Author's Note: I'm currently working on a Reader's Guide to the authors, debates, issues and sources in Sardar and Davies' book. This project evolved out of ongoing discussions at the Australian Foresight Institute about 9-11, foresight methods, geopolitics, and civilizational images/world systems. It is designed for classroom use and self-study purposes. Hence the Reader's Guide does not advocate a specific political perspective but is designed as an 'exploratory' device for the reader to engage in critical self-reflection. I will make this Reader's Guide available in late April 2003 as a free downloadable file from this page in Adobe Acrobat format. Check this page every few days for suggested research sources; the guide will be revised and updated as the War on Terror progresses. Comments and feedback to the author about the Reader's Guide are welcome.

Robinson, Piers (2002). The CNN Effect: The Myth of News, Foreign Policy and Intervention. New York: Routledge.

In this penetrating study Robinson (Lecturer in Political Communication, University of Liverpool) examines the debate in humanitarian, media and policy circles about the 'CNN Effect': "the saturation of Western viewers with non-stop, real-time news footage of wars and military actions on television and the Internet." He distinguishes between 'strong', 'weak', 'potential' and 'enabling' versions of the 'CNN Effect'. His case studies include coverage of the 1991-92 civil war in Somalia, the 1994-95 coverage of 'ethnic cleansing' campaigns in Bosnia, the 1994 tribal genocide in Rwanda, and the 1999 air bombing campaign by NATO on Kosovo. He also contrasts Hermann and Chomsky's 'manufacturing consent' analysis with his 'policy—media interaction' model. Robinson contends that the 'CNN Effect', as a form of political control, is influenced by several factors including policy uncertainty, media framing of issues, and debates in diplomatic, humanitarian, and strategic review circles. He concludes that the findings of his study will be a mixed blessing for advocates of humanitarian intervention.

Silberstein, Sandra (2002). War of Words: Language, Politics and 9-11. New York: Routledge.

9/11 remade American identity, galvanized media commentators and political pundits, and spawned a mini-publishing industry. Silberstein (Professor of English, University of Washington) uses linguistic and rhetoric techniques to examine how government officials and the news media framed the 9-11 terrorist attacks and their aftermath for American domestic politics. Silberstein analyzes U.S. President George W. Bush's speeches to the nation on September 11 and his September 20 address to Congress and the American people. She contends that the prayer service on September 14 was a symbolic 're-coronation' of Bush's troubled presidency. She critiques the news framing of the 9/11 aftermath as entertainment by some networks and programs, and surveys the social construction of New York City as an anchor of American social identity. Finally Silberstein considers the post-9/11 debates about dissident academics, patriotism, and public service announcements. Her book illuminates the strategic deployment of frames and language by different groups to further their political agendas. A clear depiction of how 9/11 gave birth to the nebulous War on Terror and a sobering study of how the domestic response to a flashpoint can bring a dystopian future into being (at the expense of other possibilities).

Marshall McLuhan and J.G. Ballard prophesied in the mid-1960s that journalists and media personnel would be traumatized by 'institutionalized disaster areas'. The 9/11 terrorist attacks on the Pentagon and the World Trade Center in New York City were the most poignant examples yet of this disturbing phenomenon. 9/11 challenged the long-held news values of detachment, objectivity, and offering multiple perspectives. Zelizer (Raymond Williams Professor of Communication, University of Pennsylvania) and Allan (University of the West of England) spearhead a comprehensive anthology featuring 16 contributors that examines the diversity of journalistic responses to 9/11 and the key issues for 21st century media. Zelizer and Allan begin by considering the roles of 'witnessing' disasters and post-traumatic memories. They contend that trauma shaped the 9/11 coverage because of the deep symbolism of the attacks on American political consciousness and social identity. The anthology is divided into four sections: "the trauma of September 11" explores why the terrorist attacks challenged the 'nest of vipers' coverage of U.S. domestic political issues; "news and its contexts" divulges why the structural limits of news media coverage eroded the communicative power of democratic institutions; "the changing boundaries of journalism" surveys how marginal forms including 'serious' current affairs, online and supermarket tabloids have gained relevance; and "reporting trauma tomorrow" forecasts the multiplicity of problems that journalists and news institutions must face in the world risk society. Karim H. Karim's essay on the 'Jihad' news frame and the social construction of the 'Islamic Peril' supports Ziauddin Sardar and Merryl Wyn Davies' interpretation. Other standout essays include James W. Carey's reflections on the demise of adversarial journalism after Watergate and the Pentagon Papers; Robert McChesney's critique of how mercantile capitalism and the corporatist work ethic have redefined the newsroom; Silvio Waisbord's discussion of journalism and patriotism; and Ingrid Volkmer's reflection on globalization, risk, and news media flows. A wide-ranging and nuanced overview which triangulates news-gathering practices, international contexts, and traumatized memories.

The views expressed above represent the writer and not necessarily those of The Disinformation Company Ltd.