Having spent almost all of the past 48 hours at home, in front of the computer (either watching football, chatting about watching football or re-reading and revising a dissertation chapter on language and representations), I would like to share my (oh-so-obvious) view that news reporting is a fascinating source for studying the language of terrorism.
Take the recent story about Dr. George Tiller's shooting: the arrested suspect is obviously a "terrorist", if you fancy applying the US State Department's definition. He's obviously a Christian "fundamentalist", if you fancy applying any definition of fundamentalism. He (and others like him) are obviously participating in a "Holy War" (read some of the pamphlets that his "supporters", including a group called "Army of God" produce). Yet mainstream media calls him the "(alleged) killer of abortion doctor George Tiller" instead of a fundamentalist terrorist intent on Jihad. So, why isn't he classified as "terrorist"?
In short, language matters. How events and people are framed and when/how/by whom "terrorism" is used (or not used) is rather intriguing when studying terrorism.
7.6.09
6.6.09
Films and WWII
Since it's the 65th anniversary/commemoration of the Normandy landings in Europe, I give yous a list of films I would like to include in a World War II and Film syllabus. (dreams! ). I've limited it to films I've actually watched/have odd connections to and ignoring the well-known ones like Casablanca, Saving Private Ryan, Schindler's List and Das Boot
1. The Rats of Tobruk: The film was made during the war itself (which most of the others in this list weren't). It's about (well obviously) the Rats of Tobruk but far less propagandist than many films of that era. Oh and I've actually visited the site where the Rats' memorial is.
2. Blood Oath: Has Bryan Brown and George Takei (as well as Jason Donovan!). Frivolities aside, it's mostly about a particular Japanese-led massacre and the people who go on trial for that. Good for teaching about war crimes and the blurriness of rules of war.
3. Thin Red Line: Long but great cinematography and one of those films that show the "human" side of war. I watched part of it being filmed up in far north Queensland.
4. Guns of Navorone and Where Eagles Dare: Tropes of the strong, silent, adventurous types running about doing daring deeds. Both are based on books written by Alistair McLean of whom I was (am?) a fan. I remember being rather disappointed that the New Zealand mountaineer of McLean's book had been transformed into Gregory Peck for the film version of Guns of Navorone. . Oh and if yous are interested, there's also Force 10 from Navorone (which, as I recall, is all about blowing up a dam)
5. Escape to Victory: POWs escaping from prison, Sylvester Stallone as a goalie and actual football. Do I need more reasons to explain why this is on the list? (My family owns this film on VHS. They also own all of the films in no. 4)
6. The Bridge on the River Kwai: A film about what happens when people's attitudes can (and can't) change. Personal story for this: I've been to the JEATH museum at Kanchanaburi, taken the "death railway" over the (rebuilt) bridge and hiked up to the Thai-Burma border. At another time, I've also been involved in a long family escapade involving a refusal (not mine ) to travel any further on the (admittedly very slow) train resulting in a dodgy bus ride back to Bangkok. Would work well paired with Stalag 17 and/or Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence.
7. Europa: for those of you who want a Lars von Trier film--idealistic American gets involved with Nazi extremists. Metaphor for all sorts of things. Not to be confused with Europa! Europa! which is a coming of age story of a young lad.
8. A recent one to end the list: The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas. I've actually not seen this one yet but have the DVD in front of me now, waiting to be watched.
9. And, finally, Valiant. A film which I liked far more than I expected and one which is rather "British" in its portrayals of self/others. Bonus: Ewan McGregor's voice and it's about homing pigeons. Irresistible, eh?
WWII films I want to see: A Bridge too Far, Cross of Iron (Germany and Russia), Operation Petticoat (Cary Grant!) and when I'm feeling really chirpy about life, Stalingrad.
WWII film that I would prefer not to ever see again: Life is Beautiful.
1. The Rats of Tobruk: The film was made during the war itself (which most of the others in this list weren't). It's about (well obviously) the Rats of Tobruk but far less propagandist than many films of that era. Oh and I've actually visited the site where the Rats' memorial is.
