[ecrea] CFP: Media, Ideology and Hegemony

*CALL FOR PAPERS***

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*Media, Ideology and Hegemony*

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/Savaþ Çoban (Ed.)/

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*Deadline for Abstracts: 15 May 2016*

*Deadline for Full Papers: 15 December 2016*

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                        /“The ideas of the ruling class are in every
                        epoch the ruling ideas, i.e. the class which is
                        the ruling material force of society, is at the
                        same time its ruling intellectual force. The
                        class which has the means of material production
                        at its disposal has control at the same time
                        over the means of mental production, so that
                        thereby, generally speaking, the ideas of those
                        who lack the means of mental production are
                        subject to it. The ruling ideas are nothing more
                        than the ideal expression of the dominant
                        material relationships, the dominant material
                        relationships grasped as ideas; hence of the
                        relationships which make the one class the
                        ruling one, therefore, the ideas of its
                        dominance.” (Marx, 2004: 64)/

Lenin had known the importance of the media for quite a long time, and
argued that it should be presented to the public as an effective
political institution, and put to work for recruiting masses. Thus he
briefly states: “Unless we train strong political organisations in the
localities, even an excellently organised all-Russia newspaper will be
of no avail. This is incontrovertible. But the whole point is that
/there is no other way /of /training /strong political organisations
except through the medium of an all-Russia newspaper.” (Lenin,
2008:102-103) Meanwhile, The paper, whose main purpose was political
agitation and propaganda, had to address the whole nation. “In our time,
when Social-Democratic tasks are being degraded, /the only way /”live
political work“ can be /begun is /with live political agitation, which
is impossible unless we have an all-Russia newspaper, frequently issued
and regularly distributed. (Lenin, 2008:104) **

*Lenin believed that an All-russia newspaper would eventually provide an
ideological bond between the members, and be an agent to bring the local
independent structures under the roof of the party. Thus, the idea of
the journal would in fact be paving the way to make the party both
ideologically and organizationally a central structure. Therefore a
newspaper was one that was vital to revolution.*

Gramsci, with his writings on the term “hegemony”, goes one step
further, and emphasizes its semantic significance. His definition of
hegemony implies its establishment by consentive submission of the ruled
class. Hegemony, which isn't always coercive, would mainly understood as
an cultural and ideological power, one which works on the basis of the
values of bourgeoisie. The term hegemony is attributed to Gramsci in
political literature, and percieved to exist not only at the state level
but also within the layers of society.

Gramsci's works on hegemony and defining the media's role within this
context were important progresses. He, who put forward the notion that
hegemony can not only by coercion but also obtained through public
consent, brought another perspective to the subject by putting a
spotligth on how newspapers are used to aggravate public opinion.

Althusser identified the ‘Ideological State Apparatus’ as the method by
which organizations propagate ideology. This is in contrast to
the/Repressive State Apparatus/(RSA), by which compliance can be forced
and includes the army, police. Ideological State Apparatuses include
those used in religion, law, politics, trade unions, media and the family.

The relationship between media and propaganda would follow the path as
Goebbels started and work for the leaders in controlling masses. In this
respect, we can say the methods of Nazism are widely used even after its
death. Even we don't see or hear it, Goebbels is always on our tv
channels, newspapers and social media everyday.

Media, as a socialization device, is one of the most important tools for
creating public consent. Capitalist state controls mass media as well as
the economy and all other coercive devices. The guardians of the regime,
who always look for new approaches in order to keep public comfortable
while controlling them for their very existence, would also use media
for this purpose along with the institution of family and educational
system. Families are indeniable structures for nursing status-quo, but
definitely insufficient by itself. For this reason all the inputs and
outputs in all educational, cultural and social ecologies that surrounds
public are in full control; and any individual or group that poses
threat to their existence gets filtered from society. Although some
virtual freedoms for critics of system and protests are allowed, behind
the curtain, it is targeted to prevent them from moving underground and
becoming a stronger threat.

Media is percevied by an average person to be means of getting
information. Also we are avare of the fact that media and power
relationship becoming important factor. In capitalist countries, media
is in the control of capitalist powers, and information conveys more of
a desired virtuality than reality itself. Therefore information presents
lies as truth and this information run through medial channels into the
public minds. This results into a society where all real problems are
covered and what is normal turns into problems. The capitalist mode of
production, in this respect, bases itself both economical and
ideological exploitation in its reach.

Capitalists present their ideology everyday in different forms through
media outlets. With rediscovery of ideology in the works of media, the
concept of power reappeared and construction of truth attracted more
skeptical approach (Stevenson, 2008:69).  Although the triangle of
Media-ideology-power is questioned by intellectuals and revolutionaries
and these groups tries to uncover the truth for public, the hegemony of
ideology shows it's magnitude and manages to make public to turn a blind
eye to these critics and even confront them.

             Capitalism uses media to set up its hegemony and to mend
its cracks which can be formed due to hegemony, to make its ideology
absorbed and reproduced. Bourgeoisie, not only does it form the
conscious of the society via media; television, newspapers and
especially social media but also keeps it under control.

             Hegemony and the ideology are not flexible concepts, yet
they do their jobs in terms of maintaining the dominance of the
government on and in the social field through the process of
regenerating themselves continually. In this respect, media stands in a
more important position which carries and spreads the discourse of
ideology and hegemony of the government than before.

             The deadline for full paper submissions is December 15, 2016.

             Please send a title or a brief outline (50/100 words)
to (savascoban /at/ gmail.com)

*/Dr. Savaþ Çoban - Independent Researcher/*

*/(savascoban /at/ gmail.com) <mailto:(savascoban /at/ gmail.com)>/*

*/http://www.brill.com/products/book/media-and-left
<http://www.brill.com/products/book/media-and-left>/*


/Bibliography/

-Lenin V.I. (2008) /What Is to be Done/ ? “Marxists Internet Archive”

-Marx, K. and F. Engels (2004) /The German Ideology/, International
Publishers, USA

-Stevenson, Nick (2008) /Medya Kültürleri/, Ütopya Yayýnlarý, Istanbul

*//*



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