In Stories without Borders, Julia Sonnevend considers the ways in which we recount and remember news stories of historic significance. Focusing on the Berlin Wall and on subsequent retellings of the event in a variety of ways - from Legoland reenactments to slabs of the Berlin Wall installed in global cities - Sonnevend discusses how certain events become built up into global iconic events.
In this book, media sociologist Julia Sonnevend argues that "charm" has become a keyword of contemporary global politics. As people increasingly turn their attention to political personalities in contrast to parties, policies, and institutions, the power of personal magnetism needs public examination. Traditional charisma used powerful rhetorical performances at a distance from political citizens in a limited set of media. In contrast, contemporary charm rests on proximity to political tribes and appears on a wide variety of media platforms. Politicians have to appear in the media as "one of us," as a person to have a beer with. This absurd requirement is at the heart of politics today. Focusing on the mediated self-representations of liberal, illiberal, and authoritarian political leaders from North Korea to Iran to New Zealand to Germany and Hungary, this book considers the role charm plays in contemporary politics worldwide. Sonnevend also discusses what she calls "charm offensives": country leaders' short-term public relations campaigns in which they weaponize their charm to shift their countries' international image. She ultimately argues that charm will shape the future of democracy worldwide, as political values will be increasingly embodied by mediated personalities. These personalities will come and go on the world stage, casting a magic spell to their tribes, causing both hope and despair. We need a better understanding of charm's political power to consider the fragile political moment we all live in"--
How do stories of particular events turn into global myths, while others fade away? What becomes known and seen as a global iconic event? In Stories without Borders, Julia Sonnevend considers the ways in which we recount and remember news stories of historic significance. Focusing on journalists covering the fall of the Berlin Wall and on subsequent retellings of the event in a variety of ways - from Legoland reenactments to slabs of the Berlin Wall installed in global cities - Sonnevend discusses how certain events become built up so that people in many parts of the world remember them for long periods of time. She argues that five dimensions determine the viability and longevity of international news events. First, a foundational narrative must be established with certain preconditions. Next, the established narrative becomes universalized and a mythical message developed. This message is then condensed and encapsulated in a simple phrase, a short narrative, and a recognizable visual scene. Counter-narratives emerge that reinterpret events and in turn facilitate their diffusion across multiple media platforms and changing social and political contexts. Sonnevend examines these five elements through the developments of November 9, 1989 - what came to be known as the fall of the Berlin Wall. Stories Without Borders concludes with a discussion of how global iconic events have an enduring effect on individuals and societies, pointing out that after common currencies, military alliances, and international courts have failed, stories may be all that we have to bring hope and unity.
In this book, media sociologist Julia Sonnevend argues that "charm" has become a keyword of contemporary global politics. As people increasingly turn their attention to political personalities in contrast to parties, policies, and institutions, the power of personal magnetism needs public examination. Traditional charisma used powerful rhetorical performances at a distance from political citizens in a limited set of media. In contrast, contemporary charm rests on proximity to political tribes and appears on a wide variety of media platforms. Politicians have to appear in the media as "one of us," as a person to have a beer with. This absurd requirement is at the heart of politics today. Focusing on the mediated self-representations of liberal, illiberal, and authoritarian political leaders from North Korea to Iran to New Zealand to Germany and Hungary, this book considers the role charm plays in contemporary politics worldwide. Sonnevend also discusses what she calls "charm offensives": country leaders' short-term public relations campaigns in which they weaponize their charm to shift their countries' international image. She ultimately argues that charm will shape the future of democracy worldwide, as political values will be increasingly embodied by mediated personalities. These personalities will come and go on the world stage, casting a magic spell to their tribes, causing both hope and despair. We need a better understanding of charm's political power to consider the fragile political moment we all live in"--
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