Afleveringen
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Suchitra, Bhakti, and Madhuri dissect the persistent failures of media coverage on migration, exposing how mainstream outlets reinforce state narratives rather than challenging them. From the selective sympathy extended to Ukrainian refugees to the criminalization of Black and Brown migrants, the hosts examine how race, class, and geopolitical interests shape reporting. They trace the mediaâs historical complicity in dehumanizing migrants and explore the political incentives behind the language of âlegalâ and âillegalâ migration.
This episode unpacks the realities of forced deportations, ICE raids, and the bipartisan commitment to border enforcement, revealing how liberal and conservative media alike obscure the violence of immigration policies. What does it mean when the media celebrates the same border policies under Biden that are then condemned under Trump? Why do countries that welcome Ukrainian refugees reject brown and Black asylum seekers? And how does the language of ânational securityâ mask racialized violence at the border? This episode examines how the media serves as a megaphone for state power rather than a force for accountability.
Key TakeawaysMigration reporting is deeply racialized. Ukrainian refugees were framed as âdeservingâ and âcivilized,â while Black and Brown migrants are criminalized or reduced to statistics.The bipartisan myth of humane immigration policies. While Trumpâs ICE raids were met with media outrage, Bidenâs administration has quietly overseen mass deportationsâwithout the same level of scrutiny.Journalists insist on an allegiance to paperwork, documentation and to legal frameworks when it comes to migration but reject those same ideas when it comes to something like Palestine. The fetishization of migrant culture coexists with anti-migrant policies. The West embraces âauthenticâ migrant food and literature but enacts violent border enforcement against the people who create them.Migration is an economic and colonial issue, not just a legal one. The US and Europe continue to destabilize nations through war, climate destruction, and economic policies, then criminalize those displaced by these conditions.Journalists are complicit. The media amplifies state narratives on âillegal immigrationâ while failing to investigate the broader systemic causes of displacement.
KeywordsMigration, deportation, ICE raids, sanctuary cities, media complicity, refugee crisis, asylum seekers, Biden immigration policy, Trump, Guantanamo, Haitian migrants, Venezuelan refugees, Palestinian displacement, media literacy, national security narratives, climate migration, colonial borders.
Hosted by Suchitra Vijayan, Bhakti Shringarpure, and Madhuri Sastry
A podcast by The Polis Project www.thepolisproject.com
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Suchitra, Bhakti, and Madhuri look at how Indiaâs cultural landscape has become deeply intertwined with right-wing ideology. From Bollywoodâs hyper-masculine action heroes to the aggressive iconography of Hindu gods, from the spectacle of nationalist weddings to the militarization of everyday imagery, the episode unpacks how aesthetics shape political obedience. The hosts trace how authoritarian regimes have historically used visual culture â sculpted bodies, rigid pageantry, and hyper-masculinity â to manufacture patriotic obedience. In India, these elements have been absorbed into entertainment, fashion, and religion, reinforcing a Hindutva-dominated visual order.
Bollywood has played a major role in this shift, moving from chaotic ensemble films to hyper-stylized nationalism. Hindu gods, once diverse, have been transformed into warrior-like, Aryanized figures, while traditions like âkarva chauthâ and luxury weddings have been aestheticized as nationalist performances. Even Narendra Modi has mastered the fascist aesthetic, from his 56-inch chest mythology to his media-choreographed religious spectacles. The episode also asks: where is counterculture? As Bollywood, media, and fashion fall in line with this authoritarian visual order, the space for resistance shrinks. The takeaway? When culture normalizes uniformity, politics follows.
Key Takeaways:A fascist aesthetic thrives on uniformity, hyper-masculinity, and the glorification of violence. These visual markers have become deeply embedded in Indian pop culture.Bollywoodâs transformation from chaotic, diverse narratives to hyper-nationalist action spectacles reflects a broader ideological shift.Hindu iconography has been rewritten to align with muscular nationalism, transforming once-diverse religious imagery into rigid, militarized depictions.Cultural rituals like âkarva chauthâ and wedding spectacles have been aestheticized and flattened into a single, dominant narrative of Indianness that aligns with Hindutva ideology.Modi has mastered the performance of muscular nationalism, crafting an image of strength and control that is as much about aesthetics as it is about politics.
Keywords:Fascism, aesthetics, muscularity, nationalism, Bollywood, Hindutva, propaganda, Karva Chauth, Modi cult, wedding industrial complex, Instagram, nationalism, consumerism, uniformity, authoritarianism, obedience, spectacle, erasure.
Hosted by Suchitra Vijayan, Bhakti Shringarpure, and Madhuri Sastry
A podcast by The Polis Project
www.thepolisproject.com
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Zijn er afleveringen die ontbreken?
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Suchitra, Bhakti, and Madhuri take a step back from the incessant noise of social media to dissect what all that posting really leads to. Is your social media activism actually making a difference? From the early days of Twitter-fueled revolutions to the performative hashtag activism that followed, the hosts trace the history of online organizing and examine its transformation in the wake of Palestineâs genocide. At a time when mainstream media has fully aligned with state narratives, Instagram and TikTok have become essential sources for alternative reporting â while simultaneously being controlled by billionaires with vested interests in suppressing dissent.
