Edited by Celia Shortt
Picture by Jonathan McIntosh, Creative Commons
To bring a voice to those in need in Third World countries can mean different things to different people. Journalists weigh and discuss different options on how to best bring that voice to the people:
Observe them for a few days, ask questions about how they get by, how they feed their family or make a living. People must connect to stories that touch their hearts. If you can humanize an issue, it will make more people aware of a prominent issue, like poverty. - Emily Mullin
Newspapers do not tell people what to think. They tell the public what to think about. Anyone who has been to a developing country knows the feeling of walking through the streets of its poorest regions and feel that guilt that you are living so well - even as a college student - while these people are living in squalor. That type of feeling sticks with you. That is the feeling you want to stick with your readers. - Michael Hess
As correspondents, we cannot change the world directly, per say; but in time, the people who read our stories and see our images can. - David Flores
Third World countries which are seldom given a voice to express their concerns and injustices deserve journalists who are willing to stray from media norms. I believe there is an opportunity to return to the bold, investigative journalism that has been missing for quite some time.
- Halle Tansing
Giving voice to the voiceless and allowing their story to be told can have a lasting impact. In providing voice to the world's poorest, a reporter much handle everything with forethought and strategy. - Veronica Norton
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Bringing a Voice to the Third World
Externalization and Global Voice
Edited by Lu Tang
by Lacey Curtis
Photo by Fayaz Kabli/Reuters
Kashmir Protest
The job of an international correspondent is often seen as one that covers crisis situations. Much of the time these crises are violent. Yet, an important part of it is documenting those that are not. These situations have continued because no one has reported them. Only by informing the public will they stop being ‘externalized.’ Engaging with the people in these situations and helping them to tell their individual stories to the world can end the externalization. As an international correspondent we have a global audience, or at least multi-continent audience, we have to bring these issues to that widely disseminated group of people so that the issues would not be overlooked. Then it also becomes harder for the countries in which these issues happen to hide the situations.
Can an international journalist really consider herself to be a citizen of one nation? I think that if we are attempting to cover any country then it is a mistake to tie yourself heavily to the politics of a single country. What the U.S. government does is often grounded in politics, but not in public interest, and that should not dictate my coverage of a subject. In this course I have seen further evidence that violence is a weapon most often employed by those who have, or think they have, little else. As the man in the video about the conflict in Northern India suggested-- they had started out as peaceful protesters and thinking they had gotten nowhere they became violent. By giving a voice and by pointing out the economic inequalities, these problems can be addressed and, hopefully, alleviated. Not covering them only perpetuates the cycle of violence.
The Battle Against World Poverty
Edited by Celia Shortt
Photo by Creative Commons
Change from Within
Change needs to come from within a country. I could report on the problems and expose them to the outside world. Doing this could cause global leaders and other countries to pressure Third World countries to reduce inequalities. This truly can only go so far until the country itself and from within decides it needs to make the change.
- Jacqueline Best
Root of the Issue
Poverty is undoubtably an under covered issue in the media despite its global pervasiveness. It's important to get to the root of the issue. Reporters should seek out the underlying social instability that is fueling the conflict. - Meghan McNamara
Self-Awareness
Before you can tell other people about the conditions that people in the Third World live, you have to understand them yourself. I would not cover a underrepresented population until I fully had a grasp of their lifestyle and the challenges they are presented with. Spending time with a population to explore their day to day lives is a great way to accurately represent the voices of the people you are covering. - Taylor Mirfendereski
Heal the Problem, Not the Symptoms
by Carolin Biebrach
Photo by Ruth Fremson/ New York Times
As a foreign correspondent or as a journalist in general, you have the opportunity to report on issues nobody else is reporting on. Exactly with this kind of behavior, you're giving the underrepresented people a voice and accordingly increase the public awareness of problems. So the best way to deal with underrepresented issues is to go out and start talking about it. That is the great chance for collecting valuable stories, but also the responsibility journalists have.
Besides, just like Ellen said, there are always some reasons for a crisis. Rather than focusing on violence and war, find the reasons for that. Try to heal the problem, not the symptoms.
