یکی از ویژگی های مدرنیته ایجاد وضعیت های جدید است. این وضعیت های جدید هرچند از دور مطلوب و بالقوه به نظر می رسند، اما گاهی پیامدهای وحشتناکی دارند. جنگ های جهانی، تروریسم دولتی، تروریسم دولتی، نسل کشی و بی اخلاقی از ارمغان های مدرنیته اند یا حداقل در جهان مدرن با دست بازتری عمل می کنند.

یکی از انواع این ارمغان ها توزی ها هستند. توزی ها که به زبان ژاپنی هیکی کوموری خوانده می شوند، کسانی هستند که به طور کامل از جامعه خود بریده اند و در اتاق خود به یک فعالیت سرگرم کننده مثل بازی های رایانه ای مشغولند. این افراد به وسیله یک پدر نسبتا ثروتمند و پول ساز و یک مادر بیش از حد دلسوز پشتیبانی می شوند. از آنجا که اولین نسخه های بازی های ویدئویی تجاری در اوایل دهه ۱۹۸۰ در ژاپن همه گیر شدند، نسل اول توزی ها الان بین چهل تا پنجاه سال دارند.

توزی ها فاقد قدرت برقراری ارتباطات اجتماعی هستند و بنابراین ازدواج نمی کنند. آنها حتی در خانه خود هم کمتر تمایل دارند که با مهمانان نشست و برخاست کنند و بنابراین واقعا برای اطرافیان خود دردسر ایجاد می کنند. در حال حاضر تخمین زده می شود که بین ۲۰۰ هزار تا یک میلیون توزی تنها در ژاپن وجود داشته باشند. متاسفانه در ایران تحقیقی روی توزی ها انجام نشده و بخشی از این مشکل به دلیل دشواری پیدا کردن و ارتباط برقرار کردن با توزی هاست. به علاوه، توزی ها معمولا در شبکه های اجتماعی عضو نیستند و خانواده ها کمتر مایلند در مورد فرزند توزی خودشان صحبت کنند و این کار انجام این پژوهش ها را دشوار کرده است.

مصاحبه با منوچهر فرادیس، روزنامه نگار در کابل

تا چه حد نسبت به جامعه و فرهنگ ایران آشنایی دارید؟

به خوبی جامعه ایران را می‌شناسم. به هر حال ما به عنوان دوستداران تمدنی که در گذشته بین ما مشترک بوده و الان هم هست، نمی توانیم نسبت به ایران بی تفاوت باشیم. بنابراین، اخبار ایران را به دقت دنبال می‌کنیم و نویسندگان، سیاستمداران، و چهره های ایرانی را به خوبی می‌شناسیم. درصد قابل توجهی از مردم افغانستان در ایران زندگی کرده اند یا حداقل یک بار به ایران سفر کرده اند. با این‌که من تا به حال به ایران سفری نداشته ام، اما تقریبا ایران را به اندازه یک دانشجوی ایرانی می‌شناسم.

من فکر می‌کنم دو نگاه متفاوت در افغانستان نسبت به جامعه و فرهنگ ایران وجود دارد. قشر باسواد و تحصیل کرده افغانستان یا آنهایی که در جامعه ما فهیم هستند جامعه ایران برایشان جایگاه بلند و مردم ایران مردم با فرهنگ و متعصب، حساب می‌شوند. اما قشر بی‌سواد جامعه به ویژه آن هایی که در این 30 سال پسین به کشور ایران رفت و آمد داشته و کارگر بوده اند، خاطرات برخی بدرفتاری‌ها، توهین‌ها و نگاه های تحقیر آمیز از سوی برخی کارفرمایان ایرانی را در ذهن خود دارند. متاسفانه این طبقه نه از فرهنگ ایران چیزی یاد می‌کنند و نه علاقه مندی به آن دارند.