The episode dives into how social media has blurred the lines between activism, consumerism, and self-promotion. They interrogate the role of fundraising, questioning whether crowdfunding is empowering or an indictment of a state that has abdicated its responsibilities. They also explore the exhausting and often exploitative nature of trauma-sharing, the rise of hyper-individualized resistance, and the troubling shift of activism from structural intervention to spectacle. This episode unpacks the effectiveness â and limitations â of social media as a tool for real change.
Key TakeawaysSharing a post or donating to a fundraiser offers instant catharsis, but does it translate into material change? The hosts discuss how digital activism often functions as a quick, conscience-clearing act rather than sustained resistance.Graphic imagery of violence and oppression is widely circulated in the name of awareness, but does it radicalize or merely desensitize? The hosts challenge the ethics of âpornographicâ suffering and its role in online activism.Crowdfunding for humanitarian aid has become necessary in a collapsing world, but it also reinforces individual responsibility over systemic accountability. Thereâs a shift from collective demands to reliance on the generosity of the wealthy.Social media has reshaped activism into a performance, where âactivistsâ are incentivized to prioritize visibility over strategy. Algorithms and virality distort collective movements into individual branding.In-person organizing is crucial as seen in the ongoing pro-Palestinian protests: real-world action, not just social media outrage, is necessary for momentum.
KeywordsSocial media activism, digital resistance, Palestine, fundraising, neoliberalism, crowdfunding, cultural work, performative activism, spectacle, misinformation, political organizing, billionaires, Meta, TikTok, Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, trauma-sharing, de-platforming, censorship, algorithmic suppression, organizing beyond social media.
Hosted bySuchitra Vijayan, Bhakti Shringarpure, and Madhuri Sastry
A podcast by The Polis Project
https://www.thepolisproject.com
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Suchitra, Bhakti, and Madhuri look into the crystal ball to offer up some forecasts about how the media will respond to a second Trump presidency. Reflecting on his first term, the hosts remember liberal mediaâs relentless obsession with his persona, his life, his tweets and his gaffes, all of which overshadowed policy critique and normalized him and his politics through repetition and over-exposure. They predict that the same media preoccupation with his personality, his wife and his kids will return but this time with an added element of Trumpâs current âbromanceâ with tech billionaires like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos who are set to take center stage in the White House. The hosts warn listeners about the return of performative resistance led by white feminists eager to reclaim their narratives while ignoring the ongoing activism of marginalized communities. They lament the decline of meaningful satire and late-night TV as platforms for political commentary, replaced by an influencer culture that dominates the discourse.
The hosts also argue there will be less surprises this time around since right-wing, conservative and normative aesthetics and lifestyles have already become embedded in our lives. Platforms like TikTok and Instagram are mediums for such aesthetics, where stealth wealth, trad-wife, gilded age and synchronized dance video trends promote uncritical whiteness, conservatism, and a culture of obedience. The hosts discuss what they call âthe Kardashian metricâ where the Kardashian womenâs shifting body ideals mirror broader cultural trends, reinforcing systemic hierarchies, and race and gender norms.. They further reflect on the exhaustion of expressing resistance in a media landscape that reduces revolutionary language to hashtags. Ultimately, the media and culture are complicit in perpetuating systems of oppression while peddling illusions of progress.
Key TakeawaysThe liberal mediaâs strategy of amplifying Trumpâs personality as entertainment actively contributes to public desensitization, blurring the lines between critique and normalization. White feminists will likely dominate the âresistanceâ narrative, using their platforms for visibility while disregarding the labor and leadership of marginalized communities.Trad-wife TikToks, stealth wealth trends, and old-money aesthetics mask deeply conservative values under the guise of lifestyle choices, erasing their political implications.Late-night TVâs diminished influence highlights a shift in cultural relevance, with the vacuum being filled by influencers who prioritize relatability over accountability.With fact-checking gutted and influencer platforms rising, the media is poised to provide fertile ground for the normalization of right-wing ideologies.Articulating resistance in a media landscape that dilutes revolutionary language into hashtags and trends is exhausting. Repetition, though fatiguing, remains necessary for building movements.By failing to engage critically with systemic issues, the media allows right-wing ideologies to infiltrate cultural and political discourse, further marginalizing vulnerable communities.Keywords: Trump, liberal media, white feminism, TikTok, stealth wealth, Kardashians, cultural conservatism, late-night TV, satire, media ethics, normalization, performative resistance, systemic oppression, influencers, resistance, commodification, aesthetics.
Hosted by Suchitra Vijayan, Bhakti Shringarpure, and Madhuri Sastry
A podcast by The Polis Project https://www.thepolisproject.com
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Suchitra, Bhakti, and Madhuri tackle the harrowing question: why wonât the media call what is happening in Palestine a genocide? Through incisive analysis, the hosts unravel the complicity of international law and media institutions in denying and obfuscating the reality of genocide, exposing the colonial frameworks that govern both. They discuss the ICCâs delayed and inadequate response, the ICJâs groundbreaking yet overlooked ruling, and the broader power structures that perpetuate injustice. This episode draws connections between systemic impunity, media narratives, and the global silence surrounding the atrocities in Gaza.
