|
|
|
|
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam > Blaise Pascal Instituut > Girard Studiekring > COV&R 2007 > Abstracts Papers
Peter Zvagulis
The Words that Kill: The Dynamics of Negative Reciprocity in Media and Collective Perception
Email - Profile - Subtheme # 5 - Paper - Slides
ABSTRACT
Devising a Set of Danger-Markers for an
Early-Warning-System
Hate speech is a phenomenon that
corrupts the individual and collective mind and contributes to accumulating of
negative reciprocity in the collective perception. It polarizes the society and
makes the peace advocates look as traitors. It is a spark that, disseminated by
the media, has the potential to starting a wildfire of violence.
In this paper I look, from the
perspective of mimetic theory, at the collective perceptional dynamics involved
in hate speech. I also apply Huntingtons civilizational identifications as
descriptors for group prejudice. I look at the hate speech as a two-fold
paradigm with its phenomenological, which also include social, and it its
perceptional aspects. As a phenomenon hate speech is one of the necessary key
elements potentially leading to destabilization of social order and to physical
mass violence. I define it as a perceptional form of violence.
My analysis rests on three case studies
where conflicts within the society have encouraged extremist leadership to
manipulate the collective perception and thus have led to mass violence. By
comparing the methods of Nazi propaganda, and the propaganda in former
Yugoslavia and pre-genocide Rwanda, I have developed a set of danger-markers and
developed a concept for an early-warning system that would allow to measuring
potentially dangerous processes in the collective perception at early stages.
The danger-markers are based on identifying the presence of new content in
existing stereotypes and measuring the intensity of polarization of collective
perception. I claim that if people within one society see each other in
Huntingtonian terms and if there is a presence of collective perceptional
processes capable of triggering the Scapegoat Mechanism, - then there is a
substantial potential for trouble and serious reason for concern.
This paper is an attempt to contribute
to the understanding about hate speech, a phenomenon examined by communications
theory, political science and social psychology.
Peter Zvagulis is writing his PhD research in Applied Theology at the International Baptist Theological Seminary (w. University of Wales) in Prague, Czech Republic. His previous degrees and education are in linguistics, philosophy, and communications. He is a former journalist, editor at Radio Free Europe, and researcher with more than 15 years in international affairs and reconciliation broadcasting. He has researched the impact of the Cold War broadcasting, and the potential of reducing ethnic tension through broadcasting. Author of two books; Zvagulis teaches conflict resolution, journalism and non-violent communication. Currently teaching at the University of New York in Prague; his 2006 teaching assignments included University of Latvia, Christian Leadership College, Police Academy of Latvia. He continues to write on issues of media ethics, religious freedom, and human rights for The Epoch Times, The New Presence, and other publications. Peter Zvagulis lives in Prague with his wife and nine-year-old daughter.