32611

Bracketing Reality. Media, Intelligence and Conspiracies

Harald Wenzel

Hinweise für Studierende

First session on May 30.

Kommentar

In a time when “reality” (together with “truth” and “fact”) has become a highly contested concept it seems to be necessary to engage in the attempt to ascertain its meaning. Already a century ago social theory has been aware of “multiple realities” – but now it seems that its optimism that out of this multiplicity communication can always create an enduring common sense (of reality) has been naïve – given the current political divisions, extreme belief systems and modes of disinformation. There is still “truth” in William and Dorothy Thomas’ verdict: If mean define a situation as real, it is real in its consequences.” “Reality” only exists as “interpreted”. But instead of an ideal public sphere where arguments are exchanged for preserving and fostering reason reality entrepreneurs have taken over and have created a competitive and often one-sided game for winning over the disoriented and undecided – and for hedging them in. -----

The aim of this course is to have a closer look at the media infrastructure in question, its reality entrepreneurs, their tools and at the competition to establish “realities” and their followerships. -----

“Bracketing reality” originally has been a philosophical effort -by phenomenology - to get at the substance of things: by excluding preconceptions and presuppositions so one would be able to arrive at a “reality” which is not tainted by them. Today it might rather be seen as the effort to preserve a particular set of prejudices and protect it from contradicting information – always in the guise of “reality” and “truth.” -----

Recommended literature as introduction to the topic:

Woolley, Samuel; Manufacturing Consensus. Understanding Propaganda in the Era of Automation and Anonymity, New Haven: Yale University Press 2023. -----

Donovan, Joan; Emily Dreyfuss, Brian Friedberg, Meme Wars: the Untold Story of the Online battles Upending Democracy in America, London: Bloomsbury 2022. -----

Due to an extended research visit the course will begin May 30. Therefore the course has longer sessions (2-5 p.m.) and additional meetings will be scheduled to catch up.
Schließen