Wednesday, May 10, 2006
Academia
One of the most significant triumphs of AK Comics is the way in which it has penetrated the world of academia. Phil Taylor at the Institute of Communication Studies at Leeds University - one of the UK's most prestigious - has been including the work of AK within the final year of his Communication Studies course - within the module 'The Great War on Terror - Propoganda'. Here's a copy of that excellent Washington Post article that he includes as reference material:
http://ics.leeds.ac.uk/papers/vp01.cfm?outfit=pmt&folder=2053&paper=2150
The Media Studies argument is that all information is a form of propaganda, shaping attitudes, focussing attention, creating stereotypes and so on. It's not only what is said, for example, but also what is left out. In many western media outlets, particularly in the US, the media image of the Middle East is one of noisy Arabs, behaving irrationally, undeveloped, buried and chained by religion and so on. This is of course nonsense but is a common perception.
The lack of any contact with daily Arab life - and most importantly pop culture - undermines any sense of common humanity. Without being pompous, that's one reason why AK Comics is so important - and Turkish/Egyptian/Lebanese pop music too - and movies!! We need to provide a diverse and balanced media in every field. By recognising that we all share common interests and entertainment values, that we share common desires for a better world, we can begin to undermine the divisions created between us by ignorant politicians and the greedier side of business.
One of the most significant triumphs of AK Comics is the way in which it has penetrated the world of academia. Phil Taylor at the Institute of Communication Studies at Leeds University - one of the UK's most prestigious - has been including the work of AK within the final year of his Communication Studies course - within the module 'The Great War on Terror - Propoganda'. Here's a copy of that excellent Washington Post article that he includes as reference material:
http://ics.leeds.ac.uk/papers/vp01.cfm?outfit=pmt&folder=2053&paper=2150
The Media Studies argument is that all information is a form of propaganda, shaping attitudes, focussing attention, creating stereotypes and so on. It's not only what is said, for example, but also what is left out. In many western media outlets, particularly in the US, the media image of the Middle East is one of noisy Arabs, behaving irrationally, undeveloped, buried and chained by religion and so on. This is of course nonsense but is a common perception.
The lack of any contact with daily Arab life - and most importantly pop culture - undermines any sense of common humanity. Without being pompous, that's one reason why AK Comics is so important - and Turkish/Egyptian/Lebanese pop music too - and movies!! We need to provide a diverse and balanced media in every field. By recognising that we all share common interests and entertainment values, that we share common desires for a better world, we can begin to undermine the divisions created between us by ignorant politicians and the greedier side of business.