Especially now, when we're dealing with a so-called economic crisis, people are aware of the problems their families could face. Now it is the time to make them aware of the great life they are still living-- that there are people, who fight every day to survive all over the world.
In this class, I learned a lot about the United States and the "rest of the world". In discussions, I got an impression of the "American point of view": how they see themselves, what they are worried about, and how they think of others.
Additionally, mostly through the special reports, I got a sense of the issues other countries are dealing with. It gave me a better understanding of the international issues that journalists have to consider when reporting about other countries.
Covering Poverty and Inequality
Edited by Lu Tang
by Jung Lee
Photo courtesy of AANGIRFAN Blog
Firstly, it is journalists’ responsibility to let the underrepresented people to have a voice in the media. I believe that “making comparison and contrast” is one of the powerful techniques when presenting such stories. For example, a story about some poor kids who are having trouble to buy meal plan is pretty eye-catching. But, the story would be better if the life of some private boarding school kids in the same area is presented in the same story.
Secondly, throughout the course, we have discussed a lot of problems that other countries are facing and some issues foreign correspondents are going to deal with in the future. I believe that the media should empower the poor countries with more voices. As for the national interests, I believe that journalists should cover what they consider important; protecting national interests is not a reporter’s job.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Dispersing Information and Tenacity
Edited by Ellen Schnier
Boy effected by Chagas Disease
Interestingly, in my pursuit of a career in journalism, I want to help improve the plight of the impoverished in
I’ve always believed in trying to represent those in dire need, but this course has taught me the tenacity and relentlessness necessary to make a difference. As for helping people in nations that
Friday, March 6, 2009
Helping to Resolve Issues
Edited by Ellen Schnier
by Cristina Mutchler
Giving Voice to the Oppressed
Edited by Ellen Schnier
By Ellen Schnier
Reporting about the many people affected by war as individuals, as opposed to a general overview of the conflict, gives voice to the underrepresented. In any country, seeking out sources to fill in the gaps and contextualize the war provides readers with full information about the nature of the crisis. It is a journalist's responsibility to raise awareness of the world's poor, especially in Third World countries. The only way to tangibly improve the lives of those in dire poverty is through investigation and exposure, which leads to action.
Throughout this course, I have become aware of the economic and cultural problems that exist in other countries. In addition, the videos we have watched and critiqued have given me a new sensitivity for working in such countries. Jim Nachtwey, for example, has made it his life's work to address the needs of the poor and has risked his life to tell the stories of the underrepresented. He serves as an example of finding the underlying story and not settling for the position of the government and the details of each crisis. He humanizes each story in order to affect change in the system of economic inequality.
Though some of these stories may be out of line with the U.S. government's official foreign policy positions, the United States has a freedom of the press that allows for dissension. Because of that, journalists can enlighten those with uninformed, nationalist thinking, to help the world's poor. In the future, we as journalists must continue this cultural and economic examination in support of those who cannot speak for themselves.
Peru’s New Year Resolution: Get Our Inca Antique Back
Many big museums in United States, Britain, France and etc. are facing pressure from countries with ancient civilizations like Greece and Italy to return ancient artwork and other cultural artifacts. The question of who owns cultural objects is not unique to the dispute between Yale University and Peru. Peru is now demanding for the return all their treasures Yale University.
"This is our patrimony. This is everything to us - proof that even though today we are poor, our ancestors lived great and proud," David Ugarte of Peru's National Culture Center told USA Today in 2006. "Bingham said he was going to study those pieces and give them back. It was clear to all they were to be returned."
Yale disagreed, arguing that it kept only those objects that it fully owned after returning any loaned objects in the 1920s.
Peru and Yale reached an agreement in September 2008 that Yale would return the antifacts housed in Yale's Peabody Museum, but it fell through over a dispute over how many artifacts were to be returned.
The Peruvian government believes that there are some 40, 000 pieces of Machu Picchu objects left at Yale, but Yale’s estimate is around 4.000 pieces.
“I think Yale should follow what the law says, which is that these
artifacts are from Peru and belong to Peru and their voluntary return from Yale
should happen immediately,” Aldo Gabriel Soraluz Luzquiños, a Peruvian student commented.
