New Publication: Cinematic hidden peace representations as a barrier to social development?
15.05.2018 -
New Publication: Cinematic hidden peace representations as a barrier to social development? Reflections on the Brazilian blockbuster Elite Squad
In her recent contribution to IReflect – Student Journal of International Relations, PACS student Renata Malkes starts from the assumption that peace representations in cinema present international politics with a conundrum. Nobody would dispute that peace and war are inherent parts of the world. However, it is hard to think of any film that clearly depicts peace. It is never a main plot, but often forgotten or, at best, side-lined. On the other hand, war representations emerge as dominant and powerful narratives on the screen. Why cannot we see equal representations of peace in pop culture? Which impacts does the lack of peace representations have on shaping our understanding of reality? Starting from the Foucaultian idea of “truth”, an analysis of Brazilian blockbuster Elite Squad suggests that peace can be found in shifting analysis from high-end, state-centric actors to peripheral ones. Moreover, it demonstrates that hidden representations of peace might contribute to maintaining a certain balance of power and hinder social development.
Read the the whole article by Renata Malkes here: Cinematic hidden peace representations as a barrier to social development? Reflections on the Brazilian blockbuster Elite Squad .