Visual Turn in IR : Films
Summary
TLDRThis lecture explores the 'visual turn' in International Relations (IR) through films, emphasizing their importance in conveying narratives and ideas. It discusses the evolution of IR from realism to reflectivism, highlighting new issues like climate change and pandemics. Films such as 'Before the Flood' and 'Contagion' are analyzed for their contribution to research and debate in IR, illustrating the shift towards non-traditional security threats and the role of visual media in shaping global governance discourse.
Takeaways
- 🎥 The lecture emphasizes the importance of studying narratives in International Relations (IR) through visual frameworks, particularly films.
- 🌐 Films are considered a visual art form that can simulate experiences and communicate ideas, stories, perceptions, and feelings, making them a valuable tool for understanding IR.
- 📚 The 'visual turn' in IR is highlighted as a significant development, where images and visual media play a crucial role in shaping our understanding of global politics.
- 👨🏫 The utility of movies and films in teaching IR is discussed, suggesting they can enhance students' knowledge about international politics by providing a 'window on the world'.
- 💬 The lecture discusses the evolution of IR as a discipline, from realism to the inclusion of perspectives like neoliberalism, reflectivism, feminism, and environmentalism.
- 🌿 The concept of sustainable development is introduced, emphasizing the need to balance present needs with the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
- 🌍 The importance of environmental issues in IR is underscored, with climate change, biodiversity, and global warming being integral parts of today's diplomatic relations.
- 🌱 The documentary 'Before the Flood' is mentioned as an example of how films can raise awareness about global governance and environmental issues.
- 🦠 The lecture also touches on the role of films in depicting non-traditional security threats, such as pandemics, and how they can inform research and public understanding.
- 📖 Several academic works are cited that explore the relationship between film, visual politics, and IR, suggesting that films are not just entertainment but can also be a method for research and knowledge dissemination.
- 🔍 The challenges and opportunities of using films to teach and understand IR are acknowledged, encouraging a deeper analysis of the messages films convey about research, visibility, and knowledge.
Q & A
What is the main focus of the lecture on visual turn in IR films?
-The lecture focuses on the importance of studying the narrative of International Relations (IR) through a visual framework, particularly films, and how they add to research and analytical information in the discipline.
How do films contribute to the understanding of IR?
-Films contribute to the understanding of IR by simulating experiences and communicating ideas, stories, perceptions, and feelings, providing a window on the world and enhancing students' knowledge about international politics.
What challenges does the visual turn in IR present?
-The visual turn presents challenges in teaching IR as it requires understanding the complex interplay between visual politics, aesthetics, and the spatial aspects of IR, as well as the need to critically analyze the messages conveyed by films.
What is the significance of the quote by Robert Altman mentioned in the lecture?
-The quote by Robert Altman emphasizes the transformative power of filmmaking, suggesting that films can offer a deep understanding of various lifetimes and experiences, which is crucial for comprehending the diverse narratives in IR.
How does the lecture relate the visual turn in IR to the broader IR discipline?
-The lecture relates the visual turn to the broader IR discipline by discussing how films can reflect and influence the theoretical debates within IR, such as realism, neoliberalism, and reflectivism, as well as new issues like sustainability and climate change.
What is the role of non-state actors in the context of IR as discussed in the lecture?
-The lecture highlights that non-state actors, such as markets and industries, play a significant role in IR, moving away from the traditional focus on state-centric realism towards a more inclusive understanding of global politics.
How does the lecture connect the concept of sustainable development to IR films?
-The lecture connects sustainable development to IR films by illustrating how documentaries like 'Before the Flood' can effectively communicate the urgency of environmental issues and the need for sustainable development practices.
What does the lecture suggest is the importance of the 'visual turn' in understanding contemporary IR?
-The lecture suggests that the 'visual turn' is important in contemporary IR because it allows for a more nuanced understanding of global issues through visual narratives, which can influence perceptions and inform policy.
