The Truth Hides Behind A Mask: About The Public Interpretation Of War Realities

Essay about the different interpretations of war photographs. Example it the picture taken of a French soldier wearing a skull mask during the civil war in Mali 2013.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• A Virtual Soldier Coming to Life
• Virtuality Takes Over Reality
• Reality Loses its Force Against Media
• Media Indifferent to Reality’s Approval
• Media Loses Territory to the Public

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This paper examines the public interpretation of war realities, specifically focusing on the blurred lines between video games and real-world war experiences. It investigates how a photograph of a French soldier wearing a skull mask, similar to a character in the popular video game Call of Duty, sparked a controversy and ignited a discussion about the relationship between virtual and real war.

• The influence of video games on soldiers' perceptions of war
• The role of media in shaping public understanding of war
• The impact of social media on the interpretation of war images
• The disconnect between Western media and African online communities in their perspectives on war
• The evolving nature of the relationship between war, media, and the public

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

• **A Virtual Soldier Coming to Life:** This section introduces the case study of a French soldier in Mali wearing a skull mask reminiscent of a Call of Duty character. The author analyzes the public's reaction and examines how the image sparked a debate about the blurring lines between war games and reality.
• **Virtuality Takes Over Reality:** This chapter explores how the gaming industry and the military are increasingly intertwined, highlighting the use of video games as a training tool and source of inspiration for the military. The author discusses the potential implications of this convergence, considering the blurring of reality and virtual reality in warfare.
• **Reality Loses its Force Against Media:** This section focuses on the role of media aesthetics and the interpretation of war images in an era of mediatized wars. The author analyzes the case of the soldier's photo and the photographer's perspective, highlighting the power of social media in shaping the public's understanding of war.
• **Media Indifferent to Reality’s Approval:** This chapter explores the disconnect between the public's perception of the soldier's photo and the reality experienced by the soldier himself. The author considers the role of media in shaping public opinion, while acknowledging the potential disconnect between media representations and actual events.
• **Media Loses Territory to the Public:** This section examines the shift in media power dynamics, where the public becomes active participants in the production of meaning. The author analyzes the response to the soldier's photo, highlighting how social media platforms allow for diverse interpretations and challenge traditional media narratives.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

This paper focuses on the intersection of war, media, and technology, specifically exploring the impact of video games on soldiers' perspectives, the role of social media in shaping public understanding of war, and the evolving nature of the relationship between media, the public, and war realities. Key themes include the mediatization of war, the "war-as-game" motif, social media's influence on war interpretation, and the challenges of navigating virtual and real-world war experiences.

Details

• Hochschule: Stockholm University (JMK)
• Veranstaltung: Media and War
• Note: 1,0
• Autor: Michaela Strobel (Autor:in)
• Erscheinungsjahr: 2013
• Seiten: 6
• Katalognummer: V211906
• ISBN (eBook): 9783656399742
• ISBN (Buch): 9783656752967
• Sprache: Englisch
• Schlagworte: war photography mali war games call of duty