The conversation also interrogates why the media refrains from using words like âgenocideâ or âapartheid,â instead acting as a defense mechanism for Israelâs exceptionalism. From the role of institutions like the ICC, ICJ, and the United Nations, to the complicity of major media outlets like The New York Times and the BBC, the hosts explore how language, denialism, and selective accountability create a fertile ground for the erasure of Palestinian lives.
Key Takeaways-While the ICC issued arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity, the response came years too late and included a false equivalence by prosecuting Hamas officials. The ICJâs declaration of plausible genocide in Palestine, brought by South Africa, marked a significant moment in international law, yet the media and global powers have largely ignored it.
-International legal structures, including the ICC and ICJ, operate within a colonial framework that selectively applies justice, shielding powerful states like the U.S. and Israel while disproportionately targeting non-Western nations.
-Major outlets avoid terms like âgenocideâ and âapartheid,â instead opting for euphemisms and passive voice that obscure accountability. Investigative reports revealed that BBCâs Middle East editor, Rafi Berg, has systematically diluted coverage critical of Israel, while The New York Times has a history of employing individuals closely tied to the Israeli military establishment.
-Platforms like TikTok are providing younger audiences with unfiltered narratives, reshaping perceptions of American foreign policy and Israelâs role in the Middle East. Viral moments, such as renewed attention on Osama bin Ladenâs letter to America, highlight a growing awareness of suppressed histories.
-Denialism not only erases atrocities but also justifies them, perpetuating the logic of elimination. Israeli officials and media narratives consistently dehumanize Palestinians, with rhetoric that normalizes violence and reinforces the cycle of oppression.
Keywords: Palestine, genocide, media complicity, ICC, ICJ, apartheid, colonialism, international law, Israel exceptionalism, TikTok, propaganda, genocide denialHosted by Suchitra Vijayan, Bhakti Shringarpure, and Madhuri Sastry
A podcast by The Polis Project www.thepolisproject.com
References
ICJ ruling on plausible genocide in Palestine: https://www.icj-cij.org/node/203454
ICC arrest warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant: https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/11/1157286
Rome Statute: https://www.icc-cpi.int/sites/default/files/2024-05/Rome-Statute-eng.pdf
Amnesty International,...
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Suchitra, Bhakti and Madhuri start off the new year with a focus on the crop of Indian Americans who support Donald Trump, MAGA and have emerged as shamelessly racist and anti-migrant despite their own immigrant background. A recent feud between Trump, Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy over the topic of H1-B visas and who gets to migrate into the US tech empire brought out all the racist rhetoric into the open. The hosts go over the parade of conservative Indians of Hindu and upper-caste backgrounds (Vivek Ramaswamy, Sriram Krishnan, Kash Patel) that have risen to power in recent years, many of whom will likely have official positions in Trump's cabinet. They discuss the shift from the language of "model minority" and "skilled" labor to the caste-inflected language of "merit." The ascendancy of male, Hindu, upper-caste and tech-centric Indians in the US has only blazed a negative trail for immigrants seeking visas and citizenship. These wealthy and powerful men have paradoxically shrunk the public's understanding of immigration, visas and have furthered the racist and hierarchical language of "skilled" vs "unskilled." The discussion also exposes just how badly the media covers migration and remains entrenched in a white and colonial understanding of borders, nation-states and foreigners.
Key takeaways
-The Indians are not coming, they are already here. And it is an ugly, MAGA mess.
- The ongoing feud between Ramaswamy, Musk and Trump unleashes anti-migrant racism and normalizes the public's view that immigrants snatch jobs from American citizens.
- Indian Americans who support Trump are likely to make the already arduous and expensive H1B visa process even more difficult.
- Indian migration to the US is grown exponentially in the last two decades and primarily includes privileged, educated, upper-caste and upper-class Hindus.
- The tech-centric, capitalist and conservative Indian Americans make the caste-inflected language of "merit" pervasive and also entrench hierarchies of "skilled" vs "unskilled" labor.
-The media covers migration through a white and colonial gaze, and refuses to analyze the draconian nature of the nation-state when it comes to borders, policing, and anti-migrant racism.
-These debates and feuds between powerful Indian immigrants leave a lot of collateral damage in their wake. Less privileged immigrants from all over the world are the ones who pay the price when policies and process are put through the wringer.
Hosted by Suchitra Vijayan, Bhakti Shringarpure, and Madhuri Sastry
A podcast by The Polis Project https://www.thepolisproject.com/
References:
World Economic Forum. âIndian Diaspora Hits Record-Breaking Numbers" https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/09/india-has-the-world-s-biggest-diaspora-here-s-where-its-emigrants-live/
India's Diaspora is bigger and more influential than any in history https://www.economist.com/international/2023/06/12/indias-diaspora-is-bigger-and-more-influential-than-any-in-history
Ari Hoffman and Jeanne Batalova, "Indian Immigrants in the United States," Migration Policy Institute. https://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/indian-immigrants-united-states
Trump sides with tech bosses in Maga fight over immigrant visas
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Suchitra, Bhakti, and Madhuri ask what happens when the media tries to be woke. Turns out, it all becomes very cringe. The episode unpacks performative wokeness in mainstream media, and exposes how the term woke â rooted in Black resistance â has been stripped of its radical origins and become a marketing tool. The word woke originates in abolitionist and Black liberation movements but today it has become adopted, diluted, and misused in mainstream culture. The media uses woke language and terms for signaling progressiveness while avoiding substantive engagement with systemic injustices. The hosts explore how the media co-opts wokeness by using tactics like breadcrumbing â a strategy where media outlets offer sporadic, surface-level content on social justice issues to maintain credibility without making meaningful change â and cherry-picking, wherein palatable elements of activism are co-opted while deeper critiques of oppressive systems are ignored.
