Media cultures across distance: The transnational and transcultural of media communication | Culture and communication in digital worlds

Author(s): Nick Couldry, Andreas Hepp

Year of publication: 2019

Keywords: Media cultures, Transcultural, Diasporic communities, Digital media, Political activity

Methodology/Sample: _/_

Reference: Couldry, N., & Hepp, A. (2019). Media cultures across distance: The transnational and transcultural of media communication 1. In O. Oleinikova & J. Bayeh (Eds.), Democracy, Diaspora, Territory (pp. 71-88). Routledge. http://doi.org/10.4324/9780429298707-5

Abstract

This chapter by Nick Couldry and Andreas Hepp discusses the role of media in challenging the territorial mentality or, to employ the terms used in the chapter, the ‘container model’ of the nation-state. Couldry and Hepp criticise this container model found in social and political theory, a model which can be likened to the territorial mentality that this volume roundly critiques, and reject assumptions that nation-states are purely expressed as territorial formations. In doing so the chapter undermines a key tenet of much nationalist thinking within democratic theory and politics, and suggests that the time-space compression facilitated by enhanced forms of media technology is intrinsic to the creation of a ‘new media world culture’ that operates beyond borders and state boundaries.

> Summary

The paper discusses the significance of media technologies in fostering communication and connectedness among diaspora communities, emphasizing the role of digital media in political participation across territorial distances.
It critiques the traditional notion of media cultures being bound to national territories, advocating for a transcultural approach that recognizes the fluidity and interconnectedness of media experiences.
The authors argue that understanding media cultures requires examining the complex interrelations and cultural thickenings that occur within global media capitalism, which shapes diverse media practices and discourses.

> Problem statement

Hannerz critiques the notion of national cultures as implausible, emphasizing that cultural sharing is problematic and not automatic.
He argues that national cultures have always been internally divided, challenging the container model of culture.
The paper highlights the unsustainability of a holistic view of national cultures, emphasizing intra-societal inequalities and spatial segregation.
It discusses how contemporary societies build non-sharing into their cultures, influenced by factors like taste and income.
The abstract indicates a focus on how transnational communities use media for political activity, addressing cultural complexity.

> Methods used

The paper employs a transcultural approach to comparative media research, which allows for the analysis of media cultures without assuming a national context as the primary reference point. This method focuses on understanding the specificity of media cultures and their interrelations within a global connectivity framework.
It emphasizes the need to identify cultural patterns at various levels, including thinking, discourse, and practices, while considering their dynamic interrelations.
The authors advocate for a methodological shift away from ‘container-based’ approaches to better grasp the complexities of media cultures across different territories.

> Practical implications

The paper emphasizes the need for a translocal approach to understand media cultures beyond national boundaries.
It highlights the importance of connectivity in media communication for diasporic communities.
The research suggests that media culture plays a crucial role in political activity across territorial distances.
It calls for critical media research to address the diversity of global media cultures.
The findings indicate that media practices are increasingly shaped by global connectivity rather than local confines.