CMAP Reflection
The significant impact that media has on social change is a very prominent theme recurring throughout all the courses under CMAP. It became extremely evident through the different examples and explanations that although the media is in many cases, particularly in the Middle East, impacted by the political power of the state, there was still a very important grassroot component. Specific cases we looked into included the Arab Spring, elections in Europe, and many other political phenomena. The concept of "mediatization" has been a very important foundation throughout all the coursework that has contributed to the CMAP. It has been a common theme whereas every course has discussed mediatization in context of the process of increased media influence and shaping of political institutions, communication, and processes. Through this concept I was able to observe the theme that the media has grown to be a significant influence on public opinion, policy, and political debate. This led me to understand and contextualize how in contemporary political scenes, specifically in Egypt, political communication and media play a crucial role in forming public opinion and influencing political choices which has allowed the mediatization of politics to take on growing importance. Additionally, the notion that the media may serve as a watchdog by investigating political judgments and holding politicians liable for their deeds was very central and recurring throughout all the certificate coursework, with in depth analyses of cases ranging from the Black Lives Matter movement in the United States to the Green Movement in Iran.
Northwestern University’s classes have tremendously shifted my perspective on the political power of films and documentaries. By understanding the history of film, all the social and political factors that play a role in the production process, and how intentional every detail in the process of film/documentary making is, it has become increasingly apparent that documentaries and films can be and have been utilized as an extremely valuable political tool. It pushed me to understand the way in which documentaries and films can be utilized to raise awareness by presenting many viewpoints on political topics and contest prevailing narratives showcasing their power to give voice to individuals who are frequently silenced or excluded from political conversation, and they can shed light on their experiences. Battle of Algiers is one of the movies that I watched as part of my coursework, and it completely transformed my perspective on how films can truly mold and sway the audience’s sentiments by using extremely unobtrusive techniques. For instance, factors such as the lighting, camera angle, and transitions play a huge role in shaping the audience’s perception and feelings towards the issue being displayed.
The courses at Georgetown University that attributed to the CMAP played a huge role in expanding on my understanding of identity and the ways in which media contributes to the creation, dissemination, or destruction of identity and affinity. This phenomenon was accentuated through class discussions surrounding the extent to which the media has created social mobilization during the Arab Spring. Affinity, belonging, and identity were redefined during the uprisings whereas the region witnessed unity in order to work towards a common goal like never before. National identity became far more prone to redefinition and the boundaries of who does and does not belong were pushed. Media created an inclusive platform that allowed people to connect over a common struggle and the different demographics that were engaging with one another without prejudice created a broader perspective of what national identity looks like.
Understanding media and politics in context of one another has been central for all the research I have done throughout my undergraduate studies. Their relationship has been very interesting to me, particularly due to the dynamic and complex nature of the relationship. The CMAP allowed me a valuable opportunity to gain a much wider perspective on how both media and politics operate as it portrayed their integration with one another but also the way they operate individually and still impact each other. This has allowed me to view the media very differently because it sheds light on the subliminal ways media interjects into several aspects of social, political, and cultural spheres. This was especially important to me because understanding how media and politics function brought hope for political and social change through an outlet I never imagined would have so much power to do so. This program enabled me to add media into the possible contributors when exploring how social issues are formed and how they can be solved, which inspired my research about Copts in Egypt whereas their underrepresentation in media has had a major impact on their status within Egyptian society and their inclusion within Egyptian culture. Furthermore, using the media to promote grass root movements has been very interesting to me whereas I believe that through media society becomes more susceptible to normalizing and legitimizing things, therefore integrating them into the culture and social sphere, which will eventually reflect in public policy and political arenas. An example of this that portrays this phenomenon is the third gender in Iran whereas we can see how the portrayal of transgender people in Iranian media allowed for their inclusion and integration into Iranian society, and due to their prominent presence and their being considered as a part of the Iranian culture and national identity, there are policies in place to protect and benefit them. This case can be a blue-print to further integrating the Copts in Egypt into the Egyptian national identity and cultural narrative; media has been utilized to create a grass-roots change in Iranian society which gives hope for more political and social progress through media within the region.