CSAA 2011: CULTURAL POLITICS 23 November, 2011 rd

Discipline of Media, The University of Adelaide
CSAA 2011: CULTURAL POLITICS
23rd November, 2011
“Out With The Old; In With The New:
Examining The Cinematic Arab Terrorist
Before and After The September 11 Attacks.”
Presented by:
Jay W. Reid, B.Media (Hons)
The University of Adelaide
Life Impact | The University of Adelaide
Discipline of Media, The University of Adelaide
FIRST, AN APOLOGY
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Due to a formatting error in the program my talk
is in fact on terrorism, and not bogan terrorism
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Things you will not see in this presentation include:
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–
The Makers of ‘The Hangover’
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Low Interest Rates
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Perspective-Based Photography at Famous Landmarks
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Cruise Ships
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Talking About Joining the Army
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The Australian Dollar
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WAGs
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Arbitrary Thievery
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Buddhist Iconography as Home Furnishings
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Border Security: Australia’s Front Line
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Prefacing Racist Statements With “I’m not racist but…”
Source: Things Bogans Like The Whole List
Life Impact | The University of Adelaide
Slide 1
Discipline of Media, The University of Adelaide
ORIENTALIST DISCOURSE
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Said’s work is strongly linked to that of Michel
Foucault (Ali, 2006: 8; Ashcroft & Ahluwali, 2009: 65;
Danaher el al., 2000: 3, 110; Kennedy, 2000: 3, 89-90;
Said, 2003: 3, 14, 22-23, 94, 188-9, 266)
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Rather than creating their works from scratch
Said is able to demonstrate how authors
instead draw upon previously stated notions of
the Orient (Ali, 2006: 96-7, Kennedy, 2000: 17, 28, 837, 97; Said, 2003: 10, 21-3, 151, 237, 255)
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Discourses regulate identity, physical bodies,
behaviours and social hierarchies, filtering
down through and acting upon all levels of
society (Danaher et al., 2000: 32-3, 118, 123-4;
Racevskis, 1983: 93-6).
Life Impact | The University of Adelaide
Slide 2
Discipline of Media, The University of Adelaide
METHODOLOGY
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Examine films dealing with fictional terrorism
released between 1991-2011 considered
through an Oriental discourse, framed with
work of Jack G. Shaheen
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Shaheen’s work spans 1,000 instances of
Arab screen mediation over the past century
(Galford, 2001: 88; Hussein, 2010: 120; Majaj, 2003:
38; Miller, 2008: 246; Pomerance, 2009: 32; Shaheen:
2001: 14; 36, 2003a: 176, 2003b: 77; Stiffler, 2010:
118)
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He is seen as significant figure in the
research of Middle Eastern screen images
(Marrison, 2004: 14; Shaheen, 2001: 1; Stiffler, 2010:
118)
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His work identifies six character ‘archetypes’
that will be drawn upon (Majaj, 2003: 38; Stiffler,
2010: 118)
Life Impact | The University of Adelaide
Slide 3
Discipline of Media, The University of Adelaide
CONSTRUCTION OF THE ARAB VILLAIN
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Through these films a discourse is
established in which the Arab character
is always constructed as being:
– Violent
– Addicted to an anti-Western religion:
– Undisciplined & unintelligent
– Primitive
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However, while these are constant, the
framing and positioning of the Arab
villains does change over time
Life Impact | The University of Adelaide
Slide 4
Discipline of Media, The University of Adelaide
FIRST WAVE: 1991-2001
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Pre-9/11 terrorists Palestinians
often characterised as fitting into
the ‘Palestinian’ archetype as
prescribed by Shaheen
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Still constructed as being violent
and religious, though great
emphasis on their unintelligence, a
popular character troupe for the
time period (Shaheen, 2003a: 176-7)
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This notion that the Arab mind as
being simple, stupid and childlike is
an idea long upheld within Oriental
discourse (Said, 2007: 40; 310; 320)
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Prime example: True Lies (1994),
also Executive Decision (1996) and
The Siege (1998)
Life Impact | The University of Adelaide
Slide 5
Discipline of Media, The University of Adelaide
SECOND WAVE: 2001-2007
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Post-9/11 we see innocent Arabs
seduced by ‘evil Islam’, personified in
an often Egyptian cleric
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Matches with the ‘Egyptian’
character detailed by Shaheen;
obsessed with an ancient religion
(2001: 25; 2003a: 184-6)
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Their conversion is not willing but a
product of socio-political drivers; not
previously considered in Hollywood
films (Schack, 2009: 80-1)
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Location of attacks is moved to
outside the US and Arab characters
are given a constructed innocence
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Prime example: Syriana (2005), also
Rendition (2007)
Life Impact | The University of Adelaide
Slide 6
Discipline of Media, The University of Adelaide
THIRD WAVE: 2007-2011
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Innocence is removed from
perpetrators, who choose to
commit attacks on their own
accord, rather than being the
victims of manipulation or
coercion (Kellner, 2010: 171)
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Characters become faceless,
hidden behind robes and
headwear, with the face
becoming a (false) signal of
innocence
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Strong links to the Vietnam
conflict and how the ‘war on
terror’ is positioned
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Prime example: The Kingdom
(2007), also Body of Lies
(2008)and Vantage Point (2008)
Life Impact | The University of Adelaide
Slide 7
Discipline of Media, The University of Adelaide
SPECIAL CASE: SHEIKHS
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Imagery has shifted over time
(Hall, 1997)
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Re-imagined: Hook-nosed oil
barons on top of thrones
replaced with militant clerics
(Shaheen: 1987, 148-51; 2003a: 19;
180-2; 2003b: 76; 2008: 30-2)
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Manipulate religion, linked to
monetary excess
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Seen as violent, primitive,
undisciplined and unintelligent
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Important to plot post-9/11,
but can be observed in pre9/11 films as minor element
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Changes in imagery can be
linked to Osama bin Laden
Life Impact | The University of Adelaide
Slide 8
Discipline of Media, The University of Adelaide
SPECIAL CASE: MAIDENS
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Post-9/11 phenomena
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Belly dancers and silent
veiled women replaced with
fanatic bombers (Shaheen,
1987: 150; 2001: 22-3; 2003a: 1824; 2008: 30)
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Seen as manipulative liars
who are violent, obsessed
with religion and exploit their
own sexuality
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Framed as being more
dangerous than male
counter-parts due to their
disruption of the household
(Pickering & Third, 2003)
Life Impact | The University of Adelaide
Slide 9
Discipline of Media, The University of Adelaide
ESTABLISHMENT OF AN ARAB
TERROR DISCOURSE
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There exists a long standing Hollywood tradition of crafting the
Middle East as an incubator of terrorist activity (Dodds, 2008: 1633)
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A discourse of Arab terrorism has been established, one that
while based in traditional Oriental beliefs is seen to response to
changing social fears and real world events
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The construction and continual repetition of such discourses acts
upon bodies of society, determining the beliefs and actions of its
citizens (Mills, 2004: 10)
Life Impact | The University of Adelaide
Slide 10
Discipline of Media, The University of Adelaide
QUESTIONS?
And thank you for your time.
Life Impact | The University of Adelaide
Slide 11