Media and the Dissemination of Fear : Pandemics, Wars and Political Intimidation

This book offers a diachronical and inter-/transmedia approach to the relationship of media and fear in a variety of geographical and cultural settings. This allows for an in-depth understanding of the media’s role in pandemics, wars and other crises, as well as in political intimidation. The book assembles chapters from a variety of authors, focusing on the relation between media and fear in the West, the Middle East, the Arab World and China. Besides its geographical and cultural diversity, the volume also takes a long-term perspective, bringing together cases from transforming media environments which span over a century. The book establishes a strong and historically persistent nexus between media and fear, which finds ever-new forms with new media but always follows similar logics. Praise for Media and the Dissemination of Fear Contents Notes on Contributors List of Figures Chapter 1: Introduction: Media and Fear—Diachronic, Intermedia, and Transcultural Perspectives on a Toxic and Functional Relationship during Pandemics, Wars, and Political Crises Researching the Mediation of Fear Book Overview References Part I: Disseminating and Mitigating Fear During Pandemics and Disasters Chapter 2: From Black Death to COVID-19: The Mediated Dissemination of Fear in Pandemic Times The Role of Fear in Pandemic Times Media as Disseminators of Information and Fear in Pandemic Times Media and Adaptive Forms of Fear in Pandemic Times: Balanced Levels of Fear and Information Media and Maladaptive Forms of Fear in Pandemic Times: Overfear, Political Instrumentalization, and Conspiracy Belief Conclusion References Chapter 3: Hebrew Popular Press, Catastrophe Stories, and the Instigation of Fear in Ottoman Palestine On Catastrophe Stories and the Fait Divers News Category Hebrew Popular Press and Fire Disaster Stories The Popular Press Covers the Sinking of the Titanic References Part II: Spreading Fear Across Borders: Journalism and Alternative Media Chapter 4: Fear-Relations: Word War I, Military Authorities, and the International Feminist Peace Movement Introduction: Fear, Anxiety, and Fear-Relations Lay Down Your Arms! Bertha von Suttner’s Novel of Purpose and Its Resonance The Outbreak of World War I as a Breakdown of International Movements Merging Feminism and Pacifism: The International Women’s Congress at The Hague 1915 Fear-Driven Restrictions Imposed on Feminist Pacifists: The German Case Fear-Driven Self-Restriction of the Feminist Press Conclusion References Chapter 5: Voices for a World In-Between? Exile Media as Transnational Fulcrums Between Confidence and Fear Loss of Heimat and Dramatic Experiences of Difference Exile Media Austrian Exile in New York The Austro American Tribune (AAT) Method and Research Design Many Lives and Loyalties of Austrians in Exile—Many Fears to Face Phase 1: A Face of Fear—The Nazi-Terror Phase 2: Nowhere to Turn Back and a New Face of Fear—The Discrimination of Ethnic Minorities in the USA Phase 3: Closing Time—The Austrians, the Americans, and the Un-Americans Conclusion References Chapter 6: Terror, Fear, Disbelief, and Complacency in the Face of Evil: The Reactions of the Hebrew Press in Palestine to the First News on the Extermination of the European Jewry by the Nazis in 1942 Introduction “Do Not Rush to Pour Jewish Blood into Your Lines!” The Labor of Soothing Epilogue References Chapter 7: The News Media and the Ever-Present Fear in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Introduction A Brief History of the Conflict Media and Memory Studying Media Systems Data and Method Fear in the Coverage of the 50th Anniversary of the Six-Day War German Coverage American Coverage Palestinian Coverage Israeli Coverage Conclusion References Part III: State-Sponsored Fear and Intimidation Chapter 8: Fear of the Spanish Red Danger: Anti-Communist Agitation and Mobilisation in Portugal during the Spanish Civil War Introduction Fear of the Perigo Vermelho [Red Danger]: Salazarist Propaganda Against Madrid Salazarism’s “Patriotic” Reaction to the Outbreak of the Spanish Civil War The Airwaves “Artillery”: The Intervention of the Portuguese Radio Stations Conclusions References Chapter 9: Nazi Broadcasts to a Neutral Country: Disseminating Fear in Portugal during the Second World War Introduction: Nazi Propaganda in Portugal During the 1930s German Broadcasts to the Iberian Peninsula The Nazi Broadcasts to Portugal: “Germany Speaks” Conclusion References Chapter 10: Fear of Communism in the Twentieth-Century United States and the Vietnam