How does the lecture address the role of films in depicting non-traditional security threats?
-The lecture addresses the role of films in depicting non-traditional security threats by analyzing movies like 'Outbreak' and 'Contagion', which illustrate the potential impact of pandemics and the importance of global cooperation in addressing such threats.
What are the key takeaways from the lecture regarding the use of films in IR education?
-The key takeaways are that films can serve as valuable educational tools in IR by providing visual narratives that enhance understanding of complex issues, stimulate debate, and offer research insights, but also present challenges that require critical analysis.
How does the lecture suggest films can influence the research and discourse in IR?
-The lecture suggests that films can influence the research and discourse in IR by presenting visual representations of global issues, challenging traditional perspectives, and prompting a rethinking of IR theories and practices.
Outlines
🎥 Visual Turn in IR Films
The lecture introduces the concept of the 'visual turn' in International Relations (IR), emphasizing the importance of analyzing narratives through a visual framework. It discusses the significance and challenges of situating IR issues within films, which are a form of visual art that communicates ideas, stories, and perceptions. The lecture references the works of Robert Altman and Peter Jackson to highlight the immersive and personal nature of filmmaking. It also mentions the increasing importance of images in IR, as noted by Michelle and Robert Gregg, and how films can serve as a window to the world, aiding in the understanding of international politics.
🌿 IR Paradigms and Environmental Issues
This section delves into the evolution of IR as a discipline, initially dominated by realism, then moving towards a reflectivist perspective that acknowledges human agency and individual experiences. It discusses the emergence of new issues post-Cold War, such as feminism, environmentalism, and critical security studies, which have become integral to the IR agenda. The concept of sustainable development, as defined by the Brundtland Commission in 1987, is highlighted, emphasizing the need to balance present needs with future generations' abilities. The lecture also references Leonardo DiCaprio's documentary 'Before the Flood' and his address to the United Nations, underscoring the urgency of environmental issues in global governance.
🌐 Redefining Security in IR
The paragraph discusses the redefinition of security and IR in the modern context, moving beyond traditional state-centric views to include economic, health, and environmental securities. It mentions the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on rethinking warfare and security, distinguishing between pandemics and epidemics. The lecture references the IPBES report, which warns about future pandemics, and the importance of understanding the interconnectedness of ecological issues, climate change, and biodiversity in global governance. It also introduces the film 'Outbreak' as an example of how films can reflect and predict IR issues.
📽️ Films as a Medium for IR Issues
This section explores how films like 'Outbreak' and 'Contagion' have depicted important IR issues such as pandemics, highlighting the role of visual media in shaping public understanding and discourse. It discusses the academic work of scholars like Cynthia Weber and Joel Campbell, who analyze the relationship between visual culture, space, and power in IR. The lecture emphasizes the importance of considering the spatial and visual aspects of IR, as well as the personal and everyday implications of global politics, as portrayed in films.
🌟 The Power of Visual Politics
The lecture examines the role of visual politics and aesthetics in IR, particularly in the digital age where the power of images is paramount. It references Sophie Harman's work on the importance of film as a method for research and visibility in IR. The paragraph discusses the evolution of IR theories and concepts through films like 'Star Trek' and 'Star Wars,' which have reflected ideological tensions and power dynamics over time. The lecture also stresses the importance of understanding the political processes of film production and the role of films in disseminating knowledge and information in IR.
