Ethnocentrism in the U.S. media is expressed through the way news is presented; therefore, the agenda is to identify and implement specific methods of approaching the problem.
The news report from MSNBC on the United States and Iraq nuclear program negotiation is a bright example of the presence of ethnocentrism in the media. To understand the negativity that the term implies, it is relevant to address its actual meaning. The word comes from words ethnic and centric, which means that one’s ethnicity is the center while the other’s is a periphery. All human beings are to a certain degree ethnocentric since ethnicity is an integral part of the self and personal identity. Defining ethnocentrism in this manner does not reflect the issue related to the notion because if it is a part of people’s identity, then it is impossible to avoid it. In his article, Berger suggests a different definition, stating that ethnocentrism is about making false assumptions due to one’s limited experiences. News articles do not make direct assumptions about nations and people since the primary purpose of any news medium is to deliver information in an ethical and precise manner. However, the actual presentation of data, especially on politically sensitive topics, is debatable.
The article describes the process of establishing the connection between the American government and the Iranian Supreme Leader to facilitate a dialog on the issue of nuclear weapon development. It is filled with ethnocentric expressions which form a public opinion regarding Muslim countries. The idea of Washington being the initiator of the dialog is an example of ethnocentrism because it implies that Americans act in the interest of the world community and it is highly important to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. Secondly, the phrase “the energetic, English-speaking head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization” has an emphasis on language. English is inherent in Western societies, and such an expression may prompt the reader to think that English is a language of the civilized democratic world and can be considered a virtue. “The […] man, who speaks fluent, barely accented English…” is a quote that supports the stereotype that it is highly difficult for people from the Middle East to learn other languages and speak properly. The intention of the author behind this phrase may be to find common grounds between an American reader and an Iranian who is willing to succumb to the dominance of Western culture by learning their language. Consequently, the article presents the idea that it is a norm for a non-American to know English and not vice versa.
Another important example is the direct quote of the Head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization, who responded to the question of whether he expects more people to be killed to stop Iran’s nuclear program. The man said he hoped to be the next person to be killed “because this is a source of pride, I told you. We look for martyrdom. We are not frightened of that”. There is no further explanation of how the reader should interpret his words. Thus, such statements imply that death is the most coveted reward for a Muslim.
Cultural relativism and ethnography, in particular, are methods to approach ethnocentrism. An anthropologist would have used the findings of the field studies to explain the reason the spokesman mentioned his desire for death. Moreover, the author should have studied the importance of linguistics not to over-emphasize the speaker’s capability to speak English. In addition, the author should have better omitted the language factor as a differentiating one. Ethnology is also a tool to implement the method of cultural relativism. Understanding variations within the cultural universal would have helped the author adopt the heuristic technique and eliminate generalist views on Iranian culture. Thus, a culturally relativistic perspective would have made the reader understand that the murder of a Muslim cannot be ignored or forgotten and the murderer must be punished, which is not necessarily a bad concept. The problem will occur, however, when moral relativism is taken into account.
The research on the issue of viewing death as a privilege for Muslims conducted by an anthropologist would have included a thorough study of the Koran and the norms particular for Iran. Furthermore, an anthropologist would have studies cases when Muslims attack and when they protect themselves. Finally, anthropologists would have analyzed all the particular nuances that refer to the case.
MSNBC’s policy on cultural diversity is aligned with the norms of international law and NBC declares cultural diversity and inclusion of a corporate value (NBSUniversal, 2016). It is a common practice for media to indicate the importance of such values since it is an integral part of journalism ethics which adds credibility to the source. However, because ethnocentrism cannot be avoided, it must always be kept in the minds of authors because they formulate a public opinion on the matter.
Though the news media present facts, the way they present those facts matters the most. The outcomes of the lack of a culturally relativistic approach lead to distortions in perception and the rise of ethnocentric views, which often result in conflicts and wars. The anthropological viewpoint with methods proposed by cultural relativism has practical application in news presentation and should be taken into account by the media. Ethnocentrism is a characteristic of human nature that needs to be redefined as a negative directive that inhibits cultural diversity and serves as a basis for conflicts.
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