Applied Media Studies

What we consider to be theatre in a Western context didn’t develop in the Arab world until the nineteen hundreds. However, to write the region off as having no tradition of theatre is ignorant, as traditional dramatic arts such as puppetry, and Ta'ziyah, have been around for centuries. While it is true that these particular dramatic arts weren’t part of the Emirati culture, storytelling certainly was. Theatre as we know it, reached the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the 1970s with the arrival of the expatriate workforce. It is fair to say that while theatre in the UAE and indeed the region as a whole, is gaining momentum, it still has a long way to go when it comes to attracting local audiences. Issues of censorship, religious interpretation of what is and isn’t appropriate, and lack of suitable venues, have hindered the growth of theatre in the past. And while these issues are being addressed and theatre is now a common activity in the UAE, unfortunately it is the expatriate population behind most theatrical endeavours. After researching the history of theatre in the Arab world, an investigation as to the state of theatre in the UAE was conducted. A comparison was made with Bahrain in order to predict the future of theatre in the UAE. There are many similarities between the development of theatre in Bahrain and the UAE and this leads me to believe that the local theatre scene will in fact continue along the same trajectory as theatre in Bahrain. Indeed, it is quite conceivable that theatre in the UAE has the potential to outgrow that of neighbouring countries due to the generosity of the government. Theatre is, in its nature, a probing art form; therefore, the constraints of what is culturally and politically appropriate can sanitise the theatrical experience as opposed to making it challenging. Be that as it may, with all the initiatives that the government has started, I believe that the theatre scene in the UAE will continue to grow.

Music has always been a conduit for messages, which can be instrumental in changing perspective (as in the anti-war music of the 1960s) or in maintaining the status quo, namely misogynous hegemonic ideals of a patriarchal society. Hip-hop is a genre that has helped empower African Americans by providing a channel to expose the problems they face and provide an avenue to reclaim derogatory names. But while hip-hop empowers the men involved, it continues to enslave the women as it perpetuates negative stereotypes and represents women as mere objects for the pleasure of men. This overt sexualized display of African American women is a reenactment of the treatment of the Venus Hottentot at Great Exhibitions of the 1800s.  African women were displayed to promote the binary opposition of us and them, with Africans being considered hypersexual and therefore primitive/uncivilized as opposed to the civilized whites.  After exploring the history of music videos, MTV, and hip-hop, a close analysis of ten hip-hop music videos spanning 19 years was conducted to gauge the level of misogyny.  Of the sample of music videos analysed, very few could be described as being subtle with regard to how women are being represented.  The messages are loud and clear; women are disloyal, gold-diggers who should be discarded after sex.  Women are depicted as being rivals, who are content to perform for men.  As Kellner asserts, the genre of hip-hop “has powerful effects” (1995, 190) in large part because of the perceived ‘bad guy’ status of Black hip-hop stars; therefore, the messages should be more representative of the variety of roles African American women have in reality.  Keeping women distrustful of each other ensures women will always compete for the attention of men, which maintains the hegemonic dominant ideology.

The roles being played by female actors in Game of Thrones are fairly stereotypical, ranging from mother to virgin.  What is surprising is that the stereotypes being used today are the same (or very similar) to those that were used in the 1950s.  Although feminism has come a long way, the images of women being promoted remain similar to those in the mid-twentieth century. While there is a perception of women in Western countries being considered equal, the majority of female roles dispute this.  After exploring narrative, genre (fantasy), patriarchy and archetypes, the five principal female characters (Catelyn, Sansa, Arya, Cersei and Daenerys) in Game of Thrones were analysed in depth, through a close read of the first season. While programmes like Game of Thrones push the boundaries of storytelling on mainstream television, the female roles are still perpetuating traditional archetypes.  There may be a modernising factor to the archetypes, but analysis shows that the women, who seemingly defy archetypal roles, are in fact in their position due to their relationships with men.  Each principal female character in Game of Thrones exemplifies an archetype.  While these archetypes have been modified, they are merely “re-articulating and re-presenting gender” (Gilpatric 2010, 734) in a new guise to appeal to the present audience.  Although postmodernism, especially that of the 21st century, has initiated many changes in the way we perceive things, strangely, attitudes concerning women continue to be out-dated.  These outmoded views ensure the perpetuation of traditional female archetypes; therefore, the female roles in Game of Thrones do not in fact empowering women but maintain the patriarchal status quo.