🌱 Challenges and Innovations in Visual IR
The final paragraph summarizes the lecture's key points, emphasizing the importance of the visual turn in IR and the role of films in understanding contemporary issues such as sustainable development, climate change, and pandemics. It acknowledges the challenges and opportunities presented by visual politics and the aesthetics turn in IR, encouraging a deeper analysis of the messages conveyed by films. The lecture concludes by inviting feedback and emphasizing the dynamic and evolving nature of IR as a discipline.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Visual Turn
💡International Relations (IR)
💡Realism
💡Neorealism
💡Sustainable Development
💡Pandemic
💡Film
💡Global Governance
💡Non-Traditional Security Threats
💡Reflectivism
💡Documentary
Highlights
Importance of studying IR narratives through a visual framework
Films as a medium to simulate experiences and communicate ideas in IR
Robert Altman and Peter Jackson's perspectives on filmmaking
Visual turn in IR and the increasing importance of images
Utility of movies and films in learning about international politics
Challenges of teaching IR through movies
Realist paradigm and its evolution in IR
Neo-neo debate and the emergence of non-state actors in IR
End of the Cold War and the shift towards reflectivist perspective in IR
Importance of sustainable development in contemporary IR agenda
Our Common Future 1987 report by the Brundtland Commission
The role of visual turn in IR through films like 'Before the Flood'
Leonardo DiCaprio's documentary and UN address on climate change
The multi-dimensional nature of security in IR
Pandemic as a new form of warfare and its impact on IR
IPBES report warning about future pandemics
Films like 'Outbreak' and 'Contagion' reflecting IR issues
Books on the intersection of IR and film
The role of visual politics and aesthetics in IR
Films as a method for research and knowledge dissemination in IR
Challenges and opportunities of the visual turn in IR
Transcripts
[Music]
greetings to all
welcome to cec lecture
the topic of analysis for the lecture is
visual
turn in ir
films
in this lecture
we shall explain the importance of
studying the narrative of ir through the
visual framework
this lecture shall also discuss
importance as well as challenges
in situating issues of international
relations through the films
this lecture shall elaborate on how
films add to research and analytical
information question
in the discipline
film also called in the popular parlance
movie
motion picture
moving picture
photo play
film
is a work of visual art that simulates
experiences
and otherwise communicates ideas stories
perceptions feelings
films enact a story by sound
and a sequence of images
giving the illusion of continuous
movement
robert altman said filmmaking is a
chance to live many lifetimes
peter jackson had said
the most honest form of film making is
to make a film for yourself
now with this let us understand the
visual turn in ir with respect to films
michelle quoted in his work and we
present from there
images in international relations
have become increasingly important
regardless of whether one believes in
the dawn of the
pictorial tongue
so it is very essential to understand
how important images have become in ir
to this the work of robert gregg pointed
out and we quote from there
that what could be utility of movies and
films when we try to look at ir
movies and films help students learn and
enhance their knowledge about
international politics as they
constitute a window
on the
world
now with this let's understand the
problems and challenges of teaching ir
with respect to the movies
to begin with let us first understand
that ir as a discipline was first
dominated by the realist paradigm
the
realism uh the first ir debate namely
the realist versus the idolist debate
there was a debate with respect to
how to and within which manner one
should understand the discipline
the realism focused on the conflictual
aspect of international reality the 3s
of realism namely statism
self-help survival
and in contrast to that the idolist
perspective try to present the
cooperative
side of international reality
with the focus towards important
mo role the morals and the idols and
institutions can play in international
relations
what we see here is that realism though
it remained the dominant narrative but
with time it witnessed the presence of
other perspectives namely which
witnessed the neo-neo debate where both
new realism which is uh which has a
refined form of realism often called as
structural realism the new neo debate if
we see
very new realism and neoliberalism are
being debated
now here and in this debate
we get very important sense namely that
state is no doubt an important actor but
at the same time one cannot ignore the
importance of non-state actors ranging
from market from industry amongst others
so therefore vani also needs to
understand that yes
realism
new realism attempted to see
international relations with the
relative gains framework that is gains
were seen with respect to relative sense
but at the same time what new liberalism
highlighted that gains can be seen in
the absolute gain sense too namely where
ecology
economic development are equally
important
what one sees here is that the end of
the cold war
definitely presented new issues with
respect to theory and practice of
international relations
one finds that there is a movement away
from rational perspective
moving towards a reflectivist
perspective which pointed out the pres
significance of human agency individual
experiences
and herein with this reflectivist
perspective
one finds that
feminism environmentalism
critical study critical security studies
all become important agenda in
sustainable development that is
development which meets the needs of the
present without compromising on the
ability of future generations to meet
their own needs this important
definition of sustainable development
was given by the brunt land commission
in its report our common future 1987.
