Imaginative geographies of distant suffering: two cases of the
Syrian Civil War on television

J 2018

Imaginative geographies of distant suffering: two cases of the Syrian Civil War on television

DOBOŠ, Pavel

Basic information

Original name

Imaginative geographies of distant suffering: two cases of the Syrian Civil War on television

Authors

DOBOŠ, Pavel (203 Czech Republic, guarantor, belonging to the institution)

Edition

Social & Cultural Geography, London, Taylor & Francis, 2018, 1464-9365

Other information

Language

English

Type of outcome

Article in a journal

Field of Study

50700 5.7 Social and economic geography

Country of publisher

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Confidentiality degree

is not subject to a state or trade secret

References:

Full Text

Impact factor

Impact factor: 2.043

RIV identification code

RIV/00216224:14310/18:00101983

Organization unit

Faculty of Science

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1080/14649365.2017.1312695

UT WoS

000439910700004

EID Scopus

2-s2.0-85016468577

Keywords in English

Czech Television; distant suffering; imaginative geographies; mediation; Syrian Civil War; television news

Abstract

In the original language

The paper builds upon distant suffering studies and the ‘analytics of mediation’. It observes how television performances of suffering expose spectators to dispositions to feel, think and act towards each instance of suffering. It analyses the news coverage of civilians’ suffering in the Syrian Civil War that was presented by Czech public television broadcaster. The interpretation of imaginative geographies expands the analysis because of the need for more spatially sensitive approaches to distant suffering. Imaginative geographies coproduce diverse spacetimes and distant suffering studies often overlook how media performances are shaped according to spacetimes where suffering occurs. Two spacetimes are contrasted here; the Syrian Civil War before and after the Islamic State gained prominence in it. In both cases, the aim is to interpret in what ways the distance is translated into difference through imaginative geographies and how it shapes television performances of suffering. The analysis shows that Orientalist imaginative geographies appear in both cases. However, while in the first case imaginative geographies empower pity and dispositions to act towards suffering, in the second case they do not. It is because of the difference between Bashar al-Assad as a local Oriental persecutor and the Islamic State as the global threat.

Links

MUNI/A/1419/2016, interní kód MU

Name: Integrovaný výzkum environmentálních změn v krajinné sféře Země II

Investor: Masaryk University, Category A

Cite

DOBOŠ, Pavel. Imaginative geographies of distant suffering: two cases of the Syrian Civil War on television. Social & Cultural Geography. London: Taylor & Francis, 2018, vol. 19, No 6, p. 764-788. ISSN 1464-9365. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1080/14649365.2017.1312695.

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   article_number = {6},
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   language = {eng},
   issn = {1464-9365},
   journal = {Social & Cultural Geography},
   title = {Imaginative geographies of distant suffering: two cases of the Syrian Civil War on television},
   url = {http://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/2ZSZQMXrnHr4jaVMYRhK/full},
   volume = {19},
   year = {2018}
}

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N2  - The paper builds upon distant suffering studies and the ‘analytics of mediation’. It observes how television performances of suffering expose spectators to dispositions to feel, think and act towards each instance of suffering. It analyses the news coverage of civilians’ suffering in the Syrian Civil War that was presented by Czech public television broadcaster. The interpretation of imaginative geographies expands the analysis because of the need for more spatially sensitive approaches to distant suffering. Imaginative geographies coproduce diverse spacetimes and distant suffering studies often overlook how media performances are shaped according to spacetimes where suffering occurs. Two spacetimes are contrasted here; the Syrian Civil War before and after the Islamic State gained prominence in it. In both cases, the aim is to interpret in what ways the distance is translated into difference through imaginative geographies and how it shapes television performances of suffering. The analysis shows that Orientalist imaginative geographies appear in both cases. However, while in the first case imaginative geographies empower pity and dispositions to act towards suffering, in the second case they do not. It is because of the difference between Bashar al-Assad as a local Oriental persecutor and the Islamic State as the global threat.
ER  -

DOBOŠ, Pavel. Imaginative geographies of distant suffering: two cases of the Syrian Civil War on television. \textit{Social \&{} Cultural Geography}. London: Taylor \&{} Francis, 2018, vol.~19, No~6, p.~764-788. ISSN~1464-9365. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1080/14649365.2017.1312695.

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