They offer sharp critiques of cultural moments which are etched in virtue-signaling and performative politics, while examining how wokeness has been reduced to a spectacle. They also analyze the ways in which the media has mishandled significant movements like #MeToo and Black Lives Matter. The episode also explores the concept of cancel culture, exposing how its effects disproportionately target marginalized voices â such as Palestinian authors â while powerful figures often face minimal consequences and return to the spotlight unscathed. The hosts argue that this selective accountability reflects the mediaâs complicity in upholding existing power structures, even as it masquerades as progressive. This episode argues that wokeness is a form of gaslighting when wielded by the media. By projecting an image of moral clarity and progressive values, the media deflects criticism and perpetuates the very systems of oppression it claims to challenge.
Keywords: Wokeness, woke media, gaslighting, pop culture, appropriation, co-option, BLM, MeToo, systemic oppression, selective outrage, activism, cherry-picking, breadcrumbing, capitalism, commodification, progressiveness, tokenism, representation, stereotypes
Key Takeaways:
The term woke is historically rooted in values of resistance, abolition, and Black activism. Since then, it has evolved and appropriated by mainstream culture and reduced to a tool for advancing capitalist forces, evident from woke bumper stickers, tote bags, clothes, and meme culture which takes no critical stance or accountability.Examples of wokeness are etched in virtue signalling and performative politics. Some examples are, Nancy Pelosi appropriating Colin Kaepernickâs take the knee protest against the NFL, or Beyonce co-opting the message of Black Panthers in Super Bowl 2016.Breadcrumbing is a technique used by the liberal media to maintain credibility by sporadically engaging and publishing progressive content without advocating for systemic change. Similarly, cherry-picking is another technique used to highlight aspects of activism which appear essential while ignoring the foundational issues of capitalism and imperialism. The media overall prioritizes aesthetics, visible from the reception of movies like Barbie and Oppenheimer, all the while superficially representing and covering important campaigns such as the BLM protests, MeToo, and anti-racism protests.The media practices cancel culture and are only selectively accountable. They dilute the disproportionate impact of cancel culture on marginalized communities. -
Suchitra, Bhakti, and Madhuri examine a year of prize scandals, immoral literary institutions and inappropriate red carpet galas. They ask why the genocide in Gaza has not been a red line for many prestigious literary institutions who have insisted on going about business as usual. They look at how literary institutions, prize committees, cultural events and writers themselves are complicit in perpetuating imperialist power structures and silencing dissenting voices. They highlight the ways in which these institutions, through both overt actions and subtle inactions, reveal their allegiance to oppressive systems. They break down the controversies that have rocked prominent literary organizations and awards in North America, such as PEN America, Giller Prize, and the Dan David Prize amongst others, further exposing their failure to take a firm stand on Palestine. The hosts also address the broader critique of performative activism in the literary world.
The episode interrogates the role and responsibilities of a writer, publishers and institutions during an ongoing genocide, and emphasizes an urgent reimagining for the way that literary and cultural institutions and ecosystems should function. It urges the literary industry to push forward the cultural boycott of Israel, and actively participate in creating ethical, radical spaces for resistance and solidarity.
Keywords: Palestine, Gaza, literary awards, PEN America, Guernica, Giller Prize, Dan David Prize, JCB Prize, PACBI, cultural boycott, Palestinian literature, literary institutions, genocide, resistance, solidarity, zionist apologia
Key Takeaways:
The ongoing genocide in Gaza perpetuated by Israel has exposed and unmasked the literary world as they were faced with controversies over their stance on the genocide. Many writers and organizations have called on for the boycott of institutions who continue to not address the genocide on Gaza and maintain their close ties with Israel.The Giller Prize and PEN America, in particular, have recently faced serious backlash for their financial sponsorships and allegiance to institutionalised oppressive systems. The impact of cultural production and its political implications by literary organizations on state violence is sanitized by manufacturing harmful narratives of tip-toeing around neutrality and zionist apologia. The role of a writer comes into question during an ongoing genocide and genocide must be a red line in cultural and literary production. There is a moral imperative to engage in ethical publishing and reject affiliations with systems abetting oppression and violence.Literary organizations must understand the significance of the cultural boycott of Israel and the necessity of signing on to PACBI.References:
Gaza! Gaza! Gaza! https://arablit.org/tag/gaza-gaza-gaza/ Read Palestine Week 2024 https://arablit.org/2024/11/29/join-read-palestine-week-2024/ Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) call for boycott https://bdsmovement.net/pacbi/pacbi-call Publishers for Palestine https://publishersforpalestine.org/ Writers Against the War on... -
Suchitra, Bhakti, and Madhuri embark on a detailed breakdown of Islamophobia, dissecting its historical roots, modern manifestations, and the critical role the media plays in perpetuating anti-Muslim sentiment. They examine how Islamophobia has evolved from colonial narratives into a sophisticated mechanism of systemic hatred, embedded in global power structures. The episode traces the etymology and history of the term âIslamophobia,â highlighting how it fails to capture the full extent of the deliberate dehumanization faced by Muslims worldwide. The hosts delve into the mediaâs complicity in spreading stereotypes, from conflating Muslim identities with terrorism to sensationalized portrayals of Muslim women as both oppressed and in need of saving. The discussion also emphasizes the intersectionality of Islamophobia, illustrating how it overlaps with racism, sexism, casteism, and imperialism to create a multi-layered system of discrimination. The hosts describe the ways in which Islamophobia is normalized in diverse contexts â from the United Statesâ post-9/11 policies to Franceâs secularism debates and Indiaâs Hindu nationalist agenda.
