The Developing World through a Social Lens Com 313: Mass Media
and Society Tierney Elise Torchin
Slide 3
Project Overview Social media changes perceptions by presenting
information in snippets White savior complex Resort vacation
Negative perceptions Increased racism in Western countries (Asante
2013) Improvement deemed hopeless (Wallace 2005) Negative
correlation (Gabriel-Ellis)
Slide 4
Literature Review Social Media is Shaping Travel Rise of
globalization and localization (Servaes and Lie 2008) Pictures
change destinations (Xiang and Gretzel 2010) Voluntourism takeover
(Bille 2012) Distrust of the Other Increased immigrant news
exposure enforces anti-immigrant groups mentalities (Boomgaarden
2009) Scapegoating other nations (Guindi 2005) The dominant
oftentimes dismisses those who are not dominant, blaming cultural
differences for typical problems (Delpit 1995) Media Changes
Perceptions Personalities can be accurately predicted via Facebook
(Golbeck 2011) Frequency and tone of coverage change dynamics
(Boomgaarden 2009)
Slide 5
Sample and Method Content Analysis Facebook, Tumblr, Instagram
Including Original content Recent origins Particular terms and
countries People X if represented Discourse Analysis Sources used
New York Times News Videos Comments Contrasting News Rated 0 (no
mention) - 5 (largely the purpose of the piece)
Slide 6
Content Analysis Results Purpose by Medium Tumblr is the most
focused on others Facebook focuses on tourist Instagram highlights
the bizarre Popularity Associated with attractive white tourists
Common destinations - India, Thailand General Otherness 71 %
contained depictions of otherness Participating in an exotism, or
practice not traditionally performed by the in-group
Slide 7
Discourse Analysis Results Similar across party lines Different
phrasing; same message Relatability Finding purpose through money,
goals, or immigration Telling all viewpoints Negativity and
Otherness, especially in user-generated content Still giving both
sides Volunteering Vacation Negative Ideas Positive Ideas Value to
Us Otherness Sameness
Slide 8
Discussion Increased Racism in Western Countries (Asante 2013)
Consistency strengthens negative views Hot words repeated
constantly Dislike of non-White Americans Improvement Deemed
Hopeless (Wallace 2005) Images focus on barren areas News focuses
on war, resources, negative ideas Negative Correlation
(Gabriel-Ellis) Hot words used to promote otherness and negativity
Focus shifted off of other cultures, back on to white
Americans
Slide 9
Sources Asante, Molefi. 2013. The Western Media and
Falsification of Africa: Complications of Value and Evaluation.
China Media Research vol 9:2. Bille, Adam. 2012. "Voluntourism."
PhD Dissertation, University of Cape Town. Boomgaarden, Hajo and
Vliegenthart, Rens. 2007. Explaining the rise of anti-immigrant
parties: The role of news media content. Electoral Studies, vol 26,
404-417. Boomgaarden, Hajo and Vliegenthart, Rens. 2009. How news
content influences anti-immigration attitudes. European Journal of
Piolitical Research, vol 48:4, 516-542. Delpit, Lisa. 1995. Other
Peoples Children. The New Press: New York. 11-17. El Guindi, Fadwa.
Confronting Hegemony, Resisting Occupation. Resisting Racism and
Xenophobia: Global Perspectives on Race, Gender, and Human Rights,
251-268. Gabriel-Ellis, Nathaniel. 2011. What role does media play
in shaping western perceptions of 3 rd world countries? PhD
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Rico Lie. 2008. Media Globalization through Localization.
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