Media Discourses

In this composite teaching module, we have curated segments of teach-ins around the theme of Media Discourses. One of the most visible fronts of the struggle against Zionism has been discourses and debates in every form of media from social media to mainstream cable news outlets. Within these forums we see the fight for discursive power manifesting through competing narratives. In contemporary media narratives October 7th has become a new a milestone event and its own discourse that proponents of Zionism have utilized to justify Israel’s genocide in Gaza. In these segments, our experts explain Zionist narratives dominate media discourses around Palestine and obfuscate Israel's crimes and Palestinian suffering. This composite teaching module will offer students the discursive resources and knowledge to push back against dominant and hegemonic narratives that justify the ongoing occupation and genocide of the Palestinian people.

All segments in this Composite Module are drawn from the below teach-ins. Click on the title to watch the full teach-in.
Additional Related Teach-in

How Does American Media
​Frame Gaza and Palestine?

One of the biggest issues confronting Palestinians is how American mainstream media frames Gaza and Palestine more generally. With the United States being the main backer and funder of Israeli occupation and genocide, the ways in which Palestine is represented in mainstream media is of critical importance. These frames fit Palestine and Gaza into Israeli narratives justifying the  the control of, the occupation of, and the war being waged on Palestinians. How does US media launder Israeli war crimes and crimes against humanity through these kinds of framing? How does mainstream media use the narrative of terrorism to minimize these crimes?

On How Gaza is Portrayed in the West

Assal shares how despite the unprecedented live streamed genocide in Gaza, Western media still shares one sided narratives about Palestine.

Limiting Palestinian Experiences

The one sidedness of American mainstream media around Palestine is not just a matter of amplifying Israeli and Zionist narratives, but also a process of limiting representation of Palestinian voices and experiences. These segments explore just how this minimization functions and what its effects are. What are the ways in which  American mainstream media obfuscate Palestinian suffering and points of view?

​Pushing Back Against Media

Assal talks about why it is important to push back against media and her hope that mainistream media will humanize Palestinans

On Assal's Headline Edits/Corrections

Assal explains her headline edits and shares why she focuses on correcting New York Times headlines

Supporting Independent News Outlets

Laila Al-Arian describes the importance of supporting independent news outlets. She encourages those concerned with better news coverage of Palestine to subscribe and financially support independent news outlets when you can, sharing their reporting online, and sharing positive feedback when coming across good reporting.

Popularization of Independent Media Outlets

Adel Iskander describes the ways in which new smaller media outlets and social media have been challenging larger corporation owned media in their reporting on Palestine and Gaza. 

Israeli and Non-Western Media

Assal Rad explains how non-western news outlets do a better job of challenging Israeli government narratives than American and Western media. As she states, even Israeli news media is a great deal more critical of Prime Minister Netanyahu and the Israeli government. She encourages us to consider how the public consumes information and how western corporate mainstream news denies their audiences basic facts.