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Periodical article Periodical article Leiden University catalogue Leiden University catalogue WorldCat catalogue WorldCat
Title:'Black Hawk Down' and the framing of Somalia: pop culture as news and news as pop fiction
Authors:Kareithi, PeterISNI
Kariithi, NixonISNI
Year:2008
Periodical:Africa Media Review
Volume:16
Issue:1
Pages:1-20
Language:English
Notes:biblio. refs.
Geographic terms:Somalia
United States
Northeast Africa
Subjects:mass media
humanitarian assistance
civil wars
images
communication
popular culture
Abstract:In December 1992, US President George H.W. Bush ordered 28,000 American troops into Somalia. It was the largest American humanitarian operation in many years. The operation was intended to halt the starvation of thousands of Somali civilians caught in the crossfire of warring factions jockeying for power following the collapse of the country's central government. In the end, the operation failed. This paper first examines the basis and nature of the framing of this event by American news and entertainment media during the American adventure in Somalia and in the aftermath of the events of September 11, 2001. Second, it explores the image of the Somali created in the American public mind by this framing. The paper argues that the American media coverage of Somalia during the period December 1992-December 1993, like the mission itself, had little to do with the reality of the plight of Somalis. Rather, the American mission had to do with serving the objectives of American foreign policy. The way the American news media framed their coverage helped mask the real objective of the mission and thus legitimize the government's stated intention. In the same way, the movie 'Black Hawk Down', released at the end of 2001, ignored the history that led to the events in Somalia in 2003. Bibliogr., note, ref., sum. in English and French. [Journal abstract, edited]
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