War Introduction Fear of Communism in Twentieth-Century United States Media Portrayals of Communism and Communists Vietnam War-Era Media Coverage Conclusion References Chapter 11: “Beware of Terrorists, Spies and Chaos!”: Stabilization Techniques from the Arab Uprisings Introduction: Politics of Fear, the Internet and the Arab Uprisings Digital Public Sphere from Empowering the Masses to Empowering Centre Dynamism, Digital Public Spheres and the Arab Uprisings Power Centres, Authoritarian Learning and Claiming Digital Territory Spreading Fear to Counter Anti-police Brutality Discourses Communicating Fear as a Self-Legitimation Strategy Case Study 1: The 2011 Moment Beware of Spies and Thugs Case Study 2: 2013 Moment: 30th June Revolution Beware of Terrorists Case Study 3: Post-2015 Phase: Beware of Evil Powers Conclusion References Chapter 12: Educate Online Through Online Fear: Exploring the Chinese Rumours Online Phenomenon Introduction Between Fake News and Rumours Who Limits Online Rumours in China? Three Forms of Crises Caused by Online Rumours Microblog Rumours and TV Confessions Educating Through Fear and Cartoons Fighting Online Rumours in 2012 Fighting Rumours Between 2019 and 2020 Limitations and Conclusions References Chapter 13: Media Logic, Terrorism, and the Politics of Fear Media Logic and Entertainment Entertaining Fear Terrorism and the Politics of Fear Conclusion References Index "This is an outstanding book which will be of interest to media historians and communications scholars around the world. It reveals how fear is incubated, spread and, sometimes, countered through the media in ways that are profoundly illuminating and relevant in the era of Covid." --James Curran, Professor of Communications, Goldsmiths, University of London "This outstanding volume traces the impact of fear, uncertainty - and sometimes related - hope, historically, from World War I to the present and the COVID-19 pandemic. More specifically, media reporting is deconstructed in much systematic detail which allows understanding continuities and discontinuities of its complex role, locally, glocally, and globally. A must read for scholars and laypeople alike!" --Ruth Wodak, Emeritus Distinguished Professor, Lancaster University "Media and the Dissemination of Fear explores its workings across natural disasters, wars, conflicts and health crises over the past 100 years. Although circumstances may have changed, the exploitation of fear as a means of social control and intimidation has not, and this book speaks to the myriad ways in which its damaging currents destabilize individuals and communities, force widespread compliance and entrench enmity and otherness, particularly in association with populist regimes. A thoughtful, important volume that wrestles mightily with the centrality of fear in contemporary life writ large." --Barbie Zelizer, Raymond Williams Professor of Communication, Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania This book offers a diachronical and inter-/transmedia approach to the relationship of media and fear the media's role in pandemics, wars and other crises, as well as in political intimidation. It points out the historically and transculturally strong nexus between media and fear, which persistently finds ever-new forms with new media, but always follows similar logics. Nelson Ribeiro is Associate Professor at the Universidade Católica Portuguesa in Lisbon where he is the Dean of the School of Human Sciences. Christian Schwarzenegger, Dr., is a researcher and lecturer (Akademischer Rat) at the University of Augsburg, Germany This book offers a diachronical and inter-/transmedia approach to the relationship of media and fear the medias role in pandemics, wars and other crises, as well as in political intimidation. It points out the historically and transculturally strong nexus between media and fear, which persistently finds ever-new forms with new media, but always follows similar logics. Nelson Ribeiro is Associate Professor at the Universidade Catolica Portuguesa in Lisbon where he is the Dean of the School of Human Sciences. Christian Schwarzenegger, Dr., is a researcher and lecturer (Akademischer Rat) at the University of Augsburg, Germany "This book offers a diachronical and inter-/transmedia approach to the relationship of media and fear the media's role in pandemics, wars and other crises, as well as in political intimidation. It points out the historically and transculturally strong nexus between media and fear, which persistently finds ever-new forms with new media, but always follows similar logics."--Back cover