Keywords: Islamophobia, media, terrorism, pop culture, politics, education, activism, Muslim communities, representation, stereotypes
Key Takeaways:
Islamophobia has been prevalent for centuries, especially intensified by recent events in Palestine. The definition of Islamophobia is often misunderstood, leading to a lack of awareness about its manifestations. What is Islamophobia? What is its definition, the etymology, and its historical and cultural evolution?The term âIslamophobiaâ can seem too mild and does not capture its pernicious and violent effects. Media plays a significant role in shaping negative perceptions of Muslims and Islam, and structures its narratives around the term âphobiaâ and the deliberate, systemic hatred it represents.Terrorism is often misrepresented in the media, focusing on non-state actors while ignoring state-sponsored violence. Doing so, it conflates the identity of terrorism with the identity of Islam. Pop culture contributes to the normalization of Islamophobic narratives through films and television, such as the TV show Homeland and movies like Whiskey Tango Foxtrot. Media and political discourse often uses the narrative of saving Muslim women to justify military interventions.Islamophobia is not just a Western issue; it has global implications, affecting Muslim communities worldwide. Local political narratives feed into the global depiction of Islam and anti-Muslim hate.Education about Islamophobia and âunlearningâ these coded messages is crucial, however, the effort required starts from the personal and familial levels.Activism and organizing against Islamophobia are essential for creating change.Hosted by: Suchitra Vijayan, Bhakti Shringarpure, and Madhuri Sastry
A podcast by The Polis Project https://www.thepolisproject.com/
References:
Do Muslim Women Need Saving? by Lila Abu-Lughod https://ideas.time.com/2013/11/01/do-muslim-women-need-saving/ On Edward Saidâs Orientalism -
Suchitra, Bhakti, and Madhuri discuss narratives of blame in the aftermath of the loss of Kamala Harris and the Democratic Party in the 2024 US elections. Donald Trumpâs win sent shockwaves through liberal media who have been uncritically championing a candidate who played to the center and styled herself as a conservative rather than connecting with her progressive base. Within hours of exit polls, the blame games began on social media and in mainstream outlets. The episode works through the main groups being falsely blamed: progressives, Latinos, Muslims, Black men, misogyny, third-party candidates such as Jill Stein, and President Biden. The conversation exposes the mediaâs racist and sexist biases and their deliberate sidelining of the genocide in Palestine. It emphasizes the importance of third-party candidates, and insists on the need for accountability within the Democratic Party and the media. The discussion highlights the disillusionment of voters and the consequences of shifting blame rather than addressing systemic issues.
Key Takeaways:
The Democratic Party has always relied on the votes of minority and progressive communities to win elections, and despite the results, they are continuously thrown under the bus by the Democrats. The media often promotes this rhetoric and shifts blame to marginalized groups after election losses.Misogyny and racism are frequently used as scapegoats and tools to escape accountability in political narratives.Votes during elections are neither owed nor are they for granted, an attribute which is often weaponized by the Democratic Party to further their interests.The Democratic Party's failure to connect with its base leads to disillusionment.Third-party candidates like Jill Stein are unfairly vilified for election outcomes.Voter disillusionment is a significant factor in recent election results.The two-party system is increasingly seen as inadequate by the electorate.Liberal media weaponizes identity politics to shape media narratives that can influence public perception and accountability.The blame game distracts from the real issues at play in elections.The consequences of ignoring voter needs can be dire for political parties as voters are capable of making sound and different decisions.Keywords: media, blame games, election outcomes, Kamala Harris, misogyny, racism, third-party candidates, voter disillusionment, political narratives, accountability
References:
CNN 2024 US Presidential Elections Exit Polls - https://edition.cnn.com/election/2024/exit-polls/national-results/general/president/0Owen Jones (X/Twitter post) - https://x.com/owenjonesjourno/status/1854523217475506674Yasmin Nair - Kamala Harris Will Lose https://yasminnair.com/kamala-harris-will-lose/ Ruby Hamad - Re/Orient: To Scorn Third-Party Voters Is To Demand Two Increasingly Draconian Options -
Suchitra, Bhakti and Madhuri declare âWe Told You Soâ in light of the disastrous defeat of Kamala Harris and the Democratic Party in the 2024 US elections. By "we," the hosts refer to the loyal constituency of people who definitely did not want to see Donald Trump in power. These very people have been offering feedback to the Kamala Harris campaign and calling out mainstream mediaâs uncritical approach to her candidacy. Coverage of the Harris campaign in newspapers and on television has only been uncritically adoring, and it has since become clear that those with influence in the media do not have a pulse of what the people want. Harris alienated the progressives by pivoting to the center and pushing to connect with Republican voters. She alienated the youth by a celebrity-driven campaign that did not appeal to the younger voters who are concerned about the environment and the genocide in Palestine. The Harris campaign chided voters and talked down to them, essentially telling them not to be stupid to vote for Trump rather than connecting with them as a candidate. The war in Gaza loomed over the Harris campaign and it was made worse by Harris' decision to not speak with Palestinians and Arab voters. The episode reminds listeners of many warning signals that were being given by progressive, alternate media including this podcast that Harris would lose. They told you so, and now this failure to listen has put the US and the world in a Trump presidency that is going to be devastating on several fronts.
