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California State University, Dominguez Hills
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Soka University Japan - Transcend Art and Peace
Created: October 30, 2001
Latest Update: August 11, 2003
jeannecurran@habermas.org
takata@uwp.edu

Local versus Cosmopolitan Narrative

Article in New York Times on Nigerian Army killing civilians in retaliation for earlier death of 19 soldiers in the area: Nigerian Army Said to Massacre Hundreds of Civilians By Norimitsu Onishi. The New York Times. October 30, 2001. p. A3. backup

This is the endless procession of retaliation. Already there is a distortion in the news. this article appeared in the International edition of the NY Times on October 30, 2001, but not in the main section of the LA Times. Consider this switch in the media to the "local narrative," to the stories and issues which are most likely to be prominent in the lifespaces of the local readers.

Consider also the attitude change and persuasion theories that deal with fear Too much fear causes us to set up self protective mechanisms of denial. We forget that the media are reporting worst case scenarios. This means that the few deaths from anthrax are given full detail and display, while the hundreds of deaths in Nigeria are relegated to page 3, or out of the main section all together.

Consider also the effect of not meeting normative expectations (dominant discourse) even when we don't like them. Edward T. Hall, Irwin Katz, Elizabeth Cohen, status characteristic theory, Gordon Allport, prejudice, Lewis Gordon on anti-black racism and ignorant bad faith.

"In Zaki-Biam, only a couple dozen shops out of hundreds still stood after residents said Nigerian soldiers rampaged through the town. The army was apparently retaliating for the killing of 19 soldiers in the area."
Photo by Norimisu Onishi of the New York Times.