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Arab Culture/representation of arabs in the western media
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Question
How the western media affect the arabic culture ?
Hi Nissrine, and thanks for your question. I think there could be both positive and negative influences of the Western media on Arab culture. Positive may include the rise of cable news networks, or music channels, the Internet, or other venues which promote the free exchange of ideas--meaning, once Arab countries began developing media like MelodyHits, or al-Jazeera, or other online resources, Western people could hear first-hand from Arabs about important issues such as the Occupation and other human rights concerns, as well as understanding them better as a people and culture. (This I appreciate very much). However, the dominant Western media corporations also do a disservice when portraying negative stereotypes of Arabs in their widespread news coverage, or by failing to cover issues such as human rights and culture. Since only a few corporations are dominant (meaning most people get all their news from these sources), people's view of reality ends up being limited to what these news corporations report.
One other thought I might add is that unfortunately, Western media promotes stereotypes about Westerners to the rest of the world that are unhelpful--I was thinking about how many times people thought U.S. women were just like 'Baywatch.'
All the better, I think, to dispel stereotypes and build understanding, is for Western and Eastern people to travel and meet one another. Personal relationships and experiences do great things toward real peace.
Hope this helps!
peace,
Le Anne
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Answers by Expert:
Le Anne Clausen
Expertise
I can answer questions on Arab culture, including differences in cultures among Arab countries and sub-groups. I can also answer questions on Christian-Muslim relations, interfaith issues in general, and human rights and peacemaking issues in the Middle East.
Experience
I was a human rights worker for four years in the Middle East, and have spent time in Palestine, Israel, Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan. I speak intermediate Arabic; some Hebrew; and am starting Persian (Farsi, Dari). I have led a half-dozen educational delegations to the area for North American groups; and I have led trainings for nearly a thousand international human rights volunteers coming into the area over my years there. I am now working to launch an interfaith peace-teams based human rights organization, hopefully in the next two years. I am also currently editing the manuscript for my first book, a firsthand account of my time in the Middle East
Publications
"Be the Healers," (next steps after Abu Ghraib) The Lutheran magazine, July 2004.
www.christian-muslim.net
www.seminaryaction.org
www.young-activist.blogspot.com
Multiple press releases which I wrote from the field, as well as media interviews/articles about my work are also available via Google search.
Education/Credentials
I have an MA in Christian-Muslim relations; and I am now continuing my studies at Chicago Theological Seminary (www.ctschicago.edu). I also have a BA in Religion concentrating in global service, from Wartburg College, (www.wartburg.edu).
Awards and Honors
I received the Dell Award for Peace and Justice from Wartburg College. I have spoken and led workshops and trainings at over one hundred church congregations, colleges, schools, organizations
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