Key takeaways:
-- The cultural elite such as talk show hosts and news pundits are completely out of touch with the zeitgeist and have no pulse on the people.
-- There should have been a primary so that we could have settled on someone we could get behind rather than the candidate who came in last in the 2020 primaries.
-- Kamala Harris should not have run as a centrist and alienated the progressives.
-- Harris should not underestimate the impact of unfolding genocide in Palestine on the people.
-- Harris should have met with the Palestinian and Arab constituency
-- The Harris campaignâs focus on celebrities and social media could not harness the support of the youth but alienated them.
-- The failures and the callousness of the Democratic party have squarely put the US in a Trump presidency that is going to be devastating for brown, Black and working class communities.
Keywords: elections, journalism, media ethics, reporting, headlines, propaganda, narratives, war, genocide, racism, youth.
Hosted by: Suchitra Vijayan, Bhakti Shringarpure, and Madhuri Sastry
A podcast by The Polis Project https://www.thepolisproject.com/
References:
Arab American voters warned Kamala, Al Jazeera - https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/11/6/we-warned-you-arab-americans-in-michigan-tell-kamala-harris Data hints at warnings signs for Harris - Economic Times https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/us/data-hints-at-warning-signs-for-kamala-harris-here-are-what-they-are-and-why-it-could-be-damaging-for-the-vp/articleshow/114015755.cms?from=mdr Warning signs for Harris are flashing red - In These Times -
Suchitra, Bhakti and Madhuri analyze the genre of "book reviews" and the ways in which they are instrumental in shaping opinion on writers, literature, ideas, and culture, more broadly. Book reviews are an extremely vital part of all newspapers and media outlets but the undergirding questions is who gets reviewed and who gets ignored? Book reviews have moved away from tackling ideas, and have instead become publicity and marketing tools for big, corporate publishers. The discussion focuses on the explicit anti-intellectualism of book reviews. There is a complete disregard for challenging the mainstream narratives and there is an obsession with accessible and simplistic writing. Books reviews deliberately shun complex, theoretical or philosophical works. Book reviews have a gatekeeping function and further the notion that political writing is bad writing that does not deserve to be reviewed at all. Thus, liberal media tends to sustain the propaganda that there is a divide between art and politics. The episode also touches on the ways in which identity politics prevents deeper engagement with writers of color. Finally, the hosts explore the controversy around Ta-Nehisi Coates' latest book The Messenger since Coates has found himself at the center of pernicious debates in mainstream media because of his pro-Palestinian stance.
Keywords: books, novels, book reviews media, ethics, narratives, gatekeeping, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Palestine, African literature, Publishing, style, genre, anti-intellectualism, marketing, scholars, experts, writers, authors, literature.
Key takeaways:
ï»żBook reviews might seem harmless and amusing but they perform meaning-making activity by shaping opinions and narratives. Book reviews peddle an explicit anti-intellectualismThe book review industry is in the business of selling books rather than introducing readers to new ideas. Media outlets only review books published by big corporate presses and sideline independent, smaller or academic presses. Media outlets only publish reviews about accessible books that are written in a simplistic style and categorically do not match the book with an expert.The publishing world along with the book review industry has birthed a world of similarly written books that are apolitical and unthreatening to mainstream narratives. Identity politics plays a disproportionate role through the authors that liberal media chooses to anoint but this also adversely precludes deep engagement with the author and their works. Book reviews promote and sustain the American liberal ideology that art and politics are separate, and that political writing is bad writing that does not deserve to be reviewed.The controversy around Ta-Nehisi's Coates' pro-Palestinian book The Messenger has unmasked the liberal establishment and shown their acute Zionist bias. There are smaller and independent media outlets that continue to publish smart and engaged book reviews.Correction: At 38:20, there is a slight factual error, it's not The Atlantic but Vanity Fair.
Hosted by: Suchitra Vijayan, Bhakti Shringarpure, and Madhuri Sastry
A podcast by The Polis Project https://www.thepolisproject.com/
References:
If Books Could Kill podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/if-books-could-kill/id1651876897
The NYT Book Review Is Everything Book Criticism Shouldn't Be by Yasmin Nair
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Suchitra, Bhakti, and Madhuri delve into the media's problematic portrayal of children, particularly in conflict zones. The episode asks: who gets to be a âchildâ in mainstream media? The coverage of children over the years reveals two broad themes: 1) the process of âun-childingâ and 2) tendency towards saviorism that can produce troubling representations of childrenâs bodies, especially girls. It addresses how language and representation shape perceptions of childhood, the impact of state policies on Black, brown, and Muslim children, as well as, the contradictions in society's view of innocence. The conversation also highlights the role of the media in normalizing violence against children and maintaining a savior complex that often accompanies humanitarian narratives in non-white and conflict-zone countries. Ultimately, it emphasizes the need for hope and resilience in the face of despair.
