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Educating in an Era of Orwellian Spin

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Educating in an Era of Orwellian Spin EducatingȱinȱanȱEraȱofȱOrwellianȱSpin:ȱCriticalȱ MediaȱLiteracyȱinȱtheȱClassroomȱ ȱ PaulȱOrlowskiȱ ȱ ȱ Canadiansȱ liveȱ inȱ aȱ worldȱ ofȱ megaȬspinȱ whereȱ publicȱ relationsȱ corporateȱ lobbyistsȱ playȱanȱincreasinglyȱlargerȱroleȱinȱnewsȬmaking.ȱȱToȱresistȱthisȱtrend,ȱIȱhaveȱstudiedȱ politicalȱ ideologyȱ toȱ understandȱ theȱ relationshipȱ betweenȱ corporateȱ mediaȱ andȱ systemsȱofȱsocial,ȱeconomic,ȱandȱpoliticalȱpower,ȱandȱtheirȱhegemonicȱfunction,ȱandȱ indicateȱtheȱbiasȱinherentȱinȱtheȱmedia,ȱaȱcontentionȱthatȱassumesȱtheȱepistemologicalȱ positionȱ thatȱ allȱ knowledgeȱ isȱ sociallyȱ constructed.ȱȱȱIȱ demonstrateȱ howȱ preserviceȱ educationȱ studentsȱ canȱ acquireȱ thisȱ understandingȱ byȱ reframingȱ politicalȱ discourseȱ fromȱdifferentȱideologicalȱperspectives,ȱandȱhowȱteachersȱcanȱintegrateȱcriticalȱmediaȱ literacyȱintoȱhighȬschoolȱsocialȱstudiesȱcourses.ȱ ȱ Keyȱwords:ȱsocialȱstudies,ȱteacherȱeducation,ȱideologyȱcritiqueȱ ȱ Lesȱ Canadiensȱ viventȱ dansȱ unȱ mondeȱ oùȱ lobbyistesȱ etȱ spécialistesȱ desȱ relationsȱ publiquesȱ d’entreprisesȱ jouentȱ unȱ rôleȱ deȱ plusȱ enȱ plusȱ prépondérantȱ dansȱ lesȱ nouvellesȱ quiȱ leurȱ sontȱ présentées.ȱȱSoucieuxȱ deȱ résisterȱ àȱ cetteȱ tendance,ȱ l’auteurȱ analyseȱl’idéologieȱpolitiqueȱenȱvueȱdeȱmettreȱenȱlumièreȱlaȱrelationȱentreȱlesȱmédiasȱ etȱlesȱsystèmesȱdeȱpouvoirȱsociopolitiqueȱetȱéconomiqueȱetȱleurȱrôleȱhégémonique.ȱȱIlȱ faitȱ enȱ outreȱ ressortirȱ laȱ partialitéȱ desȱ médias,ȱ uneȱ affirmationȱ quiȱ reposeȱ surȱ leȱ principeȱépistémologiqueȱselonȱlequelȱleȱdéveloppementȱdeȱtouteȱconnaissanceȱestȱdeȱ natureȱ sociale.ȱȱL’auteurȱ montreȱ commentȱ desȱ étudiantsȱ enȱ sciencesȱ deȱ l’éducationȱ peuventȱ seȱ sensibiliserȱ àȱ cetteȱ réalitéȱ enȱ resituantȱ leȱ discoursȱ politiqueȱ auȱ seinȱ deȱ diversesȱ perspectivesȱ idéologiquesȱ etȱ commentȱ lesȱ enseignantsȱ peuventȱ intégrerȱ l’initiationȱauxȱmédiasȱetȱlaȱpromotionȱdeȱl’espritȱcritiqueȱdansȱlesȱcoursȱdeȱsciencesȱ humainesȱauȱsecondaire.ȱ ȱ Motsȱclésȱ:ȱsciencesȱhumaines,ȱformationȱàȱl’enseignement,ȱcritiqueȱdesȱidéologiesȱ _________________ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ CANADIANȱJOURNALȱOFȱEDUCATIONȱ29,ȱ1ȱ(2006):ȱ176Ȭ198ȱ EDUCATINGȱINȱANȱERAȱOFȱORWELLIANȱSPINȱȱ 177ȱȱȱ Teachingȱbyȱitsȱveryȱnatureȱisȱaȱpoliticalȱact,ȱandȱteachingȱmediaȱliteracyȱ isȱespeciallyȱso.