Galactica Media: Journal of Media Studies

Social Media and Higher Education: A Linguistic Analysis of Identity Construction of Pakistani Universities

Fareeha Aazam — 2024-02-14

This study rigorously explores the linguistic strategies employed by Pakistani universities for identity construction on social media platforms, focusing primarily on X (formerly known as Twitter). Utilizing a robust methodology of corpus-assisted discourse analysis, we scrutinized a substantial dataset comprising 2861 tweets. These were collected from the official X accounts of two leading Pakistani universities, National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST) and Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), during the academic year 2021/2022. Our in-depth analysis uncovered distinctive linguistic patterns, particularly in the use of pronouns and specific multi-word key terms that each university employs to construct its identity. Intriguingly, the linguistic choices made by these institutions were found to significantly shape their digital identities, reflecting both individuality and broader cultural themes. The study augments existing research in the field by offering novel and context-specific insights into the dynamics of identity construction via social media. It underscores the pivotal role language plays in the organizational branding landscape. Furthermore, the findings from this research serve as a valuable resource for informing and refining communication strategies, not only for educational institutions but also for organizations at large that aim to construct and effectively manage their digital identities on social media platforms.

Social Media as a Tool for Political Self-Presentation: An Analytical Experience of Russian Political Party Representatives' Profiles

Ivan V. Soldatenkov — 2024-02-14

During the first decades of the 21st century, social media has emerged as one of the most significant means of mass communication. Concurrently, the technological features of new media have transformed communication processes. This article addresses the issue of how politicians’ self-presentations are changing due to their adaptation to the unique aspects of communication on social networks. The study aims to identify the self-presentation strategies employed by Russian politicians in online interactions.

The research involved content analysis of posts on the personal pages of politicians on the VKontakte social network. The sample included 375 publications across five pages (75 for each), belonging to politicians who are members of the governing bodies of the parties “United Russia” (D. A. Medvedev), LDPR (L. E. Slutsky), Communist Party of the Russian Federation (G. A. Zyuganov), “Just Russia—Patriots—For the Truth” (S. M. Mironov), and “New People” (A. O. Tkachev). Using cluster analysis and multidimensional scaling, models of self-presentations were developed, and their common and individual features were identified. The study revealed that the impression management strategies used by Russian politicians in social media are characterized by a tendency to showcase professional aspects of their personalities, create a vivid image of the “enemy”, and exhibit a low degree of interactivity.

Virtual Romans and Virtual French: Recontextualization of Political News in the Format of Playing with History

Nadezhda A. Miziryak — 2024-02-14

The oversaturation of information flows and the competition among diverse viewpoints underscore the significance of every message that captures the audience’s attention and provokes discussion. Thus, exploring new formats and methods for attracting attention to news agendas, analyzing innovative persuasion techniques, and scrutinizing gaps and overlooked aspects in discussion platforms become particularly crucial in cutting-edge media studies. One such innovative format for news perception and discussion can be found in virtual pseudo-historical public pages on VK. These pages engage with the real socio-political news agenda, stylized as events from different eras such as ancient Rome and 19th-century France.

The aim of our research is to identify techniques for attracting attention, encouraging discussion, and persuading audiences in these selected public forums. We analyzed the characteristics of recontextualized news presentations, including the transposition of time and place, renaming key figures and technologies, and the nuances of internal humor on these public pages. A primary focus of these pages is political news, particularly the Russian-Ukrainian crisis, which is metaphorically represented through the lens of the Punic or Napoleonic wars. This juxtaposition of historical and contemporary perspectives enables users to interpret the political agenda differently. This pseudo-historical linguistic play and unique humor bypass critical perception filters, and once readers accept the internal logic of the public pages, they also tend to accept the narratives presented. The ability to comment on posts allows users to engage in the same narrative style, broaden the scope of news discussions, and involve their friends by reposting to their own pages.

Analysis of Public Discussions in Social Media as a Method for Studying Social Issues

Darja I. Judina — 2024-02-14

The study of social problems using the analysis of the public sphere gained scientific legitimacy with the constructivist approach during the era when television was the predominant medium. The advent of social media has transformed the public space, altering the way in which discussions concerning social issues are organized. This article examines the advantages and limitations of constructivism in studying social problems and the elements constituting public discussions on social media. We searched whether analyzing public discourse could reveal the persistence of social issues. To exemplify the use of this method for studying discussions on social media, we analyzed how network users discussed the issue of personnel shortages, from November 2022 to February 2023. During this period, the most pressing issues proved to be shortages of professionals in healthcare, housing and communal services, secondary education, transport, defense industry and IT sectors.

The research indicates that a crucial marker of a persistent social problem in people’s daily lives is the involvement of “ordinary” citizens as speakers who draw significant attention to the issue. This finding corroborates the democratizing impact of social media on the structure of the public sphere.