The perception of Arab women being downtrodden and controlled is not evident in the plays of Saleh Karama Al Ameri.  While he does include stereotypical characters like “the powerful mother”, and “chaste virgin”, which sustain hegemony, he does not include a “veiled woman” or “obedient wife” (Mohanty 1984, p.352), showing he is not limited by traditional character roles. However, while he is exploring “women’s lives, work, identity, sexuality and rights” (ibid.) through his female characters, his predilection towards universality renders this exploration safe. A close analysis of the female characters in seven, translated Al Ameri plays with regard to traits, education, occupation, in order to determine whether they are representative of the modern Emirati woman, or whether they are archetypal roles perpetuating stereotypes. Archetypes of good wife, mother, virgin, tomboy, seductress, evil queen, and self-made woman along with Arab stereotypes of submissiveness, passivity, dependence, and subjugation were used to ascertain whether the female characters are “re-articulating and re-presenting gender” (Gilpatric 2010, 734). Of the 12 female characters (2 of which are played by men) in the seven plays analysed, only 4 are in the traditional roles of mother and/or wife.  This in itself is proof that Al Ameri is pushing boundaries and not merely presenting characters that reinforce social conventions.  In addition to the female characters physically on stage, 32 females are mentioned, often in derogatory terms. While many of his characters have stereotypical traits, very few of the characters are stereotypes per se.  Therefore, I would argue that the stereotypical characteristics embodied by some characters have been added to create believable characters. Due to the intelligence, strength and determination of the majority of his female characters, and more importantly because they are not overly perpetuating the perceived Arab characteristics of submissiveness, passivity, dependence, and subjugation, they are “re-articulating and re-presenting gender” (Gilpatric 2010, 734).  The female characters of Saleh Karama Al Ameri are unexpected and varied, and therefore representative of the modern Emirati woman.

Hip-hop music videos have evolved to become a misogynistic snapshot of urban life. As a medium, music videos "are not only a form of entertainment, but also a means of advertising, ultimately created to sell a product, their images are intended to be especially powerful and captivating" (Wallis 2010, 161); they are, therefore, a vital component in how the audience is expected to view themselves, communicating "to young viewers ideas about how to behave" (Seidman 1999, 11). While viewing MTV and other mainstream music channels such as The Box, Juice and Trace TV, the disparity between the music videos of male and female artists becomes obvious-there are many more videos with males taking the lead role. While women characters are featured in the videos, their position is very clearly that of subordinate window-dressing or otherwise as supporting cast. Unfortunately, even in the music videos produced by female artists, women are still displayed primarily for male consumption: "In fact, female rappers have recognized they will gain an audience for their raps only by adopting the male aesthetic" (Keyes 1993, 208). Lisa A. Lewis (1993) makes a distinction between male-address (those aimed at men) and female-address music videos. She argues that female-address videos can be categorized through two interrelated textual sign systems: access signs, which "visually appropriate the privileged experience of boys and men" (1990a, 109). Lewis maintains that "critics too frequently treat MTV as a monolithic textual system and sexism as a static, ahistorical mode of representation" (1990a, 129); however, a close analysis of hip-hop music videos show them to be a textual system steeped in sexism, and can therefore be seen as contrary to Lewis' argument.