2. Blood Oath: Has Bryan Brown and George Takei (as well as Jason Donovan!). Frivolities aside, it's mostly about a particular Japanese-led massacre and the people who go on trial for that. Good for teaching about war crimes and the blurriness of rules of war.
3. Thin Red Line: Long but great cinematography and one of those films that show the "human" side of war. I watched part of it being filmed up in far north Queensland.
4. Guns of Navorone and Where Eagles Dare: Tropes of the strong, silent, adventurous types running about doing daring deeds. Both are based on books written by Alistair McLean of whom I was (am?) a fan. I remember being rather disappointed that the New Zealand mountaineer of McLean's book had been transformed into Gregory Peck for the film version of Guns of Navorone. . Oh and if yous are interested, there's also Force 10 from Navorone (which, as I recall, is all about blowing up a dam)
5. Escape to Victory: POWs escaping from prison, Sylvester Stallone as a goalie and actual football. Do I need more reasons to explain why this is on the list? (My family owns this film on VHS. They also own all of the films in no. 4)
6. The Bridge on the River Kwai: A film about what happens when people's attitudes can (and can't) change. Personal story for this: I've been to the JEATH museum at Kanchanaburi, taken the "death railway" over the (rebuilt) bridge and hiked up to the Thai-Burma border. At another time, I've also been involved in a long family escapade involving a refusal (not mine ) to travel any further on the (admittedly very slow) train resulting in a dodgy bus ride back to Bangkok. Would work well paired with Stalag 17 and/or Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence.
7. Europa: for those of you who want a Lars von Trier film--idealistic American gets involved with Nazi extremists. Metaphor for all sorts of things. Not to be confused with Europa! Europa! which is a coming of age story of a young lad.
8. A recent one to end the list: The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas. I've actually not seen this one yet but have the DVD in front of me now, waiting to be watched.
9. And, finally, Valiant. A film which I liked far more than I expected and one which is rather "British" in its portrayals of self/others. Bonus: Ewan McGregor's voice and it's about homing pigeons. Irresistible, eh?
WWII films I want to see: A Bridge too Far, Cross of Iron (Germany and Russia), Operation Petticoat (Cary Grant!) and when I'm feeling really chirpy about life, Stalingrad.
WWII film that I would prefer not to ever see again: Life is Beautiful.
5.6.09
I'm back (with a list)
So it turns out I won't be absent for ages after all. Back to regularly-scheduled programming here. Hello, legions (? can there be "legions" or is it just "legion" for plural? I'm not concerned enough to check ) of readers--I'm back! And, I come with a list:
- The future, barring unexpected happenings, is sorted (for now). There were two choices:
1. The safe option: continue doing what I've been doing for the past few years, definitely for the past two: research, write, teach a couple of classes, live in comfy habitat with sweet old lady (and not-so-sweet dogs). Drawback: financial.
2. The less-safe option: apply for graduation, get my doctorate, apply for work permit (which means I have to find full-time work within 60 days of getting said permit or else leave the country). Drawback: the 60 day limit on finding a job. Academic hires are usually done a year (or at least a semester) in advance so the prospects of getting hired mid-October are pretty much non existent.
I'll leave yous to guess what I chose.
- This: Investigators have suggested that speed sensors failed or iced over, causing erroneous data to be fed to onboard computers. This might have caused the plane to fly too fast or too slowly through the storm, leading it either to break apart or stall and fall out of the sky. Full story here.
It is probably extremely self-indulgent to write this (but, hey, it's a bloody blog. Self indulgence is the name of the game here ) but that statement has solidified my fear (terror? visceral dislike? hatred? ) of flying. Doesn't it just read wrong? How can they make planes that just fall apart? (granted these things are flying metal boxes but one tends to think that people did research/tests preventing this sort of thing--breaking up mid-air--from happening ). And, where is the debris?
- The end of the footy season. Withdrawal symptoms are dreadful.
