I enjoyed our discussion this week and definitely found myself in the middle between those totally for celebrity diplomats and those totally against them. Although I’m not completely in favor, I think that it’s inevitable that they are involved in politics and therefore the better question is, “How can we best prepare celebrity diplomats?” Someone mentioned in the chat that Angelina Jolie has been seen taking classes, and I hope this is true. :) However, it is still strange how readily the masses follow these celebrities in their endeavors without truly knowing how prepared they are for their role in global politics.
Going back to the topic of whether or not there is a global public sphere, I would definitely agree that there is one, however it is still in its beginning phase. I think a good example that this global public sphere does at least exist is what happened with the Arab Spring. How one man’s actions started a chain link of events that spread across the Arab world, largely in part to social media spreading the news and alerting the masses. Although many would say that it was not successful as many governments fought back and came down with harsher rules than before, it is a perfect example that the global public sphere is there and has brought an underlying fear to many regimes, than have in turn tried to fight with tighter censorship. For many leaders, the Arab Spring was an a scary reminder of their limited control when it comes to the internet and the masses. I think it will be interesting to see how the global public sphere continues to rally the masses around causes but also am curious how it can best be controlled, as we have seen that false media can greatly influence and yet there is little done to prevent or control it.
Jessica, you connection of the global public square and the arab spring is really interesting. Using the event as proof that the sphere exists is a very good illustration of not only the different shapes that the sphere can take but also the unconventional power it can wield. I think other similar examples in structure include the recruiting techniques of ISIS and the empowerment of the masses through the printing press.
ReplyDeleteHi Jessica,
ReplyDeleteCelebrity diplomats are able to reach the masses, and they follow them no matter how well prepared they are or not. Taking classes is a great idea to improve their knowledge on the subject, and celebrities should also work closely with experts in order for them to be better prepared.
The Arab Spring is a great example that the world is moving towards a global public square. Social media played a big part in the Arab Spring. Not only were people in the Arab world able to communicate with one another on social media, many young Arabs were also heavily influenced by groups like Anonymous originating in the US.
I think that social media will definitely continue to play a huge role in the development of the global public square.