Keywords: Journalism, media ethics, reporting, headlines, propaganda, narratives, children, Palestine, minority discrimination in the US, race and religious discrimination, representation, genocide, saviorism, white-saviorism, un-childing, police violence, childhood, activism, humanitarianism
Key Takeaways:
The media plays a significant role in shaping perceptions of childhood.Legal manipulation of language legitimizes comes first and enables the media to justify violence against children.Palestinian children have historically been dehumanized in media coverage.The US has waged totalizing war against children seen in their coverage of police killings of Black youth and in their child services systems.The concept of 'un-childing' reflects a broader societal issue.State policies disproportionately affect non-white children.The basis of colonialism and the existence of the empire is in deliberately targeting family structures that are not deemed conventional or appropriate for them, examples are, removing children from parents, destroying indigenous family structures, etc.There is a contradiction in society's view of childhood innocence.The notion of âgenocideâ in Palestine is debated in the media but analyzing the deliberate killing of children precisely proves this. Visuals of suffering children can evoke sympathy but also desensitize audiences.Saviorism in humanitarian efforts can perpetuate colonial narratives.Hope and resilience are essential in the fight for justice.Resistance to totalizing logic of Palestinian annihilation and erasure is necessary.Hosted by: Suchitra Vijayan, Bhakti Shringarpure, and Madhuri Sastry
A podcast by The Polis Project https://www.thepolisproject.com/
References:
Incarcerated Childhood and the Politics of Unchilding by N. Shalhoub-KevorkianUN experts deeply concerned over âscholasticideâ in Gaza: OHCHR -
Suchitra, Bhakti and Madhuri analyze shocking, biased and racist headlines from mainstream newspapers from the past year with a focus on Palestine, Lebanon and Iran. They discuss the importance and impact of headlines historically but also in a world defined by ever-diminishing attention spans, and where news is mainly read on smartphones. The media appears to have an active investment in war, the ongoing genocide in Palestine, and in American imperialism, broadly. The hosts tackle three broad trends how headlines were written in the last year: the use of passive voice, the fabrication of a both-sides perspective, and an unabashed racism towards Muslims. This invented grammar of the headlines obfuscates the identity of the perpetrators, generates vagueness around mass killings, applauds technological prowess of attacks and invasions, and sanitizes and diminishes war crimes. Such headlines and unethical journalism enables the dehumanization of non-white lives and the consequent normalization of violence against them by the state. The episode highlights the urgent necessity for critical awareness and unlearning racist, dehumanizing narratives designed to legitimize and elicit popular consent for brutal state atrocities against non-white, colonized and marginalized people around the world.
Key Takeaways
The media plays a significant role in shaping public perception of genocide.Headlines are crucial in framing narratives, they contain entire histories of language.Passive voice in reporting obscures accountability and responsibility.âBoth-sidesismâ in the media creates false equivalences in conflict reporting.The normalisation of racist language in the media and passivity as a tool in reporting contributes to dehumanisation of Arab, Muslim, Queer, and non-White lives.Journalism can act as a tool for genocide, actively participating and propagating, rather than maintaining a check on power.There is a concerted effort by the media to erase and invisibilise the realities of violence against marginalised and colonised communities, ignoring all historical contexts and accountability. Doing so, they continue to keep the harrowing reality of colonialism and imperialism alive.Unlearning harmful narratives is essential for fostering understanding and empathy in the light of a harmful gaslighting and propagandist force. The complicity of the media in state violence must be critically examined.Keywords: Journalism, media ethics, reporting, headlines, propaganda, narratives, war, genocide, racism, Islamophobia, public perception, both-sidesism, passive voice, Palestine, Lebanon, Iran.
Hosted by: Suchitra Vijayan, Bhakti Shringarpure, and Madhuri Sastry
A podcast by The Polis Project https://www.thepolisproject.com/
References:
U.S. Media's Complicity in Israel's Genocide with Sana Saeed (Jadaliyya) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50nEqjFTI-4
Assal Rad Twitter/X account: https://x.com/AssalRad
Journalism as Genocide/Suchitra Vijayan (The Wire, India) https://thewire.in/communalism/journalism-as-genocide
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In this episode Suchitra, Bhakti, and Madhuri delve into the unethical reporting on sexual violence, particularly in the context of the ongoing genocide perpetrated by Israel on Gaza. The hosts discuss the trends of hyper-reporting and zero reporting, the ethics of how victims are portrayed, and the media's role in fabricating narratives that serve political agendas. They highlight the systemic violence faced by Palestinian prisoners and the contrasting media treatment of different victims, the apathetic conditions of reporting on sexual violence in Indian news media, thereby, emphasizing the need for ethical journalism that prioritizes truth over salaciousness and sensationalism.
