Migrants intimidated by the media?

Image source: SMH

In the 2013 Australian Federal election we witnessed how poorly migrants are represented within the media, especially Asylum Seekers. Since 1945 an estimated 6.6 million people (Salazar 2012 p.2) have migrated to Australia with only 10 percent being refugees. These migrants often face many battles; racism, language and cultural obstacles, health issues and struggling with the feeling of displacement and loss (Salazar 2012 p.3). Consequently these individuals can often be a vulnerable group within our society and with media representing stereotypes, moral panics and politician’s degrading these individuals, how can they feel a sense of belonging?

A main campaign area for the last Federal election was Asylum Seekers. Within this debate we were subjected to the Liberals media propaganda declaring to ‘stop the boats’ and presented with weekly statistics of the number of ‘illegal Asylum Seeker’s’ attempting to seek refuge on our shores. The media neglected to note that seeking Asylum is not illegal but is a fundamental human right to request asylum under international law.

The mass media also framed our boat arrival numbers to be that of an extreme influx when The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (2013) puts Australia as 49^th in the world for the total number of Refugees and compared to our GDP we are ranked 87^th (The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre 2013). In regards to Asylum seekers the resource centre places Australia at 20^th in the world and 52^nd compared to our GDP (The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre 2013). Therefore in comparison we are not being “Swamped” by refugees/Asylum Seekers as we are not even in the top 10 nations within the world to receive these migrants.

Representations through the media will not cease until our politicians accurately address these communities within the media. Liberal Member of Parliament Fiona Scott during the election campaign placed blame on Asylum Seekers for traffic on the M4 and for long queues at local hospitals (Blake 2013).  Yet as stated earlier Salazar (2013 p.2) only found that 10 percentage of all migration were Asylum Seekers/ Refugees, hardly an amount of individuals that could cause such disruption as Fiona Scott is trying to state.

Politicians and the media need to take a diasporic view and help to familiarise these migrants into their host country without intimidation. Rather than promoting stereotypes and neglecting facts within reports framing these individuals to be illegal and essentially disrupting the Australian way of life

References:

Asylum Seeker Resource Centre 2013, Australia vs. the world, viewed 22^nd May 2014, < http://www.asrc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/australia-vs-rest-world-refugees-asylum-seekers___.pdf >

Blake, S 2013, ‘Liberal Fiona Scott links asylum seekers to Sydney traffic problems’, News.com.au, 3^rd September, viewed 22^nd May 2014, < http://www.news.com.au/national/liberal-fiona-scott-links-asylum-seekers-to-sydney-traffic-problems/story-fnho52ip-1226709650526 >

Salazar, J 2012, ‘Digital Stories and emerging citizens media practices by migrant youth in Western Sydney, Journal of Community, Citizen’s and Third Sector Media and Communication, no. 7.

 

Information transcending generations

When the library of Alexandria burned down in 391 AD generations of scrolls and artefacts were lost. Knowledge is believed to be the most important aspect that can be handed down to future generations, as “man will profit from his inheritance of acquired knowledge” (Bush 1945). The destruction of the Alexandria library is a perfect example that humans needed to find a way to ensure that knowledge is never lost again.

Before technological advancements there was no easy way to duplicate texts and to share information to scholars around the world. Bush (1945) notes that if we cannot share information broadly, that important theories could be lost. This is an adequate statement as Mendel’s genetics concept was developed generations before someone that could analyse and understand his concept was able to obtain the text (Bush 1945).  The individuals which his concept did reach once published had limited understanding and could not interpret his findings.

Technological developments, however, have allowed individuals to manipulate and extract knowledge often in a digital form, thus, providing a means to allow knowledge to last many generations lives. Though when we are supplied with vast amounts of knowledge what effects does this have? In 391 AD those who were able would take vast amounts of time to read and analyse one text within the Alexandria library.  However, today’s youth are what Rowlands, Nicholas, Williams et al. (2008) deem the “Google Generation”.  Today’s generation often go to search engines like Google to search for information rather than reading an entire text within an library and accumulating multiple facts.  Though the “Google Generation” will view a text rather then read and thus do not possess the analytic and critical skills to assess the information they find on the internet (Rowlands, Nicholas, Williams et al. 2008).

Technology has allowed knowledge to transcend generations but perhaps has also created a generation that does not obtain a vast amount of knowledge.

 

References:

Bush, V 1945,“As We May Think”,  Atlantic Monthly, Vol. 176, no.1, pp. 101-08

Rowlands, I, Nicholas, D, Williams, P, Huntington, P, Fieldhouse, M, Gunter, B, Withey, R, Hamid R, J, Dobrowolski, T & Tenopir, C 2008, ‘The Google Generation: The Information Behaviour of the Researcher of the Future’, Aslib Proceedings: New Information Perspectives, vol. 60, no. 4, pp. 290-310.

