Post 1: Introduction

I Was Framed: An examination of the frames imposed by the media on world events, looking at three main media sources differing in perspective and media ethics. One medium of the three shall be The New York Times. The following two are yet to be determined. This project is for the History 200/Political Science 209 course at Queens College entitled "Media US and the Middle East." The New York Times is part of our required course documents.

Summary on syllabus:
This course examines the role of the media in the history and current politics of the Middle East, focusing on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Special attention will be given to the media's role in covering and influencing the conflict and efforts to mediate, if not resolve it. The course will also examine key historical events in the Middle East with an eye on American interests, values, and policies in the region. Our historical journey will not be strictly linear. We will begin with the pair of developments this summer: Hamas's military seizure of power in Gaza and the Bush administration's peace initiative (featuring a Middle East peace "meeting"/"conference" scheduled for later this year). We will examine how a broad range of American, Middle Eastern, and other international media framed these two events. The course will then explore a number of selective historical moments and the competing narratives that are associated with them.

Students will be asked to examine their own preconceptions, assumptions, and preferences regarding this conflict in terms of their relation to media sources. This course is one segment of an innovative curriculum on the Middle East, entitled 'America in the Middle East: Clash of Civilizations or Meeting of the Minds,' sponsored in part by grants from the Ford Foundation and the Clinton Global Initiative.

In addition to having the opportunity to meet and discuss issues with prominent journalists, policy makers, negotiators, and analysts from the US and the Middle East, students will enjoy delicious Middle Eastern repasts at no extra charge. OUr distinguished guests will include General (Res.) Eival Gilady, Rob Malley, Khalil Shikaki, Shlomo Ben Ami, Omar Dajani, and Ethan Bronner (Deputy Foreign Editor, NY Times).





General Eival Giladi will be speaking in class on September 25, 2o07. Ethan Bronner will be speaking in class on October 9, 2007.


Next posts:

• What framing is, what should be looked for when trying to determine frame
  
• reflections on readings
• determining your own frame
• reflections on meetings with officials
• posts of important news stories
• selection of topic/thesis for project