Key-takeaways:
The media has gone as far to fabricate narratives around sexual violence for sensationalism and to dehumanize groups of people. There is a stark contrast between hyper-reporting certain cases and zero reporting in other cases.Victims' bodies are often exploited in unethical ways in reporting.The concept of the 'perfect victim' influences media narratives, also to further the facade of the âwoke mediaâ.Mainstream media frequently ignores the violence faced by marginalized groups.The MeToo movement has impacted how sexual violence is reported, but inconsistencies remain.Systematic violence in prisons is often overlooked by mainstream media.The US government has been complicit in ignoring sexual violence against Palestinians.Ethical reporting is crucial for justice and awareness.Media sensationalism can lead to voyeurism rather than meaningful change.Further reading:
A Critical Look at The New York Times' Weaponization of Rape in Service of Israeli Propaganda (Institute for Palestine Studies) https://www.palestine-studies.org/en/node/1655054
âBetween the Hammer and the Anvilâ The Story Behind the New York Times October 7 ExposĂ© (Intercept) https://theintercept.com/2024/02/28/new-york-times-anat-schwartz-october-7/
Leaked NYT Gaza Memo Tells Journalists to Avoid Words âGenocide,â âEthnic Cleansing,â and âOccupied Territoryâ (Intercept) https://theintercept.com/2024/04/15/nyt-israel-gaza-genocide-palestine-coverage/
Israeli mediaâs coverage of the rape of Palestinian detainees shows support for sexual violence in service of genocide (Mondoweiss) https://mondoweiss.net/2024/08/israeli-medias-coverage-of-the-rape-of-palestinian-detainees-shows-support-for-sexual-violence-in-service-of-genocide/
Hereâs what Pramila Pattenâs UN report on Oct 7 sexual violence actually said (Mondoweiss) https://mondoweiss.net/2024/03/heres-what-pramila-pattens-un-report-on-oct-7-sexual-violence-actually-said/
Keywords: sexual violence, media ethics, reporting, Palestine, India, France, victim narratives, MeToo, BelieveHer, journalism, torture, consent, mainstream media
Suchitra Vijayan is a writer, photographer and activist. She is the founder and Executive Director of The Polis Project. For her first book, The Midnight's Border: A People's History of India, Suchitra traveled across the 9000-mile...
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Suchitra Vijayan, Bhakti Shringarpure and Madhuri Sastry dissect the media's coverage of Kamala Harris, focusing on the Democratic National Convention and the presidential debate. Coverage of Harris has focused on the portrayal of her as a youthful 'brat', excessive focus on aesthetics, and the lack of critical analysis in mainstream media. They explore the implications of her political identity, the gaslighting from the media, and the ongoing issues of racism in migration policies. The conversation culminates in a critique of the superficiality of political discourse and the need for accountability in journalism.
Key-takeaways:
The media's coverage of Kamala Harris has been overwhelmingly positive, lacking critical analysis.The Democratic National Convention was more about aesthetics than substance.Harris' image is crafted to appeal to youth culture, but it raises questions about authenticity and effectiveness with young voters.There is a significant shift in Harris' political ideology towards conservatism since the 2020 Presidential Election.The media often gaslights the public, framing critiques as radicalism.The debate between Harris and Trump highlighted their similar right-wing stances, highlighting the acute similarities in the ideological policies between the Democrats and Republicans.Racism, migration, and foreign military policies are critical issues that are often overlooked in media narratives.The illusion of choice between Trump and Harris obscures deeper systemic issues.The burden of proof for political accountability has shifted away from candidates to the electorate with the effect of silencing any critique about the ruling class.The concept of joy in politics is being co-opted, losing its radical roots.Hosted by: Suchitra Vijayan, Bhakti Shringarpure, and Madhuri Sastry
A podcast by The Polis Project https://www.thepolisproject.com/
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Are you questioning your reality? Do you feel gaslighted? It's not you, it's the media.
Suchitra Vijayan, Bhakti Shringarpure and Madhuri Sastry will join forces to eviscerate the propaganda, set the record straight and offer much needed moral clarity.
Tune in each week.
It's Not You, It's the Media.
A podcast by the Polis Project. https://www.thepolisproject.com/
Hosts:
Suchitra Vijayan is a writer, photographer and activist. She is the founder and Executive Director of The Polis Project. For her first book, The Midnight's Border: A People's History of India, Suchitra traveled across the 9000-mile Indian border. A barrister by training, she previously worked for the United Nations war crimes tribunals in Yugoslavia and Rwanda before co-founding the Resettlement Legal Aid Project in Cairo, which gives legal aid to Iraqi refugees. She is the co-author of How Long Can the Moon Be Caged? Voices of Indian Political Prisoners (2023) which offers a lens into today's India through the lived experiences of political prisoners.
Bhakti Shringarpure is a writer and writer. She is the co-founder of Warscapes magazine which transitioned into the Radical Books Collective, a multi-faceted community building project that creates an alternative, inclusive and non-commercial approach to books and reading. Bhakti is the author of Cold War Assemblages: Decolonization to Digital (2019) and editor of Literary Sudans: An Anthology of Literature from Sudan and South Sudan (2017), Imagine Africa (2017) Mediterranean: Migrant Crossings (2018) and most recently, Insurgent Feminisms: Writing War (2023).
Madhuri Sastry is a writer with a human rights law background. She is on the advisory board of The Polis Project. Her writing has appeared in several publications including Slate, Guernica, Catapult, and Bitch.
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