(Via Studs Up)
- The sad realisation that when I read in this morning's news about "actor dead in Bangkok", I immediately thought: "of dodgy practices" instead of "of old age" (or something such).
- An important PSA: Don't drink and bounce.
- If you are considering a PhD (in political science though the arguments are probably valid for most fields except maybe the natural sciences ), read this, then this and, finally, this. (I'd also recommend keeping a few stiff drinks handy )
- Finally, David Eddings, who provided me with many, many hours of entertainment during my early teenage years, died a few days ago. His books were not good books in the sense they made you think about the world we live in (well, not that I can recall anyway ) but they were enjoyable and adventurous.
- Oh, right--I am still reading The Afghan but got distracted by Project Gutenberg and its many, many (free) books on explorers and adventurers of the past.
- The future, barring unexpected happenings, is sorted (for now). There were two choices:
1. The safe option: continue doing what I've been doing for the past few years, definitely for the past two: research, write, teach a couple of classes, live in comfy habitat with sweet old lady (and not-so-sweet dogs). Drawback: financial.
2. The less-safe option: apply for graduation, get my doctorate, apply for work permit (which means I have to find full-time work within 60 days of getting said permit or else leave the country). Drawback: the 60 day limit on finding a job. Academic hires are usually done a year (or at least a semester) in advance so the prospects of getting hired mid-October are pretty much non existent.
I'll leave yous to guess what I chose.
- This: Investigators have suggested that speed sensors failed or iced over, causing erroneous data to be fed to onboard computers. This might have caused the plane to fly too fast or too slowly through the storm, leading it either to break apart or stall and fall out of the sky. Full story here.
It is probably extremely self-indulgent to write this (but, hey, it's a bloody blog. Self indulgence is the name of the game here ) but that statement has solidified my fear (terror? visceral dislike? hatred? ) of flying. Doesn't it just read wrong? How can they make planes that just fall apart? (granted these things are flying metal boxes but one tends to think that people did research/tests preventing this sort of thing--breaking up mid-air--from happening ). And, where is the debris?
- The end of the footy season. Withdrawal symptoms are dreadful.
(Via Studs Up)
- The sad realisation that when I read in this morning's news about "actor dead in Bangkok", I immediately thought: "of dodgy practices" instead of "of old age" (or something such).
- An important PSA: Don't drink and bounce.
- If you are considering a PhD (in political science though the arguments are probably valid for most fields except maybe the natural sciences ), read this, then this and, finally, this. (I'd also recommend keeping a few stiff drinks handy )
- Finally, David Eddings, who provided me with many, many hours of entertainment during my early teenage years, died a few days ago. His books were not good books in the sense they made you think about the world we live in (well, not that I can recall anyway ) but they were enjoyable and adventurous.
- Oh, right--I am still reading The Afghan but got distracted by Project Gutenberg and its many, many (free) books on explorers and adventurers of the past.
4.6.09
'twas the Golden Child-viewing that done it!
Says a boy who had been chosen to be a spiritual leader for the Tibetan Buddhists (but has now rejected his chosen path). Full story here.
As if being forced to watch bad Eddie Murphy films (or, rather, just a film) wasn't enough, there's this: "At six, he was allowed to socialise only with other reincarnated souls – though for a time he said he lived next to the actor Richard Gere's cabin."
Poor chap.
In other news, I'm likely to be mostly absent from FA for the next few days. Revisions of the Northern Ireland chapter proceed at full steam, interspersed by bouts of brooding and pondering a future that may or may not come about. But, then, isn't that what futures are for?
As if being forced to watch bad Eddie Murphy films (or, rather, just a film) wasn't enough, there's this: "At six, he was allowed to socialise only with other reincarnated souls – though for a time he said he lived next to the actor Richard Gere's cabin."
Poor chap.
In other news, I'm likely to be mostly absent from FA for the next few days. Revisions of the Northern Ireland chapter proceed at full steam, interspersed by bouts of brooding and pondering a future that may or may not come about. But, then, isn't that what futures are for?
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