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Mediatized Conflict Review - Tom Coulson
Simon Cottle’s ‘Meditized Conflict’s attempts to contextualise the modern climate of increased communication technologies and conflicts, though not all necessarily in physical war, and study the relationship between the two. The main agenda he presents is the interlocking relationship between both ‘Media’ and ‘Conflict’, and the complex way in which through representation of conflict the media is itself, implicated in it. The approach to this issue is a comparative one as studies it in relation to previous theories and paradigms such as media consent, media culture and the body horror to name a few, which are then related to specific case studies. Such as audience reaction to the violent images of Vietnam, how this had a direct relation back to the actual conflict and the way in which ‘DIY’ reporting in new media has accentuated this.
The main discussion comes through different case studies relevant to these issues. For example when looking at theories around moral panic and how this can sometimes bring about a barrage of social outcry he appropriately uses the murder of Stephen Lawrence as an example of how the media can be used as a platform for debate and how this can relate back to real life in the process of change. His case studies are consistently well chosen and representative of the wider issues of the theories studied. As obviously the whole of history cannot be condensed into a theory based book, the examples, are appropriate illustrations of the points being made.
All these areas of study though are grounded in a tight understanding of the essence of both conflict and media that help give a strong appreciation of the issues to readers relatively new to such studies. The perception of conflict, on a basic level, being a basic human clash of opposing interest and outlooks, helps give a good appreciation of the then later developed discussions when examining the different factors within this, such as Globalization, both with cultural imperialism and in communication technologies with societies being increasingly linked through networks. Equally in terms of media, it is discussed not in simple reductionist terms but with an understanding that the media is not a singular consciousness and but has many platform variations and opposing views within it. In essence, the grand theme of the global representation of conflict is done in a way that encompasses many outlooks without becoming over bearing to a new reader.
Perhaps the main conclusion of the book, after discussion of the economic, political and commercial factors around media depiction of conflict, is the shift to discussing the problematic question of why are some conflicts are covered and not others. A question, which, suspiciously, is the subject of Cottle’s next book, ‘ Global Crisis Reporting’. Though despite perhaps gearing this book towards his next study, in some self-publicity, ‘Mediatized Conflict’ remains a very thorough insight into the theories around power relations.
It provided me with a strong appreciation of topical issues, such as the media being an oxygen for terrorism, the oppression of ‘Others’ such as asylum seekers through its’ hegemonic viewpoint, among others, all with a grounded appreciation of the paradoxes and contrasting views from theorists such as Giddens, Castells and Beck, in past studies. I think what was most effective therefore was the way in which Cottle presented these modern issues whilst basing it in past paradigms and perspectives to give a fuller discussion, rather than relying solely on case studies.
Cottel condensed a great deal of discussion into a comparatively short book, but through fluid structuring and a tight, concise writing style it does not seem overbearing. In conclusion ‘Mediatized Conflict’ provides a detailed account of some of the troubling issues in our mediatized culture.