Visual Aesthetics and Mathematics in Cinema: Comparative Content and Cultural Analysis of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and The Conquest 1453

Menderes Akdağ — 2024-02-14

Films are meticulously crafted using visual aesthetic elements, where mathematics and geometry play pivotal roles. Camera angles, timing in editing, staging sequences, lens specifications, and lighting ratios, demonstrate the intricate relationship between cinema and mathematics. Specifically, the virtual projection of isosceles and equilateral triangles is utilized in object positioning before the camera. Additionally, forms such as circles, squares, and rectangles are frequently employed in stage design. Number combinations, sequential numbers, and patterns are also common techniques used to enhance visual aesthetics in films. Fundamental components such as oblique, horizontal, vertical, and parallel lines are instrumental in achieving visual appeal.

In our research, we investigate the properties of these components as they are discussed in scientific publications and their relevance to aesthetics. In this context, a comparative and quantitative analysis is conducted on 2001’s “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” and the Turkish film “The Conquest 1453” (known as Fetih 1453 in Turkey). It is observed that “The Conquest 1453” employs excessive mathematical and geometric data, which somewhat diminishes the thematic strength of the film. In contrast, “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” demonstrates a more balanced use of these elements.

Communicative Behavior of Mass Culture Icon Villain and the Influence on Destructive Behavior in Youth. Joker’s Case

Daniil V. Osipov — 2024-02-14

This article examines the potential influence of iconic characters—villains of mass culture—on destructive and aggressive youth behavior. The cultivation of certain societal groups and individual media characters can lead to the normalization of hostility and violence. This study analyzes the communication styles, intelligence, motives, aggression levels, and violent actions of famous villains from films, television, and literature. Particular attention is paid to the Joker’s communicative behavior, dialogues, and language, examining how he psychologically manipulates others and conveys his destructive views through unconventional techniques. Using textual examples from comic books and films, it analyzes how the Joker’s language choices and performative style reflect his background and moral-anarchic worldview. His rhetoric provokes violent reactions from allies and enemies alike, highlighting his ability to destabilize situations. The presented portrait reveals a multi-layered understanding of this legendary creation in different epochs and contexts. The findings indicate certain villain traits that could potentially encourage impressionable youth to engage in harmful behavior. Overall, provocative fiction has a double-edged significance as it can both shape and mislead developing minds. Recommendations are made to reduce the negative effects of glamorizing villains in entertainment media.

“We did not Send You There”: Media Representations of the War in Afghanistan and the Emergence and Practice of Cancel Culture in Post-Soviet Russia

Daniil A. Anikin — 2024-02-14

The article is devoted to the problem of transformation of historical memory in the context of digitalization. The aim of the article is to make a critical analysis of the “cancel culture” as one of the tools for the formation and transmission of historical identity in digital space and beyond. The new media space from where the phenomenon of cancel culture originated is chosen as the research field. The objective of the article is then to bring the conceptual subjects of memory studies and media theory closer together.

New media differ significantly from traditional media, and these differences determine the change in discursive rules and consequently imply a reorganization of the discursive space. The vertical paternalistic structure of discourse gives way to a horizontal rhizomatic structure, while the rigid author-reader opposition breaks down. The change in discursive rules entails a change of discursive practices. The changes affect not only discursive but also social space, including the space of historical memory. The digitalization of the past entails new forms of memory existence. At the same time, some traditional functions, such as identity formation, are preserved.

New media becomes a platform for identity formation, providing opportunities for the construction and constant reassembly of identities. The article considers “cancel culture” as a marker of this reassembly. It is viewed both as a mode of manifestation and as a source of identity. The critical analysis highlights both the negative and positive characteristics of the phenomenon, explaining its paradoxicality and regularity in the new reality.

Cancel Culture within the Framework of New Media's Memorial Discourse: A Critical Analysis

Olga V. Kotunova — 2024-02-14

The article addresses the issue of historical memory transformation in the digital era. Its aim is to critically analyze the “cancel culture” as a tool for shaping and transmitting historical identity in the digital realm and beyond. The realm of new media where the cancel culture phenomenon emerged, is selected as the field of research. Consequently, the article seeks to bridge conceptual topics in memory studies with media theory.

New media exhibit significant differences from traditional media, influencing a shift in discursive rules and leading to the reorganization of discursive spaces. The traditional vertical paternalistic discourse structure is replaced by a horizontal, rhizomatic one, and the rigid dichotomy between the author and the reader dissipates. These shifts in discursive rules bring about changes in discursive practices, impacting not only discourse itself but also the broader social fabric, including the realm of historical memory. Digitalization introduces novel forms of memory existence while retaining some traditional functions like identity formation.

New media serve as platforms for identity formation, offering opportunities for constructing and continuously reassembling identities. This article views “cancel culture” as a symbol of this reassembly, acting both as a mode of expression and a source of identity. The critical analysis underscores both the negative and positive aspects of cancel culture, elucidating its paradoxical nature and frequency in contemporary reality.

