INTERNATIONAL CONFLICT AND THE MEDIA

INTRODUCTION

Implementing curriculum mandates in global and international education has created problems for many teachers. Most global studies programs focus either on the study of geographical areas or on global issues that transcend national boundaries. Unfortunately, most social studies teachers were trained to teach U.S. History or Western Civilization. Many teachers have little background in these new areas and issues that they are required to teach. Even if academic preparation included study of the non-western world or the study of global themes, the world that teachers studied in college no longer exists. As one observer said, "The world isn't what it use to be any more."

As teachers have little time to conduct the research and write lesson plans under the strain of full teaching loads, teachers have come to rely on textbooks for their primary classroom information about the world. Yet, few social studies textbooks adequately cover international issues or conflicts. Due to the manner in which textbooks are written, they are generally outdated even before they are published. Recent international conflicts are simply not in the textbooks.

Studies have shown that most Americans do not always understand international conflicts. We have little understanding of the places where they occur, what the real issues are, or what importance these conflicts may hold for America. Studies have also demonstrated that Americans in general, and students in particular, acquire most of their knowledge about the world and international conflicts from the mass media.

Unfortunately, television, radio, newspapers, and news magazines often present skewed images of international conflicts. For instance, electronic media have just a few minutes of air time to present complex issues and topics. At times reporters may have only limited access to information. Inadequate presentations can be due to the lack of clarity in the international conflict itself. Day-by-day coverage of complex events often misses the broader context simply because of the limits of the press and media. The placement of stories and visuals associated with the conflict is known to influence readers' and viewers' opinions. One-sided coverage of a particular conflict, often necessitated due to time or circumstances, can shade, alter or misrepresent. Aware of the importance of mass media and the press, participants in international conflicts often attempt to manipulate news coverage. Unseen forces and factors shape student's and citizen's knowledge and understanding of particular international conflicts.

Most Americans do not realize that the mass media and the press affect our opinions and knowledge about the world. Nor do Americans know and understand the interrelationships--both positive and negative--that media and the press have with international conflicts. Understanding the interactions between mass media and international conflicts is crucial for America's future. Wise foreign policy choices must rest upon the bedrock of citizen knowledge of complex and often intractable conflicts.

There is no possible way the nation's formal education system can prepare our youth to understand every international conflict which the nation or the world may face in the future. As today's students will likely learn about international conflicts through the press and media, schools need to expose students to the strengths and weaknesses of different media. Schools also need to develop frameworks that may be useful in examining future conflicts. Schools can create environments in which students become active learners able to analyze, understand and challenge the ways in which their opinions may be manipulated by the news media.

This Curriculum Guide broadly examines the relationships between the media and the military during wartime. It is divided into three units. The first unit, Media and Conflict, begins with an examination of the historical context of the American press and media and international conflicts. The relationships between media and international conflicts are manifold, and include news coverage about conflicts, relationships among the press and the government, including a) censorship; b) the influence of the media upon public opinion; and c) media and press influence upon conflicts prior to the Gulf War. This unit is self-contained and could be used independently of the other two units. It might be used in an American History or a Journalism class, in addition as a module in a conflict unit in a Global Studies course.

The second unit focuses on the Gulf War (1990-91) as a case study. The reasons for selecting the Gulf War are several. First, an adequate base of information and opinion already has been published. Second, because of its recent occurrence, students and teachers may have some general familiarity with the events connected with the conflict. Third, it is an excellent example to examine the role of the media in international conflicts. And finally, the conflicts that caused the Gulf War have not been resolved, and these issues will likely continue to erupt in the foreseeableF uture. This unit is self-contained and could be used independently of the other two units. It might be considered as a case study in a World History course, a unit on the Middle East in an area studies course, or a module on conflict in a Global Studies course.

The third unit examines the media in the Gulf War. It illustrates many of the same issues raised in the first and second units and covers several new issues that emerged during the conflict. This unit presupposes some knowledge and understanding of the material covered in the preceding two units. It should not be used without some supporting material from those units.

Return to the Contents page for International Conflict and the Media.

Go to Activity 1.

Go to the Bibliography.