ȱKnowledgeȱisȱsociallyȱconstructed,ȱofȱcourse,ȱincludingȱ whatȱisȱinȱtheȱcurriculumȱ(Apple,ȱ1990).ȱTheȱissuesȱtheȱmediaȱfocusȱon,ȱ theȱlanguageȱusedȱtoȱframeȱtheȱdebates,ȱandȱwhatȱisȱomittedȱfromȱtheseȱ debatesȱareȱalsoȱsociallyȱconstructed.ȱItȱisȱmyȱcontentionȱthatȱtheȱgeneralȱ publicȱinȱCanadaȱhasȱaȱlimitedȱunderstandingȱofȱtheȱroleȱofȱtheȱmediaȱinȱ influencingȱ andȱ controllingȱ discourse,ȱ particularlyȱ aroundȱ importantȱ social,ȱ political,ȱ andȱ economicȱ issues.ȱ Theȱ changingȱ Northȱ Americanȱ politicalȱclimate,ȱparticularlyȱwithȱtheȱriseȱofȱaȱcorporateȱconservatismȱinȱ theȱ Unitedȱ States,ȱ pressesȱ uponȱ meȱ theȱ urgencyȱ forȱ educatorsȱ toȱ helpȱ studentsȱunderstandȱpowerfulȱsocialȱforcesȱandȱtheȱroleȱthatȱtheȱmediaȱ playȱinȱallȱofȱthis.ȱThroughȱmyȱexperienceȱasȱaȱteacherȱofȱhighȬschoolȱandȱ teacherȬeducationȱ socialȱ studiesȱ courses,ȱ Iȱ haveȱ foundȱ thatȱ ideologyȱ critiqueȱ hasȱ beenȱ aȱ mostȱ usefulȱ conceptȱ toȱ illuminateȱ theȱ media’sȱ hegemonicȱfunction.ȱȱ Forȱ18ȱofȱtheȱpastȱ20ȱyears,ȱIȱhaveȱtaughtȱinȱprimarilyȱworkingȬclassȱ schoolsȱ inȱ ruralȱ Britishȱ Columbiaȱ andȱ Vancouver’sȱ multiculturalȱ eastȱ end.ȱIȱamȱcurrentlyȱteachingȱsocialȱstudiesȱinȱaȱhighȱschoolȱmadeȱupȱofȱ mostlyȱprivilegedȱmiddleȬclassȱstudents,ȱaȱschoolȱthatȱJeanȱAnyonȱ(1981)ȱ wouldȱ characterizeȱ asȱ “affluentȱ professional,”ȱ locatedȱ inȱ Vancouver’sȱ westȱ side.ȱ Asȱ well,ȱ forȱ theȱ pastȱ sixȱ yearsȱ Iȱ haveȱ beenȱ anȱ instructorȱ ofȱ socialȱ studiesȱ methodsȱ inȱ theȱ Teacherȱ Educationȱ Programȱ atȱ theȱ Universityȱ ofȱ Britishȱ Columbia.ȱ Sixȱ ofȱ theȱ coursesȱ Iȱ haveȱ taughtȱ thereȱ haveȱbeenȱtoȱpreserviceȱsocialȱstudiesȱteachers.ȱȱ AȱBRIEFȱDISCUSSIONȱONȱCRITICALȱMEDIAȱLITERACYȱȱ InȱMediaȱEducation,ȱBuckinghamȱ(2003)ȱhasȱmappedȱoutȱtheȱevolutionȱofȱ theȱfieldȱinȱtheȱBritishȱcontext.ȱHeȱstatedȱthatȱtheȱstartingȱpointȱforȱmediaȱ educationȱ beganȱ withȱ Cultureȱ andȱ Environment:ȱ Theȱ Trainingȱ ofȱ Criticalȱ Awarenessȱ (Leavisȱ &ȱ Thompson,ȱ 1933),ȱ whichȱ madeȱ aȱ caseȱ toȱ resistȱ popularȱculturalȱformsȱemanatingȱfromȱtheȱUnitedȱStatesȱandȱtheȱBritishȱ workingȱclass.ȱȱInȱotherȱwords,ȱtheirȱprojectȱwasȱtoȱprotectȱtheȱliteraryȱ heritageȱofȱBritishȱhighȱculture.ȱCulturalȱstudiesȱcameȱtoȱtheȱforeȱinȱtheȱ 1950s,ȱchallengingȱthisȱelitistȱview,ȱpositingȱthatȱcultureȱwasȱmuchȱmoreȱ inclusiveȱandȱcentralȱtoȱeverydayȱlife.