Social media aim for universal education rights condemned by the Taliban

Malala Yousafzai, who received a Pride of Britain Award from David Beckham
Image source: Dailymail

Social networking platforms have led way to a new form of activism. No longer are activist’s confined to merely demonstrating plights in their local areas, with social media tools they are now able to demonstrate such plights on a global scale. Social media is now used to co-ordinate, mobilize and disseminate protests around the globe in order to bring a large amount of individuals together from all corners of the globe.

When I think about how social media has changed activism, I think about Malala Yousafzai. Malala is a young girl from Pakistan who since the age of eleven has written an online diary (blog) for the BBC fighting for the right of young girls to be allowed to get an education (Synvitz 2012). This was directly protesting against the Taliban who are stopping young women getting an education in her village by destroying their schools. Sadly Malala was shot in the head at point blank range by the Taliban who wanted to put a stop to her message as it has been receiving global attention.  Malala survived this attack against all odds and now lives in Birmingham (UK) and her campaign has never been stronger. She is now an international icon for girls’ rights and is globally know by “Malala” (Synvitz 2012).

Her blog and brave acts have led to global support for the education of women, many have signed the online petition to stand with Malala and fight for education for children all over the world who do not currently have any kind of access to it. She also has a dedicated hashtag on twitter for her cause #IamMalala here an aggregation of tweets can be viewed from all over the world of individuals campaigning for better education for young girls and children in general, another clear example of activism through social media.

Malala started simply as an online blog protesting for the rights of girls’ to receive an education this sadly led to her being shot but post this event she has received global support and was even rumored for the Noble Peace Prize award. She has continued on with her success and gave a speech to the UN about her cause and has persuaded the UN to recommit to Millennium Development Goal two (Dias 2013), which states; “by 2015, children everywhere, boys and girls alike, will be able to complete a full course of primary schooling.” (Dias 2013).  Social media; including blogging was the key for Malala to be an activist for educational rights especially within a country such as hers. With another example of the Arab Spring it is clear that social media activism is an important tool for activists in countries such as these where Governments or rebel forces will attempt to suppress campaigns. Online activism allows these individuals to share their campaigns on a global scale.

-Amy

References: 

Dias, C  2013, ’10 ways Malala Yousafzai Has Changed the World’, policymic, 14th July, viewed 12th October 2013, <http://www.policymic.com/articles/55333/10-ways-malala-yousafzai-has-changed-the-world>

Synvitz, R 2012, ‘Malala Yousafzai, the Girl shot by the Taliban, Becomes a Global Icon’, The Atlantic, 12th October, viewed 12th October 2013, <http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2012/10/malala-yousafzai-the-girl-shot-by-the-taliban-becomes-a-global-icon/263527/>

 

Anxious Addiction to our Mobile Phones

Mitchell multitasking by using his mobile devices (mobile and tablet) 
while also studying for an exam and disengaging 
with his family around him

Mobile phones allow an individual to be a part of many audiences simultaneously. This is evident when you observe those around you on a train , they maybe part of the the trains audience and consuming the same sounds or sights on the train as yourself; but due to mobile technology they can also be part of another audience at the same time. Mobile phones allow us to consume content regardless of where we are and whom we are with, therefore allowing us to be part of simultaneous audiences. However, how does this effect our physical audience interaction?

This video above I believe addresses our current usage as a society of our mobile phones. This video addresses many worrisome areas of how do we balance our personal and shared space? As it is obvious the girl in the above video is at a family dinner therefore, a shared space. Yet she is still content to scroll through Facebook rather than interacting on a physical level with her family. What is this doing to her personal connections ? Why are we more social online rather than being social in the physical space we are in? Kitani (2003) answers this through his research on the subject where he produced evidence to show that individuals are increasingly using technology such as text messaging in spaces (as the video depicts above) due to their level of shyness. Individuals who display a very shy personality find that text messaging is easier to have a conversation. Though I also believe that text messaging would help shy individuals from having to engage in conversations they do not feel comfortable doing. People often will pretend to be engaged in their mobile phones so other individuals will not bother them, thus, people are using their mobile devices to escape physical contact and face to face communication.

Though how else are these devices distracting or affecting us ? Referring to my Image above of Mitchell he is studying for a mid term exam yet he still has his mobile next to him and checks it often as well as using a tablet in front of him for Facebook and lecture slides. Then referring to the image below of Mitchell leaving for University he is once again checking his mobile as he steps out onto the road. This is a common occurrence when you observe individuals on the street, I myself often walk with my mobile in hand.  It could be argued our attachment to our mobiles is similar to a coffee or nicotine addiction as many feel a sense of anxiety  when they leave the house and forget their phones.

