[Air-l] suggestions?

[Charles Ess]

To demonstrate that my background is in philosophy, not communication
studies (for better and for worse)...

My my applied ethics class, we're reading an essay by Robinson A. Grover,
"the New State of Nature and the New Terrorism," which argues that new media
and globalization have brought about a new version of Hobbes' war of each
against all, etc.
I attempted to buttress some of Grover's claims with the work of Cass
Sunstein, his notion of "The Daily Me," etc.

This inspired one of my students to ask: are there studies, etc., that
suggest that the new media, by giving us greater communication with "the
Other" works to make us _less_ fearful of the Other, and thus, under some
circumstances at least, _more_ likely to engage in aggressive behaviors,
including warfare?  That is, his thought is that in a state of ignorance of
the Other, one is more likely to assume the worst - the Other is bigger,
more powerful, etc., so I'd better stay home.  But once I see the Other on
TV, the Internet, etc., I discover that this is not so...

I thought it a worthwhile question - citations and suggestions?

thanks in advance,

Charles Ess

Distinguished Research Professor, Interdisciplinary Studies
Drury University
900 N. Benton Ave.              Voice: 417-873-7230
Springfield, MO  65802  USA       FAX: 417-873-7435
Home page:  http://www.drury.edu/ess/ess.html

Co-chair, CATaC'06: http://www.catacconference.org
Co-chair, ECAP'06: http://www.eu-cap.org

Professor II, Globalization and Applied Ethics Programmes
Norwegian University of Science and Technology
NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway
http://www.anvendtetikk.ntnu.no/pres/bridgingcultures.php

Exemplary persons seek harmony, not sameness. -- Analects 13.23