Articles Online - Media and Globalization
Terrorism
and Globalization | Anti-Globalization
Movements | Terrorism and the
Western Media
Terrorism and non-Western
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Terrorism and Globalization [back to top]
"Fair Trade Background" A history of free trade and globalization as defined by one alternative, "Fair Trade." <http://www.citinv.it/equo/corsi/gutierrez/2_1.htm>
"Race, Poverty and Globalization" Although in theory globalization may not be harmful, the author argues that in practice it enriches corporations and exploits people of color in the Third World and in the United States. <http://www.globalexchange.org/economy/econ101/globalization072000.html>
"How to Judge Globalism" Amartya Sen puts globalization in the context of the last thousand years and asserts that it is not purely a Western phenomenon. <http://www.prospect.org/print/V13/1/sen-a.html>
Anti-Globalization Movements [back to top]
The groups who have protested U.S. military actions in Afghanistan, it has been noted, are often the same groups who before September 11th campaigned against globalization. While the Left has traditionally resisted both war and unregulated economic expansion, the ease with which these groups changed focus may be significant. Here are three links that suggest ways in which the anti-globalization movement may be particularly attuned to issues underlying the war on terrorism.
"Anti-War = Anti-Globalization" C.G. Estabrook argues that the war on terrorism serves to camouflage the agenda of globalization. http://www.counterpunch.org/estabrookglobal.html
"Future of Antiglobalization Movement" This Foreign Policy in Focus forum shows the multitude of implicit connections between anti-globalization and a stance against military solutions to terrorism. http://www.fpif.org/discussion/0201globalization/index.html
Paul Foot on 9-11. A short, stark picture by an English writer shows the resonances between terrorism and globalization. <http://www.lrb.co.uk/v23/n19/mult2319.htm#foot>
Illustration of Media and Globalization. A graphic depiction of how some see the relationship between globalization and the media. (An accompanying article by Katherine Ainger is at <http://www.oneworld.org/ni/issue333/keynote.htm>) <http://www.oneworld.org/ni/issue333/Images/keytitle.gif>
Terrorism and the Western Media [back to top]
"America's only hope," writes Oxford University professor Terry Eagleton, "is to see itself in the eyes of others." But globalization can mean that no matter where America looks it sees only itself. "As the globe is flattened into a single space," Eagleton continues, "it is by the same stroke carved rigourously down the middle." <http://www.lrb.co.uk/v23/ n19/mult2319.htm#eagleton>
In other words, the ability of communications technologies to diminish distance can have the paradoxical effect of making people, countries and religions less able to understand and empathize with one another. Since the media owns, controls and sells these communication technologies, we must maintain an awareness of its role not only in reporting events but sometimes in creating them as well. The following links introduce some critical thinking done about the media since 9-11.