now as we point out about this report
that is our common future 1987 it is
very important to understand that at
this point there is rethinking of
international relations agenda that is
ir can no longer be studied with respect
to
the issues
from the realist perspective there is
more that is there in the agenda to
study ir that is environment is an
equally important issue so similarly
when we are talking about environment
environment earlier was not given a due
place when in the there was discussion
about high politics area of ir
but with time
environment ecology
climate change global warming greenhouse
effect loss of biodiversity all of these
environmental issues are important part
of diplomatic relations they are
important the agenda for
understanding international global
governance three core elements of
sustainable development as we all know
economic growth social inclusion
environmental protection
so what we see here is today
when we look at tackling climate change
biodiversity laws fostering sustainable
development they are mutually
reinforcing issues
so with this we present you the
important documentary and that's where
we bring the focus toward that how the
visual turn in ir there in the films are
having an important role
leonardo dicaprio uh with the important
documentary before the flood
the another couple of the famous actors
important remarks to the united nations
in 2014 that is you are the last
best hope of earth
we ask you to protect it or we
and all living things we cherish are
history that further another important
quote as we discuss the documentary
before the flood and the court is from
linado di caprio the actor while
addressing the united nations in 2014.
the time to answer the greatest
challenge of our existence
on this planet is
now
you can make history
or be
willified by it
so what we see here is that how the
documentary the very famous documentary
before the flood presented important
issues
concerning global governance through the
medium of the films and yes important
inputs presented in the narrative of the
film they further present important
ideas for research
narrative for debate
further quoting from the remarks of
leonardo dicaprio to the audience at the
2015 global citizen festival that is
we are running out of time
and it is now
incumbent upon all of us
all of you
activists
young and old
to please get involved
quoting further
because the environment and the fight
for the world's poor
are inherently linked
the planet can no longer wait the
underprivileged can no longer be ignored
this is truly our movement for action
please
take action
so what we see here is that environment
such an important concern that is today
when we talk look at climate change
biodiversity laws fostering sustainable
development and all these issues are
important with respect to global
governance narrative so seen in this
scenario
what we see here is that
the
visual turn in ir where we look at films
films
like what we just discussed uh the
important film before the flood this
documentary presented important issues
that we all must reflect on and all of
this recorded aspect further is an
important issue with respect to global
governance narrative moving forward as
you all know that today the contours of
security and international relations
have been redefined as we were just
discussing discussing the new neo debate
looking at the further taking things
further with the rational versus
reflectivist turn we have to understand
that today security is multi-dimensional
of course state is an important act of
international relations but and military
security is always sacred but at the
same time economic security at the same
time health security cannot be ignored
so
what the world witnessed the pandemic
and the pandemic really led to
rethinking also over the nature of
warfare that is earlier warfare was more
direct now pandemic presented important
case studies research inputs with
respect to biowarfare
pandemic is different from epidemic let
us clarify that according to the world
health organization
a pandemic is declared when a new
disease
for which
people
do not have immunity
spreads the world
around the world beyond expectations
epidemic on the other hand
an epidemic is a large outbreak
one that spreads
amongst the population
or region
it is less severe like when you try to
compare and contrast pandemic and
epidemic dear learners you have to
understand that it is less severe
than pandemic due to
limited area of
spread now the intergovernmental science
policy platform on biodiversity and
ecosystem this report is verily
available
ipbes has recently reported released a
report which warns about future pandemic
for the benefit of our learners we'd
like to tell everyone that
intergovernmental science policy
platform on biodiversity and ecosystem
ipbes
it is an independent intergovernmental
body established by united nations in
2012
this body aims to strengthen the science
policy interface for biodiversity and
ecosystem services for the conservation
and sustainable use of biodiversity
long-term human well-being and
sustainable development
now this report
pointed out the recent report pointed
out that covet 19 is the least
sixth pandemic is at least the sixth
pandemic roughly fit race to have taken
place in the last century since the
spanish
influenza pandemic of 1918 in march 2020
further the world health organization
declared covet 19 as a pandemic
three of the pandemics earlier were
caused by influenza viruses one by human
immunodeficiency virus hiv followed by
severe acute respiratory syndrome sars
and then now the covate 19.
