The paper describes how the fields of politics and social media intertwine in Georgia and raises a question whether the politics governs media or the media govern politics in the Georgian reality. It is believed that ...The paper describes how the fields of politics and social media intertwine in Georgia and raises a question whether the politics governs media or the media govern politics in the Georgian reality. It is believed that in the conditions of the social media boom and the accompanying citizen journalism, the media possess a real potential to govern politics, and the scholars talk about the epoch of mediocracy that is the ＂colonization of politics by media logic＂. What about the Georgian reality？ Based on the in-depth interviews with the media experts in Georgia, it has been revealed that in the Georgian reality we encounter the colonization of media, including the social media, by politics and not the other way around. However, this colonization is performed not in an aggressive way--via direct censorship, but in a ＂soft＂ manner, e.g., by coaxing the bloggers. According to the experts＇ narratives, the politicians in Georgia use their power to prevent the social media intrusion from the ＂front region＂ to the ＂back region＂, which is assessed as one of the main distinctions in the interaction of politics and media in Georgia vs. the Western democracies. The findings of the representative survey of the internet user segment nationwide resonate with the ones of in-depth interviews with the media experts.展开更多
This paper has developed the argument that live radio soccer commentary （LRSC） is a representation of soccer match events at one level but a performance of dominant socio-cultural and political trends of the societi...This paper has developed the argument that live radio soccer commentary （LRSC） is a representation of soccer match events at one level but a performance of dominant socio-cultural and political trends of the societies at another level that produce and consume them. This echoes Reaser＇s （2003） and Ryan＇s （1993） perceptions of sports announcer＇s talk as a complex performance form based on but not limited to the ＂verbal imitation＂ of live sport events. We have understood the performativity of the LRSCs in the light of Schechner＇s （2006） emphasis of what he termed ＂restored behaviour＂ in understanding performance. In our context, we have treated the interpenetration of Kenyan soccer, politics, and society as the ＂restored behaviour＂ upon which the script of the LRSCs are based. The methodological apparatus of this paper is largely qualitative, consisting in the critical analysis of audio-recordings of Kenyan LRSCs. Focus is made on the Kenyan society of the 1980s, an era perceived to have been characterized by a close interaction between soccer, society, and politics. The analysis is informed by Fabian＇s （1997） inter-textual approach to the ＂reading＂ and interpretation of performance texts. This approach seems to echo a wider discourse of the social nature of media-text interpretation that has been proposed by Burn and Parker （1985）. Conclusions drawn from the analysis reveal what Muponde and Zegeye （2011） had described as a soccer ＂ecosystem＂ involving soccer as a sport, and the socio-cultural realities of its immediate context. This paper has argued thatLRSC is one of the channels through which this ecosystem is expressed.展开更多
Rail transport in most developing countries, is usually the least developed mode. For instance, in Nigeria the vibrant fortune of rail transport operations and development has been on decline since mid 1970s.The devel...Rail transport in most developing countries, is usually the least developed mode. For instance, in Nigeria the vibrant fortune of rail transport operations and development has been on decline since mid 1970s.The developmental gap in rail transport in Nigeria is responsible for a significant level of access denial to a safer, affordable and environmentally-friendly mode of transport, to the younger generation of Nigerians. Through a critique of past railways developmental projects and policies, this paper was able to identify the principal factors responsible for its intangible contributions to the socio-economic development of Nigeria. It further highlighted the role（s） politics of policies inconsistency and somersault plays, to the detriment of realization of a vibrant railway system in Nigeria. The findings revealed that discontinuity and incoherence in policy implementation by successful governments, policy reversal as well as uncoordinated national transport policy goal and objectives as clogs in the wheel of progress of railways development in Nigeria. In conclusion, the paper hinged the rapid development of the rail industry in Nigeria on institutional paradigm shift, whereby the rail authority will enjoy a reasonable level of autonomy in decision making, finance and investment in rail operations, infrastructure supply and technological advancement in Nigeria.展开更多
文摘The paper describes how the fields of politics and social media intertwine in Georgia and raises a question whether the politics governs media or the media govern politics in the Georgian reality. It is believed that in the conditions of the social media boom and the accompanying citizen journalism, the media possess a real potential to govern politics, and the scholars talk about the epoch of mediocracy that is the ＂colonization of politics by media logic＂. What about the Georgian reality？ Based on the in-depth interviews with the media experts in Georgia, it has been revealed that in the Georgian reality we encounter the colonization of media, including the social media, by politics and not the other way around. However, this colonization is performed not in an aggressive way--via direct censorship, but in a ＂soft＂ manner, e.g., by coaxing the bloggers. According to the experts＇ narratives, the politicians in Georgia use their power to prevent the social media intrusion from the ＂front region＂ to the ＂back region＂, which is assessed as one of the main distinctions in the interaction of politics and media in Georgia vs. the Western democracies. The findings of the representative survey of the internet user segment nationwide resonate with the ones of in-depth interviews with the media experts.
文摘This paper has developed the argument that live radio soccer commentary （LRSC） is a representation of soccer match events at one level but a performance of dominant socio-cultural and political trends of the societies at another level that produce and consume them. This echoes Reaser＇s （2003） and Ryan＇s （1993） perceptions of sports announcer＇s talk as a complex performance form based on but not limited to the ＂verbal imitation＂ of live sport events. We have understood the performativity of the LRSCs in the light of Schechner＇s （2006） emphasis of what he termed ＂restored behaviour＂ in understanding performance. In our context, we have treated the interpenetration of Kenyan soccer, politics, and society as the ＂restored behaviour＂ upon which the script of the LRSCs are based. The methodological apparatus of this paper is largely qualitative, consisting in the critical analysis of audio-recordings of Kenyan LRSCs. Focus is made on the Kenyan society of the 1980s, an era perceived to have been characterized by a close interaction between soccer, society, and politics. The analysis is informed by Fabian＇s （1997） inter-textual approach to the ＂reading＂ and interpretation of performance texts. This approach seems to echo a wider discourse of the social nature of media-text interpretation that has been proposed by Burn and Parker （1985）. Conclusions drawn from the analysis reveal what Muponde and Zegeye （2011） had described as a soccer ＂ecosystem＂ involving soccer as a sport, and the socio-cultural realities of its immediate context. This paper has argued thatLRSC is one of the channels through which this ecosystem is expressed.
文摘Rail transport in most developing countries, is usually the least developed mode. For instance, in Nigeria the vibrant fortune of rail transport operations and development has been on decline since mid 1970s.The developmental gap in rail transport in Nigeria is responsible for a significant level of access denial to a safer, affordable and environmentally-friendly mode of transport, to the younger generation of Nigerians. Through a critique of past railways developmental projects and policies, this paper was able to identify the principal factors responsible for its intangible contributions to the socio-economic development of Nigeria. It further highlighted the role（s） politics of policies inconsistency and somersault plays, to the detriment of realization of a vibrant railway system in Nigeria. The findings revealed that discontinuity and incoherence in policy implementation by successful governments, policy reversal as well as uncoordinated national transport policy goal and objectives as clogs in the wheel of progress of railways development in Nigeria. In conclusion, the paper hinged the rapid development of the rail industry in Nigeria on institutional paradigm shift, whereby the rail authority will enjoy a reasonable level of autonomy in decision making, finance and investment in rail operations, infrastructure supply and technological advancement in Nigeria.