"The War on Journalism" Paul Masters of The First Amendment Center conducts a general check up on post 9-11 journalism. <http://www.freedomforum.org/templates/document.asp?documentID=15211>
"Networks Accept Government Guidance" Reaction to network abridgement of some Bin Laden videos. <http://www.fair.org/press-releases/network-pressure.html>
"Media March to War" A round up and analysis of columnists published reactions to the September attacks. http://www.fair.org/press-releases/wtc-war-punditry.html
"May We Have Independent Journalism Back Now, Please?" Andrew Stroehlein compares post 9-11 coverage here and abroad, and finds U.S. journalism failing. <http://www.poynter.org/forum/war-coverage-centerpiece.htm>
"Jitters" A New Yorker writer on "the CNN factor" and the behavior of the press during the anthrax scares. <http://www.newyorker.com/talk/content/?011029ta_talk_comment>
"NPR's Middle East 'problem.'" No matter how NPR reports the news from the Middle East, the network is attacked by one group or another. <http://www.npr.org/yourturn/ombudsman/>
"Battle Stations" Ken Auletta explores how 9-11 has in some instances given the T.V. networks a new sense of mission. <http://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/?011210fa_FACT1>
"Will Geraldo set the tone for future war coverage?" Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting cites some of the rhetoric of Fox News with Geraldo Rivera. <http://www.fair.org/extra/0201/geraldo-fox.html>
"Backlash and Backtrack" Edward Said outlines media portrayals of Arabs and Muslims in the wake of the September attacks. http://www.mediamonitors.net/edward39.html
"U.S. Attempts To Shore Up Support for War" Discusses how the government has hired public relations firms to promote a positive image of the war in Afghanistan. <ttp://media.guardian.co.uk/Print/0,3858,4288135,00.html>
."War Needs Good Public Relations" More on public relations firms, the government and the war on terror. <ttp://www.zmag.org/solpr.htm>
Dr. Nancy Snow, former propagandist for the U.S. Information Agency (U. S. I. A.) and author of a book on her experience there, traces the history of propaganda in the United States, and discusses the part that the media plays in manufacturing consent for the U.S. government's actions, including this war specifically. <http://www.guerrillanews.com/counter_intel/propaganda_inc/snow_trans.html>
"An Expert's Take on the bin Laden Tape" In this broadcast interview, terrorism expert Bruce Hoffman analyzed bin Laden's December message. http://play.rbn.com/?url=livecon/kcrw/g2demand/ww/ww
"Hypocrisy and Talking Heads: What the National Media is Not Telling You About These Terrorist Attacks" Norman Solomon points out that some of the "experts" called in to discuss terrorism are indeed experts: having worked for the CIA they themselves trained terrorists. <http://www.workingforchange.com/article.cfm?itemid=11917>
Eric Foner on 9-11. A New York writer's short and punchy criticism of coverage of the September attacks. <http://www.lrb.co.uk/v23/n19/mult2319.htm#foner>
"CNN in the Crossfire" This article from New York's Village Voice details how CNN's desire for a scoop may have jeopardized John Walker's chance of a fair trial. <http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0205/cotts.php>
"Centennial of the Spanish-American War" As this on-line article shows, the press has had a long history of fomenting public emotion in times of war. <www.zpub.com/cpp/saw.html>
"The Making of a Movement" Robert McChesney and John Nichols write about how shoddy journalistic practices may encourage a movement for media reform. <http://www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml?i=20020107&s=mcchesney>
Terrorism and non-Western Media [back to top]
It is not only the Western media that play a defining role in the current interactions between Islam and the West. The Arabic news channel Al Jazeera is a major source of information for millions across the Middle East. The links below offer differing appraisals of "the CNN of the Arab world."
"Democracy by Decree" The success of Al Jazeera, writes the New Yorker, "has much to do with its willingness to test the limits of what is acceptable in the Arab world." <http://www.newyorker.com/archive/content/?011029fr_archive01>
"Why Is America Scared of Al Jazeera?" A Times of India reporter finds Al Jazeera's coverage of events since 9-11 less biased than that of the U. S. networks. <http://www.timesofindia.com/articleshow.asp?catkey=2128936835&art_id=536525524>
"Captive Audience" Radio interview with Fouad Ajami regarding his New York Times Magazine article "What the Muslim World is Watching" http://www.realimpact.net/rihurl.ram?file=realimpact/wnyc/raotm/otm
"The CNN of the Arab World Deserves Our Respect" Despite Colin Powell's entreaty to stop doing so, Al Jazeera continues to broadcast bin Laden's taped addresses to the world, as well as images of civilians reportedly killed in the current U.S. military action. The following article from a Palestinian on-line journal argues that Al Jazeera deserves respect for this stance, rather than the vilification it has suffered at the hands of much of the mainstream American press. <http://electronicintifada.net/features/articles/20011022alihussein.html>
Al Jazeera's Website. In Arabic, but has pictures not run in the U.S. press. <http://www.aljazeera.net/>