now
as we further go into the important
inputs from the debate that is when we
look at the causes almost all the
pandemics so far have been
you know because of zoonosis that is
diseases caused by germs that spread
between animals and people more than 70
percent of emerging diseases such as
ebola zika nipper are caused by microbes
found in animals which spread due to
contact amongst my livestock
livestock and people
what we see here is that as we are
discussing pandemic and today pandemic
is a important research issue today
pandemic discussions are very important
for global diplomatic summits and
occasions
let us now understand that how the
visual turn in i are looking at films
wherein there have been attempt to
understand issues there have been
attempts to reflect on issues of ir
through the pictures through the
films that is to give you an example
here to take the discussion forward with
an example outbreak
outbreak dear learners it's a 1995
american medical disaster film
outbreak has been directed by wolfgang
peterson and it has been based on
richard richard peterson's 1994
non-fiction book the horde zone
now let's understand what was the
outbreak talking about
in the movie outbreak it is shown that
when a deadly virus and this we are
talking about 1995 right at that time
there was no covet pandemic but yes the
movie presented an important audio
visual pictorial image
representation a depiction that is how
do we deal with issues of ayah that when
a deadly virus carried by a monkey host
from the african rainforest starts
infecting the entire population a
handful of scientists struggle to find a
cure
so what we see here is that the
situation what outbreak pointed out
somewhere today when we look at how
pandemics and when how today reports are
pointing out namely as we just
reflected on the ipbes it relays uh the
recent report which warns about future
pandemics so movies like outbreak
already this have discussed it further
to take the discussion forward on the
visual turn in ir looking at films
another important film which depicted an
important agenda of international
relations contagion contagion is 2011
american medical scientist thriller film
directed by stephen soderbergh now when
we try to understand contention this the
plot of the movie concerned the spread
of a virus it was concerned about the
spread of a virus transmitted by
respiratory droplets and fomites so the
important message that contagion
presented that is with respect to
looking at faith
hope
grit sense of community so therefore
what we see that when we look at visual
aspect in ir films have played an
important role right from the issues
concerning ecological issues the need
for important human action the
documentary before the flutter has
talked about it so right from
understanding to important issues of the
pandemic outbreak to contagion has
addressed it let's understand some
important research inputs as we are
debating visual term in ir films
the important work by seen carter
international politics and film
space
vision
power this book is from columbia
university press 2014.
