Absorbing Ideas
Discursive Self-Cleaving: A Trend in Post-Truth Rhetoric View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Andrea Mc Donnell
Over the past decade, a growing roster of famous men, confronted with allegations of sexual misconduct, have cultivated a strategic rhetoric designed to deny wrongdoing. During interviews and court testimony, they discursively split their identity into two or more parts as a means of denying statements made and actions taken in public view, on the record, or otherwise in plain sight. This paper identifies and analyzes the discursive strategies employed in cases of self-cleaving, including studies of Terry Bollea, Johnny Depp, and R. Kelly, considering why this strategy has been successful, despite its reliance on brazen evidentiary denials. Drawing on Susan Faludi's (1991) theorization of backlash, self-cleaving can be understood as a response to the gains of the #MeToo movement and an effort to wrest back hegemonic access to credibility and believability. Implications for a post-truth news and media culture, and for victims of high-profile perpetrators, are discussed.
Realism and Cultural Proximity: A Framework for Understanding Cross-Cultural Experiences in Video Games
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Stefan Brückner
This paper asks under which circumstances and in which ways, virtual game worlds can stimulate the acquisition of cross-cultural knowledge of players located within their specific cultural context, interacting with games potentially developed in another. This is grounded in the observation that playing a game can be conceptualized as a form of “traveling” and that players of (some) games frame their experience of a game as being akin to a tourist, experiencing a foreign locality. The paper outlines a theoretical framework that describes what kind of cross-cultural experiences are possible under which circumstances in which kinds of games. The framework juxtaposes the degree of “realism” in a game with the degree of cultural proximity between player and game contents. Realism is here defined by the degree of similarity of a game’s aesthetics, story, and mechanics to the non-virtual world. A high degree of realism in a game, that is a high degree of similarity to the non-virtual world, in concert with a low degree of cultural proximity, is argued to be an ideal configuration for cross-cultural learning experiences. Potential problems resulting from such a configuration, such as the possibility of players overestimating the verisimilitude of the game world are also discussed. Lastly, the framework is tested through an analysis of German and Japanese player reviews of four games.
Listening through the Static - 1947: An Exploration of Indian Communalism through Radio Waves
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Utsha Roy
This paper examines the BBC's broadcasting activities during the year of India's independence, offering a contribution to the existing scholarship on religious violence in the subcontinent and its role in the Partition. It provides a novel auditory history of the coverage of communal violence, particularly in the context of the BBC's own impending division of assets. By focusing on a specific historical moment and the locus of colonialism, this study illuminates the complex relationship between colonial media and the imperial administration. It reveals how the Labour government sought to utilize the BBC's airwaves to facilitate a smooth withdrawal from the Indian subcontinent, despite agreeing to a Partition along communal lines. Drawing on rare archival materials, including government documents and BBC records, this paper argues that the BBC's colonial policy evolved inconsistently over time, revealing significant nuances in its approach. By outlining the factors behind the shift in administrative communal policy, the paper links this change to the formulation of the BBC’s editorial policy in 1947. Given the period's instability and rapid transformation, which culminated in the division of BBC services in the subcontinent, the paper demonstrates how changing socio-economic and political conditions influenced the editorial stance adopted by the Corporation in response to administrative communal policies. Within the broader framework of colonial media studies, this paper explores the dynamics between a once tightly controlled colonial media institution and a withdrawing administration in the context of impending independence.
Digital Chimera in Egypt: How Hypermedia Narratives Blur the Realities of Identity and Memory among Youth
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Marina Nakhla
Abstract In the digital era, hypermedia narratives—interactive, multisensory stories distributed across platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok —are reshaping how identity and memory are constructed and experienced, particularly among youth. This study explores the concept of the “digital chimera,” a hybrid identity shaped by algorithmic curation, performative self-expression, and fragmented digital engagement. As Egyptian youth increasingly interact with hypermedia content, traditional anchors of cultural identity and memory—once reinforced by family, educators, and heritage—are being replaced by horizontally networked peer interactions and transnational digital influences. This shift contributes to a disconnection from stable identity markers and historical continuity, resulting in psychological alienation and cultural disorientation. The research investigates how hypermedia narratives influence identity perception and memory retention among Egyptian youth by employing a descriptive methodology and a random sample survey of 100–150 participants from various governorates. Key objectives include defining the notion of digital chimera in Egypt, analyzing the impact of hypermedia narratives on identity and memory, and assessing the extent of this influence across demographic groups. Findings provide insights into the psychological and cultural effects of digital storytelling and suggest strategies for mitigating its adverse outcomes. As one of the first studies in Egypt to address this emerging issue, the research contributes to the broader discourse on digital culture and identity in rapidly transforming societies.