Media in the Middle East by Nele Lenze Charlotte Schriwer & Zubaidah Abdul Jalil

Author:Nele Lenze, Charlotte Schriwer & Zubaidah Abdul Jalil
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Springer International Publishing, Cham

Conclusion: The Symbiotic Commodification of Terror

The discourse of terrorism , and the associated cultural production, is propagated by multiple players, including: the terrorists who enact violence in public space; the authorities who respond in counter-violence; the corporate news networks that circulate and sensationalize; the international security apparatus that capitalizes on terrorism for the creation of policy and deployment of retaliatory action at home and abroad; and corporate industries that profit from acts of terror by commodifying the anti-terror response.

In the wake of contemporary terrorist attacks, the conflation of terrorism, international media networks , and a profit-oriented capitalist response is most visible in the commodification of terror. In the immediate aftermath of many terrorist attacks, there is a rush to condemn the events by producing and distributing a multitude of symbols and signals, turning the violent act into a further spectacle to be viewed and commodity to be consumed. After the Charlie Hebdo offices were attacked in Paris in 2015, one of the popular responses was the mass production, distribution, and consumption of the “Je suis Charlie” slogan, which was emblazoned on a variety of products, including bracelets, pendants, T-shirts, and mugs, among a variety of other paraphernalia. 120 One form of solidarity against terrorism is being embodied visibly in the purchase of product.

In a world that is increasingly defined by ideologies of globalized economic liberalization, marketization, and commodification, these become the ideational forces that shape overall value systems and extend “beyond the commercial realm into other spheres of human society.” 121 The discourse of terrorism is no exception. Spectacular international terrorist activities, as well as highly visual and publicized responses, elicit the attention of corporate and social media channels, and are instantly produced, circulated, and consumed all over the world. The commodification of media affects the Middle East in the same ways that it does other regions that are increasingly subjected to these globalizing neoliberal forces. Operating within an overarching and penetrative liberalized global economic system, an increasingly entangled and complementary relationship is developing between the military, the media, and terrorists , resulting in a symbiosis of cultural production. 122

Notes

1.Cristina Archetti, Understanding Terrorism in the Age of Global Media: A Communication Approach (London : Palgrave Macmillan, 2013), 2.

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