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Practical Orientalism in Mass Media : An Analysis of the Media Reporting in Relation to the Sexual Assaults in Cologne by the German TV Channel ZDF

Friedel, Tabea LU (2016) KOVM12 20161
Division of Art History and Visual Studies
Abstract
In the present thesis I analyse the image of the Oriental or the Other in German public-service media reporting. In times of the refugee crisis, right-wing movements strengthening in several European countries and Islamist extremist terrorist threats, the West is confronted with the question of integrating people from other cultures. The discussion about the sexual assaults in Cologne from 31 December 2015 is an interesting subject in terms of how media portrays the Other in regards to Orientalist views. I am interested in which cultural differences are being referred to and whether Orientalism is implemented through mass media. I identify several Orientalist motives from Edward Said’s book on Orientalism and investigate whether I can find... (More)
In the present thesis I analyse the image of the Oriental or the Other in German public-service media reporting. In times of the refugee crisis, right-wing movements strengthening in several European countries and Islamist extremist terrorist threats, the West is confronted with the question of integrating people from other cultures. The discussion about the sexual assaults in Cologne from 31 December 2015 is an interesting subject in terms of how media portrays the Other in regards to Orientalist views. I am interested in which cultural differences are being referred to and whether Orientalism is implemented through mass media. I identify several Orientalist motives from Edward Said’s book on Orientalism and investigate whether I can find these traces of Orientalism in media coverage in relation to the assaults.
For this I conduct a content analysis of the reporting regarding the assaults in Cologne from the German tv channel ZDF on 7 and 8 January 2016. Furthermore, I add a qualitative analysis of selected material from the same channel and concerning the same issue. I link the results to the Orientalist motives and discuss whether one can speak of an implemented or
Practical Orientalism through mass media. From the results it comes to light that cultural differences are only little discussed. If that is the case they concern gender roles and women’s image or role. From both analyses I find some traces of Orientalism in the media coverage. In conclusion I state that Orientalist views exist in media coverage from ZDF in relation to the assaults in Cologne. Consequently, Practical Orientalism is implemented by mass media. (Less)
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author
Friedel, Tabea LU
supervisor
organization
course
KOVM12 20161
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
Orientalism, Practical Orientalism, media coverage, cultural differences, sexual assaults Cologne
language
English
id
8877167
date added to LUP
2016-10-10 08:14:28
date last changed
2016-10-10 08:14:28
@misc{8877167,
  abstract     = {{In the present thesis I analyse the image of the Oriental or the Other in German public-service media reporting. In times of the refugee crisis, right-wing movements strengthening in several European countries and Islamist extremist terrorist threats, the West is confronted with the question of integrating people from other cultures. The discussion about the sexual assaults in Cologne from 31 December 2015 is an interesting subject in terms of how media portrays the Other in regards to Orientalist views. I am interested in which cultural differences are being referred to and whether Orientalism is implemented through mass media. I identify several Orientalist motives from Edward Said’s book on Orientalism and investigate whether I can find these traces of Orientalism in media coverage in relation to the assaults.
For this I conduct a content analysis of the reporting regarding the assaults in Cologne from the German tv channel ZDF on 7 and 8 January 2016. Furthermore, I add a qualitative analysis of selected material from the same channel and concerning the same issue. I link the results to the Orientalist motives and discuss whether one can speak of an implemented or
Practical Orientalism through mass media. From the results it comes to light that cultural differences are only little discussed. If that is the case they concern gender roles and women’s image or role. From both analyses I find some traces of Orientalism in the media coverage. In conclusion I state that Orientalist views exist in media coverage from ZDF in relation to the assaults in Cologne. Consequently, Practical Orientalism is implemented by mass media.}},
  author       = {{Friedel, Tabea}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Practical Orientalism in Mass Media : An Analysis of the Media Reporting in Relation to the Sexual Assaults in Cologne by the German TV Channel ZDF}},
  year         = {{2016}},
}