Media, War & Conflict current issue

Editors' note

Hoskins, A., Richards, B., Seib, P. — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:02:19 PST

The genocide video

Thompson, A. — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:02:19 PST

Al-Jazeera English and global news networks: clash of civilizations or cross-cultural dialogue?

Powers, S., el-Nawawy, M. — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:02:19 PST

This article examines the role of the global news media in either furthering the balkanization of the global news environment or moving towards a globally connected and engaged aggregation of publics. Drawing on the results of a six-country study of media viewing habits, cultural, political and cognitive dispositions of viewers of Al-Jazeera English in comparison to viewers of CNN International and BBC World, the authors outline two findings: (1) viewers worldwide turn to particular broadcasters to affirm rather than inform their opinions, meaning the global news media are likely to reinforce existing attitudes and stereotypes of cultural ‘others’; and (2) the longer viewers have been watching Al-Jazeera English, the less dogmatic they are in their thinking and thus more open to considering alternative and clashing opinions. The authors conclude by arguing that, when media jettison the principles embodied in ‘war journalism’, broadcasters can indeed have a latent yet substantial impact on fostering cross-cultural understanding and reconciliation.

'The Great Movement to Resist America and Assist Korea': how Beijing sold the Korean War

Rawnsley, G. D. — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:02:19 PST

The Chinese entered the Korean War one year after the creation of the People’s Republic of China. Given the considerable economic, social and political problems facing the new state after decades of foreign occupation and civil war, how did the new Communist Government of China persuade both the people and the military to intervene in a foreign war? Described as the ‘Great Movement to Resist America and Assist Korea’ and an opportunity to ‘Beat American Arrogance’, the propaganda promoted the Korean War as a chance to challenge the US presence in Asia, and project China’s rise as a regional, if not a world power. More important, the propaganda indicates the war was used to strengthen the Communist Party’s domestic support and legitimacy, mobilize the population around the party’s agenda (especially its vision of a ‘new’ China), and help consolidate the party’s authority in the immediate aftermath of the civil war. Focusing primarily on posters, this article chronicles the development of propaganda themes and methods against the background of first Chinese hesitation to enter the Korean War and then acceptance of a prolonged war by the end of the first year.

Media coverage and Israel's 'Four Mothers' antiwar protest: agendas, tactics and political context in movement success

Lieberfeld, D. — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:02:19 PST

This article investigates conditions under which media coverage can enable antiwar protest to influence national security policy. Through a study of ‘Four Mothers — Leaving Lebanon in Peace’, an Israeli group that in the late 1990s protested against that country’s war in southern Lebanon, it demonstrates that: media attention was an essential factor in the group’s formation and development into a national movement; together with features of the political environment, media attention enabled the movement to mobilize public opposition to the war; important elements of the media opposed government policy and were therefore motivated to cover the movement; yet the movement’s ability to attract coverage also derived from its protest strategies and intensive media outreach. The article examines these efforts by movement leaders to increase coverage and the dilemmas that their media strategies posed for activists. The conclusions consider the case’s implications concerning the political efficacy of antiwar movements generally, and particularly those with gendered identities.

CONELRAD on the front line of Cold War defense

Brinson, S. L. — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:02:19 PST

CONELRAD (a contraction of CONtrol of ELectromagnetic RADiation) focused on radio technology for both military and civil defense during the early Cold War years of the 1950s. Conceived as a military defense system into which civil defense needs were incorporated, the civilian aspects were not developed equally. Understood within the context of national security, however, the inequity was the point. CONELRAD contributed to the illusion that a nuclear attack was survivable and helped the Truman and Eisenhower administrations pursue their foreign and military policies without significant public opposition. This article explains the development of CONELRAD and the technical difficulties it faced, and exposes the bureaucratic infighting that was a manifestation of the inherent and mutually exclusive goals of the system.

Book review: Jan Melissen (ed.) The New Public Diplomacy: Soft Power in International Relations Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2007. 240 pp. ISBN 978 0 230 53554 1 (pbk)

Thussu, D. — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:02:19 PST

Book review: Stephen Law (ed.) Israel, Palestine and Terror London: Continuum, 2008. 240 pp. ISBN 978 0 82649793 2

Boyd-Barrett, O. — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:02:19 PST

Book review: Alex J. Bellamy Responsibility to Protect: The Global Effort to End Mass Atrocities Cambridge: Polity, 2009. 249 pp. ISBN 978 0 74564348 9 Hugo Slim Killing Civilians: Method, Madness and Morality in War London: Hurst Publications, 2007. 319 pp. ISBN 978 1850659143

Carvin, S. — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:02:19 PST

Book review: Virginia Held How Terrorism Is Wrong: Morality and Political Violence New York: Oxford University Press, 2008. 205 pp. ISBN 978 0 19 532959 9

Stocchetti, M. — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:02:19 PST