of International Journal of Press/Politics (2015): News, Agenda-Building & Intelligence Agencies
Recent article: “Veillant Panoptic Assemblage”: Mutual Watching & Resistance to Mass Surveillance after Snowden
Recent book: Torture, Intelligence Sousveillance in the War on Terror: Agenda-Building Struggles (2013)
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From: Media, Communications and Cultural Studies Association (MeCCSA) <[log in to unmask]> on behalf of Julian Petley <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: 03 December 2015 12:53
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Prevent and University implementation of Home Office policy
Dear all,
Following on from Alexis' worrying e-mail, I'd like to draw your attention to this equally worrying story in the Independent:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/young-people-who-question-government-policy-or-the-media-may-be-extremists-officials-tell-parents-a6756086.html
Among other things this states that ‘Parents and carers have also been advised by the safeguarding children board in the London Borough of Camden that “showing a mistrust of mainstream media reports and a belief in conspiracy theories” could be a sign that children are being groomed by extremists’. As Bella Sankey of Liberty quite rightly observes in the article: 'Children should be encouraged to take an interest in politics and think critically about what they see in the media, not deemed suspect for so doing. The piece also quotes from an open letter about Prevent which some of us signed recently:
http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/letters/prevent-will-have-a-chilling-effect-on-open-debate-free-speech-and-political-dissent-10381491.html
This kind of initiative stems from two sources. The first is child protection, but child protection of a very particular kind (i.e. that which wanted the vetting of writers who visited schools, or parents who took other people's children to school in their cars). The second source, obviously, is the kind of thinking which has given rise to Prevent. The result is something which has deeply worrying implications for anyone who teaches about the British media - and particularly if they take a critical line on how the media represent Muslims, how the media represent government policy on the Middle East, terrorism and radicalisation, and the relationship between the media and government (which, in the specific case of the Murdoch media and the government looks, suspiciously like a form of conspiracy, at least in my view).
If anyone has any examples of this kind of thing happening in their area, I'd be very interested in hearing about it. And if this is happening across the country (which I suspect it is) is this not something about which MeCCSA should be taking a stand?
Best, Julian.
Julian Petley
Professor of Screen Media
T +44 (0) 1895 265479
Connect with me on Linkedin, Twitter, Facebook
Brunel University London
College of Business, Arts and Social Sciences,
Department of Social Sciences, Media and Communications.
Gaskell Building, Brunel University London, Uxbridge, UB8 3PH, United Kingdom
T +44 (0) 1895 274000 | F +44 (0) 1895 232806
www.brunel.ac.uk
Connect with the university on Linkedin, Twitter, Facebook
-----Original Message-----
From: Media, Communications and Cultural Studies Association (MeCCSA) [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Alexis Weedon
Sent: 03 December 2015 08:33
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Prevent and University implementation of Home Office policy
Dear MeCCSA
I am writing to ask if MeCCSA list members could share their University's policy or actions on the implementation of the Home Office guidance on PREVENT.
At the University of Bedfordshire we have a new policy (circulated 1 Dec) on eternal speakers/visitors which is the subject of my concern. It requires all guests to be centrally approved and may 'grant permission for the activity to proceed but declare it 'public', thus permitting a police presence' or 'refuse permission for the activity to take place if it appears that it could give rise to, or incite those attending to commit, a criminal act' (or as a concerned colleague rephrased it 'those attending'
being innocent).
Journalism is part of my school and the ability to interview external speakers and invite in speakers from all sides of a debate is essential to learning ethical and responsible reporting. I wonder a) whether colleagues in MeCCSA have university policies which are comparable, b) what is current practice in Universities and c) whether the subject association has - or could formulate - a view.
It may be a point worth of discussion at the upcoming conference.
I would be grateful to hear your views and understand your policies so I can reflect on the practice as it effects (or perhaps doesn't) the school here.
Alexis
----
Professor Alexis Weedon
UNESCO chair in New Media Forms of the Book Head of Department Journalism and Communications Co-editor Convergence: The International Journal of Research Into New Media Technologies University of Bedfordshire Luton Campus, Park Square Luton LU1 3JU
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Convergence submissions online http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/convergence
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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/
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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/
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