The roles being played by female actors in Game of Thrones are fairly stereotypical, ranging from mother to virgin. What is surprising is that the stereotypes being used today are the same (or very similar) to those that were used in the 1950s. Although feminism has come a long way, the images of women being promoted remain similar to those in the mid-twentieth century. While there is a perception of women in Western countries being considered equal, the majority of female roles dispute this. After exploring narrative, genre (fantasy), patriarchy and archetypes, the five principal female characters (Catelyn, Sansa, Arya, Cersei and Daenerys) in Game of Thrones were analysed in depth, through a close read of the first season. While programmes like Game of Thrones push the boundaries of storytelling on mainstream television, the female roles are still perpetuating traditional archetypes. There may be a modernising factor to the archetypes, but analysis shows that the women, who seemingly defy archetypal roles, are in fact in their position due to their relationships with men. Each principal female character in Game of Thrones exemplifies an archetype. While these archetypes have been modified, they are merely “re-articulating and re-presenting gender” (Gilpatric 2010, 734) in a new guise to appeal to the present audience. Although postmodernism, especially that of the 21st century, has initiated many changes in the way we perceive things, strangely, attitudes concerning women continue to be out-dated. These outmoded views ensure the perpetuation of traditional female archetypes; therefore, the female roles in Game of Thrones do not in fact empowering women but maintain the patriarchal status quo.

Today still prevails a general belif that the Internet as well as journalism are not under the established and defined standards, and that objective journalism is missing. However, against that assurance, the Internet with its broadness and accessability offers journalism unprecedented possibilities. Free and fair journalism in this case is comparable to the characteristics of medieval knights. The similarities between them are united not only in bravery, courage, honor, and skill, but also in ethics and rules that are out of any restrictions to undertake the behavior of both, and the common good is the goal they both strive in their activities. In the Middle Ages, knights' code of honor provided a complex procedure and respect for etiquette and ethics, which should be the primary mode to conduct as a real journalist. From the cultural point of view, the nature of the expression, medieval chivalry and the journalistic profession have a great number of similarities, because in either case the core is about the narration of past events. Internet as a space suitable for a variety, a haven for those who did not succumb to trends in the market of traditional media, because of ethical journalism can be said only if it is free, as in the current system it can only be in the virtual world. Like medieval knights, and journalists financially independent, and therefore independent in general, are an obstacle to various economic and political centers of power. Traditional media in this sense are losing battle while new systems of online advertising enable the development of independent Internet media. The development of new technologies has led to the fact that "chivalry" can now be used as a metaphor for the "new journalism."

Key words: chivalry, journalism, knight, ethics, ethics, etiquette, internet, new media

Independent journalism in many cultures today presents a myth when it comes to traditional media. Classic media is becoming a very expensive advertising space where segmented and ready‐made target groups in the form of mass media audiences and users of media content are served to large companies, thanks to specific media contents. The overall result is reduced confidence of the recipients when the classical media, such as radio, television and the press is concerned.
On the other hand, the internet as yet unexplored area leaves some space to independent portals where one can report freely and engage in the profession without detrimental self censorship.
The article argue about the entrepreneurial journalism on the Internet and the idea that it can be realized through certain advertising services that are enabling the financial independence of the internet portals.
The paper further points to the possible mistakes and pitfalls of new media to be taken into consideration when working as a online journalist.

In the economic struggle, literary or rather, publishing overproduction has turned a book among other things, into commercial product, and the trend of frantic printing has spawned some new literary or “literary” genres. New literature, it can be said, has simplified the language, and to some point the literature itself. Thus, the emergence of the so-called “women writers” (chick lit-literature for chicks) in many ways devalued and degraded “women’s writing” - french feminist critique of society and the emergence of “airport novel” even more simplified the thriller that is easy reading by itself.

The article problematizes the emergence of new genres as a way of playing up to the target groups, which also encourages the decadence of literature as art. It also discusses the issue of “lightness” of literature and attempts to answer whether any “easier” writer causes a “lighter” mind readers.

Internet as a new media of mass, as well as any other type of communication has its advantage over the other, classical media in its speed and availability. Internet portals, social networks and other communication platforms in the virtual world in this area reach their peak of expediency because they allow informing and bonding that is physically impossible. The state borders and geographic distance on the Internet are spatially diputed, and it is possible through various platforms to communicate daily both synchronously or asynchronously. Also, the Internet has spawned the term "democratization of knowledge" which is mainly spoken of in a negative context, but which actually provides access to a number of findings (especially with the free online courses offered by Coursera, and similar services) to those social groups to which this knowledge is otherwise, because of the economic or/and geographical factors, unavailable. Thirdly, a mankind is witnessing to the general trend of control of the traditional mass media in which political and economic power sources are conducting the editorial policy in their behoof. In this sense, the Internet as yet insufficiently explored area leaves the space for independent portals where one can report freely and engage in the profession without detrimental (self)censorship. This paper discusses the advantages of the new media, but also provides a critical review and refers to many mistakes and pitfalls, where is necessary to take into account when being active in any of these domains. In this way, the article also points to the necessity of media education when using the Internet in any sphere in question.