in this book this has been an attempt
made to understand the relation between
the visual
and the spatial
and it is very essential as the book
point out that when we are looking at
the space the vision the power all of it
is constitutive of international
politics
further as the book points out borders
the state of exception
homeland and distant others the
territorial and the imaginative
dimensions of international relations in
particular are very aptly highlighted in
this book that is talking about that is
the
spatial issues
and the visual depiction of that
is an important constituent of
international politics
international politics
is not just something about out there
as the work points out by saying carter
that is the films as we and we are
debating the visual turn in ir the films
helps us to
understand better
helps us better understand how it is
also part
of everyday life
within the state in different
individuals and communities in different
ways and depending on the different
access of difference from gender to
ethnicity so what we see here is that
international politics has been given a
very internalized a very personal
depiction it's just not this is what
seen carter's important argument is seen
carter talking about that international
politics is not just something out there
films help us to understand better how
it is also part of everyday life within
the state
another important work that we must take
into account joel are campbells and
giggs work the final frontier
international relations and politics
through star trek and star wars this
important work from rauman and field
that is it looks into importance of
science fiction
how science fiction
can play an important role not only with
respect to literature
film
and television but also how science
fiction can point out towards tensions
an example of that the ideological
tensions that were there at the time of
cold war or for that matter how
technology has become an important
pillar with respect to power dynamics so
the book
looks into development of star trek star
wars franchises and discusses how their
progression through time
has been illustrated how it has defined
and redefined important theories
important concepts in international
relations another important work so by
sophie
sophie harman that is
seeing politics
film
visual method and international
relations
sophie harmon's work points out that
visual politics and the aesthetics
turn in international relations have
emphasized on the power of image and
world politics we have to understand
that we're living in the digital age we
have to understand that today internet
communications technology play an
important role and in that aspect to
define the narrative of the discipline
the power of the image
is important too
and this is what sophie harmon's work
seeing politics film visual method and
international relations point out that
is visual politics and the aesthetics
turn international relations
it is important to emphasize on the
power of image
so through a detailed exploration of you
know political process of film
production that's very important at how
film production has been looked through
a very deeper lens that is from
inception to co-production to
distribution to exhibition so therefore
with respect to understanding
transnational relations
government gatekeeping
hierarchies of film governance that is
what are the important issues that one
mean needs to understand with respecting
to control
or marginalizing the stories people see
so therefore in seeing politics
important argument the research argument
that has been
put forward how narrative feature film
challenges and advances discipline of
international relations revealing
aspects of politics that would otherwise
remain unseen and address further seeing
politics also impresses upon an import
important fact that film is not only
just a way of communicating research one
has to look at films in a bigger
framework in a bigger canvas it is a
method that produces research
it is a method that leads to visibility
advances research practice and most
important films have a very important
role with respect to dissemination of
knowledge availability of information in
international relations
further so it is very important look at
these innovative and compelling
dimensions that the visual turn in ir is
presenting through films in these books
are seeing politics through a detailed
exploration of the political process of
film production important inputs are
there and that one must take into
account
so dear learners it is very important
for all of us to understand that ir
is a very important discipline and in ir
the agenda of research the agenda of
discourse has always witnessed changes
what will finds that the discipline that
becomes begins with the dominance of
realism
with time with the end of cold war
witnesses new perspective witnesses knew
in size from rationality to
reflectivism and one also finds that in
understanding of narrative of ir in the
contemporary times visual framework is
playing an important role which when we
situate issues of ir through the lens of
the films we get the sense that today
communication perceptions feelings
stories ideas all of them
are impacted by
rampantly well rise and innovation of
information and communication technology
so therefore images have become
important so how so are films films are
not only about presentation but they
have a deeper meaning namely about
knowledge namely about it's an important
window it's an important framework as
robert gregg says on the world so film
make when we try to understand ir
through films no doubt it has challenges
for example when we understand issues
like sustainable development sustainable
development can be better understood by
looking at documentaries like before the
flood issues of climate change
biodiversity global warming are aptly
highlighted by looking at important
depiction in the documentary before the
flood talking about that there is a need
for all of us to safeguard our existence
on this planet
further today
ir is witnessing new forms of
security threats today when security is
no longer seen in traditional sense
non-traditional security threats like
from pandemic to technology to ecology
films have there in also playing an
important role for example outbreak for
example the work of contagion how it
points out that there is a need to look
at the important message the
significance of the visual turn in ir
through the films but however while
understanding the relation between the
visual and the spatial which is no doubt
an important part of international
politics one also has to look at not
only the opportunities but also factor
in the important challenges that are
here visual politics aesthetics turn no
doubt are important and one but one must
also go dwell deeper into the message
the film presents with respect to
research visibility knowledge in order
to make the study more innovative
dear learners we hope that the lecture
on visual turn in ir films presented to
you significant inputs and insights
we look forward to positive encouraging
feedback from you all
thank you very much
[Music]
[Music]
you
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