Dialogue in the Classroom [Sharable materials]Learning to Unlearn: Countering Media Bias and Orientalism

Socialization and learning experiences proliferate in media. News and entertainment media, and social media are especially powerful as they provide depictions that embody the beliefs and values that make up American political culture. They also provide us with the lenses through which we view the outside world. However, media can also be used negatively to perpetuate false stereotypes and tropes that can cause harm and increase xenophobia within society.

Palestinian Scholar, Edward Said coined the word Orientalism in 1978 and argued that Orientalism rests on the ideological basis of representation, how power can determine who controls the narrative, and what representations become true and accepted. In Oriental

lism, Said criticizes Europe's influence in shaping this representation of the Oriental world, and how even false and patronizing representations become accepted truths simply because those with cultural power are shaping and defining these representations. Edward Said's Orientalism led to the development of Post-Colonial theory, an important critical theoretical framework that seeks to challenge Eurocentric knowledge by examining the legacies of colonialism

"The post-colonial theory examines the silenced expressions and subordinated practices that occur on the margins of power and brings them to the center of analysis” (Madison 2005:49)

To counter orientalist tropes and narratives we have to learn how to spot them, but also be willing to challenge and move beyond Eurocentric knowledge and dominance.

Objective

Students will be able to understand the implications of media bias and orientalist tropes in media and social media, and how it contributed to the formation of their own views and perceptions.
Students will be able to analyze information through social media and better detect harmful representations and biases
Students will be able to understand, analyze, and incorporate more positive and authentic tools for communication.

Resource/s

Orientalism Reader .pptx

Voices United Presentation- Salam .pptx

AJ Plus- Why Arabs and Muslims Aren't Exotic (Video)

Discussion Prompt/s

consider your interactions with social media platforms. What sort of negative or biased stereotypes have you seen reinforced through these platforms?
What are the deeper implications of stereotypes and media bias? How can they cause societal harm beyond social misrepresentations?

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