The selfie phenomenon can be viewed as a symptom and forewarning indication of a deeper globally spreading trend. The somewhat unforeseen development of the Internet toward one of most important phenomenon of the 21st century – social networking (like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, Foursquare and other online communities) – raises some serious questions about its connection to the formation of individual personality. The article will present some psychological aspects and problems of virtual networking. A short review of positive sides to this phenomenon will be given, but the focus will be on critical approaches to potential and real risks and dangers for the personal psychological balance and integrity. It seems that individualistic self-reference and self-promotion, that are usually encouraged by the consumer, competitive and marketing culture of contemporary societies, are taking some new dimensions in the virtual world of hyper-exposure. Thus, the issue whether the Internet encourages, supports and enhances the already present self-centered, infantileregressive and narcissistic tendencies and phenomena will be discussed. Does the available, fast and easy digital interaction without physical presence and validation, as well as the possibility of hiding or taking a false identity, affect the disinhibition from social and ethical constraints and rules, and reduce empathy and the sense of responsibility? Also, could digital literacy, if primarily understood as learning techniques and skills, become inversely proportional toemotional literacy? In order to prevent that, media literacy should be placed in a broader educational perspective, which encompasses psychology of media related to psychology of personality. That’s why it is proposed to use the term “media education” instead of or at least along with “media literacy”.

Having in mind the numerous definitions of culture, it is possible for this
phenomenon to be widely examined through its components. Thus, the cultures are not necessarily viewed from the perspective of national or ethnic groups, but there are other communities that can be defined as the bearers of a particular culture. This paper analyzes the culture of social networks and tries to define it precisely through these components. Also, the paper talks about the influence of this culture as a global phenomenon on the
national cultures, or better yet trying to explain in which segment, and to which extent, members of different ethnic cultures could belong to the culture of online social media. Examining users behavior on social networks, this paper tends to prove that members of different national cultures have adopted behavioral patterns, symbols, customs, and even the “language” of the online community. Hence, it can be said that the new culture has been generated and became common for most of the users of social networks.
Also, the research presented in this paper serves as a basis for further study of the cultural pattern of social networks on the Internet.

SuMMary The selfie phenomenon can be viewed as a symptom and forewarning indication of a deeper globally spreading trend. The somewhat unforeseen development of the Internet toward one of most important phenomenon of the 21st century – social networking (like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, Foursquare and other online communities) – raises some serious questions about its connection to the formation of individual personality. The article will present some psychological aspects and problems of virtual networking. A short review of positive sides to this phenomenon will be given, but the focus will be on critical approaches to potential and real risks and dangers for the personal psychological balance and integrity. It seems that individualistic self-reference and self-promotion, that are usually encouraged by the consumer, competitive and marketing culture of contemporary societies, are taking some new dimensions in the virtual world of hyper-exposure. Thus, the issue whethe...

Internet enables the exchange of information with incredible speed, allowing at the same time users to share their feelings, thoughts and opinions. This exchange that can be carried out virally spreading the interest about people and events that transcends our geographical and social horizons, represents a civilizational progress when it’s not recognized just as technological progress, but also as an increasing process of humanization of man and society. Empathy, which was once reserved for the narrowest community, can now be expanded globally. This optimistic view, however, doesn’t take under consideration that human capacity for empathy isn't limitless. Perceptual, cognitive, and emotional overload can lead to saturation and desensitization or dissociation where there is apperception of others, but without any emotional involvement. The paradox of empathy lays within its possibility of being used as a means of control and manipulation: it’s then a pure mimicry of empathy. It c...