Corporate Cancellation: The Odyssey of the “Myth of 922” between Academic and Ideological Discourses

Alexander V. Ovchinnikov — 2024-02-14

Methodological problems of the analysis of the phenomenon of “cancellation culture” are investigated. It is stated that “cancellation” was characteristic of all stages of history, but the actual “cancellation culture” could only arise with the development of civil society and mass media. It is proved that the concept of “corporate cancellation” is more acceptable for states of a transit of democracy type of development, when the main actors of the “cancellation” of an individual, social group or views (scientific, religious, etc.) are political elites. In order to develop the proposed theoretical approach, the extensive material of the “Myth of 922” case was analyzed. The following items were recorded: “cancellation” in the mass media of the academic version of the events of 922; cardinal changes in the historiographical field; intercorporate interaction of political elites and academic structures, which eventually led to the official celebration of the anniversary of the “1100th anniversary of the adoption of Islam by Volga Bulgaria”; complex strategies of behavior of individual researchers who tried to use the “weaknesses” of the “myth of 922” to accumulate their own symbolic capital, but very rarely turned to the discourse of the “cancellation culture”. The theoretical outlines of “corporate cancellation” proposed in the article can be useful for a better understanding of the known facts of “cancellation” in the Soviet and contemporary Russian history.

Forms of Historical Oblivion and Figures of Silence in Commemorative Practices of the Black Lives Matter Movement: A Comparative Analysis of Media Discourses in English-Speaking Countries

Andrei A. Linchenko — 2024-02-14

The Black Lives Matter (BLM) social movement has emerged as a prominent challenge to the principles and values of contemporary societies. Concurrently, the practices of cancel culture extend to the historical past as well. The primary objective of this article is to conduct a comparative analysis of forms of historical forgetting and figures of silence within the commemorative practices of BLM, as depicted in media discourses across the English-speaking countries. Making use of the critical discourse analysis methodology of N. Fairclough and S. Jäger, this study analyzes the discursive aspects of monument cancellations and key figures of silence in the media portrayal of BLM commemorative practices in the USA, Canada, the UK, and Australia.

The research reveals that, despite the unique characteristics of media discourses in Australia and Canada, particularly concerning the memory of indigenous peoples, the canceling practices in the countries examined exhibit similar features. These include general forms of oblivion associated with the formation of a new identity, as outlined by P. Connerton, and the use of forgetting as a weapon, as described by A. Assmann, in the quest for symbolic capital. This study identifies and examines key figures of silence within BLM as a community of memory, including a-historical perspective of colonial era events, disproportionate focus on selected cancellation facts, invocation of collective guilt, silence over morally questionable traits of the oppressed, absence of a constructive program linking past and future, and unchecked emotional expression regarding the past.

Primary and Secondary Suffering in Psychiatry, Oncology, Buddhism, Transhumanism, and the Necessity of Its Overcoming

Mariia A. Ivanchenko — 2024-02-14

The paper raises the question of the essence and necessity of primary and secondary suffering in psychiatry, oncology, Buddhism, and transhumanism. It directly explores the phenomenon of suffering, drawing a distinction between primary and secondary suffering in these domains of medicine and philosophy. The article presents objections to common misconceptions regarding the irreplaceable and significant role of suffering in human experience and for humanity as a whole.

The study aims to deconstruct the assumed value of primary and secondary suffering for both humans and posthumanity. An analysis of the problem of primary and secondary suffering is conducted to substantiate the fundamental importance of overcoming suffering as such.

One of the research methods employed is the conducting of analytical, focused individual interviews with medical professionals and religious figures, complemented by content analysis. A deconstructive and phenomenological approach is also utilized.

Both psychiatric and oncological fields are selected as exemplars representing the quintessence of mental and physical suffering. Buddhism and transhumanism are chosen as philosophical responses to the suffering addressed in psychiatry and oncology.

Emphasizing the problem of suffering is essential to prioritize its resolution. Meditation is suggested as a method for addressing secondary suffering; science and technology are proposed as means to overcome suffering in general. The article is intended for a broad readership, particularly researchers in philosophy, psychology, futurology, as well as for posthumanists, transhumanists, immortalists, and those interested in the topic of overcoming suffering, illness, senility, and death.

“Horror Movies Always Know What We Did Last Summer”: Meta-Horror, Philosophy, and “The Cabin in the Woods”

Alexander V. Pavlov — 2024-02-14

The paper reviews Suzanne Kord's 2023 book dedicated to the film “The Cabin in the Woods.” It analyzes the film's meta-nature through allusions and references. The review explores philosophical themes addressed in the movie, including the clash between faith and nihilism, the ethical implications of self-sacrifice, humanity's place in the world, the individual versus humanity, and the issue of free will. It highlights the film's extradiegetic elements, emphasizing how “The Cabin in the Woods,” as a philosophical text, elicits a philosophical response from viewers. The paper presents Suzanne Kord's horror theory, which posits that the essence of the genre lies not in fear but in guilt. It offers an assessment and brief critique of this theory.