[Air-L] military communications?

[Charles Ess]

Hi all,

One of our Master¹s students wants to examine how businesses engaged in
military production (including weapons and weapons systems) re-present
themselves in their public communications - especially vis-a-vis
(presumed) national reputations for / ostensible interests in peacemaking.

This work is inspired by a previous MA thesis here examining how two
prominent Norwegian military production companies re-present themselves in
a country more widely known for the Nobel Peace Prize (and, for example,
whose major national holiday - 17th of May - celebrates national
independence primarily through children¹s parades: no military fly-overs,
no military units in the parade, no military equipment on display, etc.)

The focus, however, will be on a major weapons company in the U.S., and
using a different method of analysis (on the ethos / rhetoric at work,
rather than a frame analysis).

We would be extremely grateful for 1) any suggestions for helpful research
and related academic sources that might contribute?

And/or 2) if anyone has good contacts with colleagues who work within
these industries and who might be willing to be interviewed, suggestions
along these lines would also be greatly appreciated.

FWIW: I¹ll be attending the upcoming ICA, including two days of
pre-conferences.  If anyone would like to meet up over coffee or beer to
talk about this project, I¹d be delighted.

Many thanks in advance,
- charles

Professor in Media Studies
Department of Media and Communication
Director, Centre for Research on Media Innovations
<http://www.hf.uio.no/imk/english/research/center/media-innovations/>
Editor, The Journal of Media Innovations
<https://www.journals.uio.no/index.php/TJMI/>

My latest book, Digital Media Ethics, is now available from Polity:
http://www.politybooks.com/book.asp?ref=0745656056

University of Oslo 
P.O. Box 1093 Blindern
NO-0317 
Oslo Norway
email: charles.ess at media.uio.no