ȱByȱtheȱ1980s,ȱtheȱcentralȱtenetȱofȱ mediaȱ educationȱ hadȱ evolvedȱ intoȱ whatȱ Buckinghamȱ refersȱ toȱ asȱ 178ȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱPAULȱORLOWSKIȱ “demystification,”ȱinȱwhichȱtheȱ“fundamentalȱaimȱ…ȱwasȱtoȱrevealȱtheȱ constructedȱ natureȱ ofȱ mediaȱ texts,ȱ andȱ therebyȱ showȱ howȱ mediaȱ representationsȱ reinforcedȱ theȱ ideologiesȱ ofȱ dominantȱ groupsȱ withinȱ society”ȱ (p.ȱ 8).ȱ Buckinghamȱ furtherȱ arguedȱ thatȱ teachingȱ studentsȱ toȱ becomeȱcriticalȱofȱmediaȱmessagesȱisȱflawedȱunlessȱtheyȱareȱalsoȱtaughtȱ toȱbeȱcreativeȱandȱengageȱinȱmediaȱproductionȱ(p.ȱ122).ȱAlthoughȱIȱagreeȱ withȱ thisȱ assertion,ȱ Iȱ amȱ notȱ ableȱ toȱ includeȱ studentȱ participationȱ inȱ mediaȱproductionȱwhereȱIȱteach.ȱMyȱconceptionȱofȱmediaȱliteracyȱ(linkedȱ asȱ itȱ isȱ toȱ socialȱ studiesȱ andȱ itsȱ purposeȱ toȱ fosterȱ criticalȱ thinking,ȱ resistance,ȱandȱaction)ȱsolelyȱfocusesȱonȱtheȱhegemonicȱroleȱofȱcorporateȱ media.ȱȱ InȱNews,ȱPublicȱRelationsȱandȱPower,ȱCottleȱ(2003)ȱmappedȱtheȱmediaȱ educationȱ fieldȱ somewhatȱ differentlyȱ thanȱ Buckingham.ȱ Heȱ notedȱ thatȱ muchȱ ofȱ mediaȱ educationȱ isȱ concernedȱ withȱ traditionalȱ liberalȱ democraticȱ concernsȱ ofȱ diversityȱ andȱ voicesȱ ofȱ dissent.ȱ Onceȱ again,ȱ Iȱ agreeȱ withȱ suchȱ concerns.ȱ Yet,ȱ Iȱ considerȱ theȱ majorȱ goalsȱ ofȱ mediaȱ literacyȱ toȱ beȱ focusedȱ onȱ whatȱ Cottleȱ callsȱ criticalȱ “mediaȬsourceȱ interactionȱ andȱ participation”ȱ approachesȱ (p.ȱ 7).ȱ Oneȱ approach,ȱ theȱ sociologicalȱ paradigm,ȱ isȱ concernedȱ withȱ howȱ variousȱ sourcesȱ consciouslyȱ striveȱ forȱ aȱ “definitionalȱ advantage”ȱ byȱ utilizingȱ mediaȱ access,ȱaȱpointȱthatȱisȱcrucialȱforȱstudentsȱtoȱcomprehendȱhowȱdominantȱ groupsȱ controlȱ discourse.ȱ Byȱ comparison,ȱ theȱ culturalȱ paradigmȱ isȱ focusedȱonȱissuesȱofȱrepresentationȱandȱ“symbolicȱpower”ȱ(p.ȱ7).ȱBothȱofȱ theseȱ criticalȱ paradigmsȱ assumeȱ theȱ socialȱ constructionȱ ofȱ knowledgeȱ andȱtheȱmedia’sȱrelationshipȱtoȱ“widerȱstructuresȱandȱsystemsȱofȱpower”ȱ (p.ȱ3).ȱ Inȱthisȱarticle,ȱIȱmakeȱaȱcaseȱforȱtheȱimportanceȱofȱeducatorsȱtoȱstepȱ upȱ effortsȱ ofȱ teachingȱ forȱ criticalȱ mediaȱ literacyȱ inȱ theȱ socialȱ studiesȱ classroom,ȱ particularlyȱ atȱ thisȱ junctureȱ inȱ sociopoliticalȱ relations,ȱ aȱ periodȱ thatȱ Cottleȱ (2003)ȱ describesȱ asȱ “increasinglyȱ promotionalȱ times”ȱ (p.ȱ 3).ȱ Manyȱ ofȱ theȱ examplesȱ Iȱ useȱ areȱ American,ȱ anȱ obviousȱ resultȱ ofȱ livingȱ inȱ aȱ countryȱ inundatedȱ withȱ Americanȱ sociopoliticalȱ newsȱ andȱ viewpoints.