How would the American public react if we took thousands of Civil War artifacts with the idea to study them and then say that if you want them back in a hundred years we’ll return them then?”
In November 2008, it is reported that Peru plans to sue Yale University. Peru officials have threatened to sue in the past, but never did.
"It is, of course, disappointing, since we had a positive informal meeting with the foreign minister, and have expected to have further discussions," Yale Spokesman Thomas Conroy said, “Yale has stated in the past that it will defend any lawsuit.”
A recent New York Times column of Peru’s former first lady criticizing the negotiation even further clouds the situation.
According to Yale Daily News, Eliana Karp de Toledo, Peru’s former first lady, accused Yale of an “arrogant and neo-colonial manner towards the sovereign nation of Peru” and she denounced that the negotiations were not transparent and open enough.
Yale University responded that the points made by Karp de Toledo-- whose husband Alejandro Toledo will be eligible to seek Peru’s highest office again in 2011-- was not valid and questioned her motives.
It seems that the possibility of a legal action is increasing.
“If these negotiations break down,” Richard L. Burger, director of the Yale Peabody Museum said, “we may find ourselves in court. And Yale would do well in a trial.”
Korean plastic surgery clinics trying to lure more international patients
By Jung Lee
The once crowded waiting rooms in plastic surgery clinics are empty. Twenty out of Eighty clinics in the Beauty Town have been closed since the economic downturn last year. The rest are struggling with new business strategies to survive.
The plastic surgery industry took off after South Korea recovered from the 1997 economic crisis. As Koreans got wealthier, pursuing beauty became one of the priorities on their to-do list. Plastic surgery is very popular in South Korea. Even the former President Roh Moo-hyun underwent a double eyelid procedure in 2005.
“More than half of my girl friends in college had undergone some kind of plastic surgery. Nose jobs and double eyelids surgeries are most popular ones,” said Alice Park, a 22-year-old student. “Cosmetic surgery is no secret here.”
Parents would take their high school senior children for plastic surgery as a graduation gift. Making their children more pretty is as important as sending them into top schools. “Whatever it takes to get ahead, it worth a try, especially in such a highly competitive society,” said Han-Seok Ko, who took his 21-year-old daughter for a nose job last year. “Looks are really important.”
Plastic surgery is the number one winter break activity for high school graduates because they are going into college or preparing for job interviews. A large percentage of Koreans believe that good looks mean greater opportunities. “I think parents support their children to do plastic surgery because beauty is very important for getting a decent job or finding a good husband,” said Jungshan Sea, a 24-year-old Korean.
Yeonbae Jung, a plastic surgeon in Seoul, suggested on his clinic’s website that people with a better personal image are more efficient in their jobs. “A cosmetic surgery can boost your personal confidence.”
The plastic surgery industry in South Korea is certainly not immune from the economy facing particularly unsettled times. According to ARA Marking and Education, a consulting company based in Seoul that specialized in the cosmetic surgery industry, the number of customers has plummeted 40% since last September.
Since poor economy sharply cut the demand of plastic surgery, the South Korea government is trying to help clinics stay in business. The Seoul Metropolitan government is planning to launch a project of building an international medical institution complex for luring more foreign patients. The project emphasizes plastic surgery and there would have multilingual counseling staff for international patient service. The government knows these medical tourists will not only bring money for clinics but also help the economy by shopping and sightseeing.
In the meantime, some larger clinics tried to find their own way out. According to Seoul plastic surgery association journal, more than 20 South Korean plastic surgery clinics have set up branches in Shanghai, China. Some other companies are setting up English version website in order to lure U.S customers and Korean Americans.
South Korean Won was one of the worst performing currencies last year due to major stocks and bonds sell-offs following the bleak economic forecast . Won depreciated by 50% against the U.S. dollar. A double eyelid surgery costs around $900, while the average cost of the same surgery is around $3,800 in California.
Clinics expect more patients from the United States, especially Korean Americans. “We hope more and more patients will be attracted by the high quality of Korean surgeons,” BK Dong Yang Plastic Surgery hospital spokesman Lee Mi-Kyung said in an interview with The Korean Times.
