Media, State and Nation: Political Violence and Collective Identities (Media Culture & Society series) Book

In this incisive text on media and collective identity, Philip Schlesinger develops our understanding of the contemporary struggles over political discourse. By combining analyses of particular political issues and case studies of media-state relations, the book demonstrates the complexity of political communication and its part in the way in which states construct their enemies, both internal and external.Three key themes are presented. In the first part, the concepts of `violence' and `terrorism' are shown to be fundamentally rooted in the competing communicative strategies of the state and of its opponents. This has significant consequences for state policies on both media coverage and censorship of political violence.The second part considers the external enemies of both nation-state and ideological bloc. Professor Schlesinger examines how Western national identities have been underpinned by the threat of communism and terrorism, and the responses this has evoked in political culture.The final part addresses the involvement of media and state with collective identities, including those which transcend the boundaries of the state. How should we analyse the tensions between national and European identities? What role do the media play in shaping such conceptions?Drawing together a series of major essays into a coherent whole, this book by a distinguished media scholar will be of wide interest to lecturers and students in political science, sociology, and communication and cultural studies, as well as to all those aware of the role of the media in contemporary society.Read More