ȱ Aȱ focusȱ onȱ politicalȱ ideologyȱ isȱ essentialȱ pedagogyȱ forȱ studentsȱ toȱ gainȱ anȱ understandingȱ ofȱ theȱ hegemonicȱ functionȱ ofȱ corporateȱmedia.ȱȱ Iȱ amȱ partȱ ofȱ aȱ significantȱ numberȱ ofȱ educatorsȱ whoȱ believeȱ inȱ theȱ EDUCATINGȱINȱANȱERAȱOFȱORWELLIANȱSPINȱȱ 179ȱȱȱ capacityȱofȱpublicȱeducationȱtoȱhelpȱmakeȱaȱbetterȱworldȱforȱeveryone,ȱaȱ sourceȱ ofȱ hope,ȱ aȱ siteȱ whereȱ itȱ isȱ possibleȱ forȱ theȱ seedsȱ ofȱ positiveȱ transformationȱtoȱtakeȱrootȱ(Dewey,ȱ1916;ȱFreire,ȱ1973;ȱSleeterȱ&ȱGrant,ȱ 1994).ȱ Criticalȱ mediaȱ literacyȱ fostersȱ theȱ transformativeȱ potentialȱ ofȱ publicȱeducation;ȱyet,ȱmanyȱremainȱunconvincedȱthatȱthisȱisȱaȱroleȱforȱtheȱ school.ȱ THEȱCASEȱFORȱCRITICALȱMEDIAȱLITERACYȱ Theȱ twoȱ mainȱ sourcesȱ ofȱ informationȱ inȱ societyȱ areȱ theȱ mainstreamȱ corporateȱ mediaȱ andȱ theȱ publicȱ educationȱ system.ȱ Becauseȱ Canadianȱ corporateȱmediaȱhaveȱmovedȱtoȱtheȱright,ȱasȱsomeȱhaveȱsuggestedȱ(e.g.,ȱ Martin,ȱ2003),ȱIȱbelieveȱitȱisȱtheȱresponsibilityȱofȱeducatorsȱtoȱprovideȱaȱ counterbalanceȱbyȱprovidingȱaȱvenueȱforȱcounterȬhegemonicȱdiscoursesȱ toȱtakeȱrootȱandȱdevelop.ȱItȱisȱimperativeȱthat,ȱasȱaȱsociety,ȱweȱsupportȱ theȱDeweyianȱnotionȱofȱdevelopingȱaȱcriticallyȱthinkingȱcitizenryȱcapableȱ ofȱ understandingȱ whatȱ isȱ inȱ theȱ bestȱ interestsȱ ofȱ everybody.ȱ Feinbergȱ (1990)ȱexplainsȱthisȱ“moralȱresponsibility”:ȱȱ ȱ Thereȱisȱanotherȱimportantȱroleȱthatȱteachersȱneedȱtoȱplayȱinȱhelpingȱtoȱconstituteȱ aȱ public;ȱ thisȱ involvesȱ theirȱ collectiveȱ abilityȱ toȱ identifyȱ conditionsȱ thatȱ inhibitȱ childrenȱ fromȱ developingȱ theȱ skillsȱ neededȱ toȱ becomeȱ participantsȱ inȱ aȱ selfȬ formingȱpublic.ȱThisȱroleȱinvolvesȱtheȱrecognitionȱthatȱasȱimportantȱasȱtheȱschoolȱ mayȱbeȱinȱhelpingȱsomeȱyoungstersȱenterȱtheȱpublicȱconversation,ȱultimatelyȱitȱisȱ butȱoneȱagentȱinȱtheȱprocessȱofȱpublicȱrenewal.ȱTheȱqualityȱofȱotherȱinstitutions,ȱ suchȱasȱtheȱmedia,ȱtheȱcourts,ȱandȱtheȱinstrumentsȱofȱincomeȱdistribution,ȱhaveȱ muchȱ toȱ doȱ withȱ theȱ qualityȱ ofȱ publicȱ discussion.ȱ Thus,ȱ theȱ responsibilityȱ ofȱ teachersȱ mustȱ extendȱ beyondȱ theȱ schoolȱ toȱ aȱ collectiveȱ critiqueȱ ofȱ theȱ institutionsȱ thatȱ contributeȱtoȱtheȱqualityȱofȱtheȱpublicȬformingȱprocess.ȱ(p.ȱ83,ȱmyȱemphasis)ȱ ȱ Feinbergȱ isȱ callingȱ forȱ teachersȱ toȱ developȱ students’ȱ analyticalȱ skillsȱ aroundȱ theȱ waysȱ theȱ mediaȱ influencesȱ theȱ qualityȱ ofȱ publicȱ discourseȱ and,ȱ inȱ manyȱ cases,ȱ controlsȱ it.ȱ
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