We are reliant on our mobiles and seemingly use our mobiles to access content in any physical space, therefore, we are limiting our face to face communication.

Are you addicted to your mobile?

-Amy

References:

Kitani, Y. (2003). Daigakusei no keitai mail no riyo taido ni-kansuru kenkyu: Hiroshima shinai no daigakusei wo taisho to-shite [A study on the attitude of college students using mobile mail]. Hiroshima Shudo University Academic Journals, 44, 341-371.

Communication is changing society not computers

People state how technology is advancing  and this is the main cause of globalization.  I agree, however, I believe that communication is changing the world more than technology. Technology is merely the device which is changing the world, the device we are expanding our communication through as this machine is merely an object that allows a gateway into the intangible world where actions happen.

The invention of the modem allowed communication across borders , this allowed the connection of the nodes.  This is why Kelly, K (1999) New Rules for the New Economy* intrigued me.  Kelly (1999) states  a similar concept to myself, that the communication is what these machines have given us. Kelly states:

“Computers may have sped up life but communication is what has changed life”

Communication is what connects us as a globe. This started originally through bulletin boards which were one of the first social sites to appear on the internet. Thus the internet enabled the development of friendships across the globe, allowed fan-fictions to be written and globalization to ultimately occur. However, Kelly (1999) also states that communication is the economy. This is due to the fact he believes that businesses will turn into intangible businesses using chips and glass fibers. Which makes you wonder what will happen to institutions such as the Government which have already transferred many of their services online; an example of this includes online forms and applications such as E-tax. As Kelly stated:

“The effects of technologizing it are beyond the scale of a mere industrial sector cycle”

But how will this affect political candidates and the elections? Will they start being conducted through social media- for instance Kevin Rudd is already proposing that his next candidate debate should be from questions posted on Facebook. However, before we think about  the future, we must consider how current communication affects politicians?  With the speed of the internet and the current state of global connection all politicians must be careful what they say on all media platforms; anything they say may be scrutinised and broadcast around the globe. For example, Tony Abbott’s recent ‘suppository remark‘ which received worldwide attention.

Therefore, from my examples and and the influence of Kelly’s text, I  put to you that communication is what is changing the world. Communication is an increasingly powerful technology, more powerful perhaps than the medium we use for this communication, computers.

References:

* Kelly, K. (1999) ‘This new economy’. In New Rules for the new Economy

Image sourced from: Google

The cinema wont see my Nan picking her nose, but what will it see of you?

My Nan and her Father

When you view an advertisement for example a new cinema and they want to convey their  cinema experience, you often will be subjected to a stock image of a generalized audience often of a family smiling at the screen all neat and tidy very well lit. Obviously this is a false image, I know from personal experience I am not smiling throughout 90% of the movie (10% left for my laugh factor), I also have an issue with movie cinema chairs and every 20 minutes I am shuffling around due to the uncomfortable chair. Therefore, if you were to take an image of me in a movie cinema you generally find a straight faced individual looking attentive but  obviously uncomfortable. Why does these images therefore represent a cinema experience? ZDRIL 1996 states that stock images are merely “superficial and shallow” and are merely to make an individual feel a little better about themselves.

 Stock image photo which is shown when searching cinema in Getty images

I decided to interview my Nan (aka Sharon) regarding her experiences at the movies, to grasp if the movie experience has changed since her childhood.
With my set of question I sent my nan back to the 1950’s where she vaguely remembered her father taking her to the movies to see The Living Desert , however, her first cinema experience that she can remember was when her father took and her and her siblings in England to see Kid Galahad she can only recall this experience due to her fond memory of her father only wanting to see the film due to Elvis Presley being punched in the face.
My Great Grandfather was rather fond of technology and enjoyed his cinema experiences, however, my Nan only took herself to the movies when she was 15years old and in her later years has hardly gone back.

She does not feel the need due to the expense and notes that “these films will eventually come to free tv”. My nan has not attended the movies since we saw Valentines Day where she recalls a unpleasant experience of uncomfortable seating and a hot cinema. Therefore, I thought to inform her about the current infra red technology placed in cinemas to view the audience as they watch the movie, she was surprised but stated this did not worry her as “not like I would be picking my nose in the cinema”.

My Nan is part of the particular audience, the true audience. She does not sit there and smile constantly at the screen she rather endures the uncomfortable chair  and tries to enjoy her movie due to the rarity of her ever attending a movie.  The media present an audience which is un -realistic but has become a generalized audience compared to the story I have just presented.

So how do you really look when sitting in the movie theater?

-Amy

Reference:

Sharon 2013, Interview notes, conducted on the 15th August 2013

ZDRIL, J., 1996, May 26. Stock images. Edmonton Journal, 0.