جامعه و فرهنگ ایران نزد مرد افغانستان چه جایگاهی دارد؟

شیعیان افغانستان و قشر عام آنان، محصولات رسانه‌ای ایران را نسبت به دیگر محصولات رسانه‌ای ترجیح می‌دهند و علاقه مندان جدی آن هستند. اما در کل، جامعه افغانستان تحت نفوذ سریال ها و فلم های تولید شده در کشور هندوستان است. حتی آنهایی که علاقه مند کار سینمایی در کشور هستند به تقلید موبه مو از سریال ها و فلم های هندی در کار های سینمایی خود می‌پردازند. البته بالا رفتن سطح تحصیلات و ارتقای ذائقه مخاطبان، چشم انداز پر امیدتری ایجاد کرده است.

در افغانستان صدها مجله و گاهنامه هم منتشر می‌شود. امروز تعداد قابل توجهی از جوانان افغانستان فرصت خوبی برای تحصیل پیدا کرده اند و بسیاری از آنها تحصیل کرده هستند و افغانستان چهره ای متفاوت از ۱۰ یا ۲۰ سال پیش دارد. جوانان افغان در این دوران ۱۵-۱۰ سال گذشته خوب تحصیل کرده اند و به مدارج خوبی هم ادامه مطلب . . .

Iranian Perspectives on Communication

D. Ray Heisey

By the recent years, several Iranian women have made films about Iran. Although they live in different countries outside Iran, they share similar social characteristics. All of these films also share recurring themes. I have recently seen three films: Circumstance by Maryam Keshavarz, Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi and My Tehran for Sale by Granaz Mousavi. There are some more similar female directors whom I don’t discuss in details here. Let us see first how these directors share same social characteristics and then review recurring themes in their movies emphasizing Circumstance.

Growing up in Bed of Roses. Actually, only a small portion of Iranian society can afford to pay for their children to study and live in a foreign country. Maryam Keshavarz, like Satrapi and Mousavi has grown up in a wealthy family. All of them rose up in educated families. And all of them are beautiful. This seems to be ridiculous to include these factors in an academic review. However, this is the very point. Because of their personal and social characteristics, they have been socialized in a way that they can hardly tolerate to be challenged. Also, not only their families, but also weak men frequently have made them sure that they are always right. These kinds of children are also taught that their needs and desires should immediately be met, no matter how it costs to others. When these children come to adulthood, something bitter starts to happen. There are some people out there who don’t have any intention to bend to their wills. Social norms are also disgusting, as they don’t know any boundary for their will. Therefore, they start challenging all social norms. And one important foundation of every society, is family. 

Misadnry. Because of their socio-economic status, these kinds of women have been in contact with a certain kind of men. These men are mostly selfish, dependent and weak. These are three characteristics that a woman hates most for her man to have. Rather than accepting the responsibility of managing the needs of a woman, these men need a mother to help them pull themselves together. Therefore, every woman who falls in love with such men, will pay a heavy emotional cost. And, if that woman has been raised in bed of roses and has been taught that her desires must be met immediately regardless of what it costs for others, these emotional consequences will be irremediable. Retries with other similar men will only exacerbate the situation. Moreover, men have manhood. Men are in their nature imperious. Our female directors have never tolerated any authoritative treatment. Men and their damn authoritative mood are at the same time tasty and disgusting. However, the latter is more sensible for our female directors. Therefore, these women hate every man in the world. Every man is understood as infidel, selfish, maniac and weak.

more . . .

Today I read the latest news about Gadhafi’s murder. However, this is too late for Libyan rebels as the treasure of Gadhafi is now in my custody! Some days ago, I got very interesting emails from a person who introduce herself as Sofia Gadhafi. In fact, this was a scam and I was aware of the nature of the project from the beginning. However, I reacted as if everything is OK for me and I wanted to cooperate in a money laundering project. I was curious how they want to finish it by deceiving me to transfer more than a thousand Dollars to a foreign bank. They were two. The first lady whom I will call Lady Nigeria was based in Nigeria and this was the person who contacted me at first place claiming she is Safia Gadhafi. The second lady, whom I will call Lady UAE, was based in UAE and claimed she was the lawyer of Safia Gadhafi. I talked to both of them over phone when I was supposedly in Turkey. Just follow the memo’s we sent each other. .

       A beautiful note by Mansoureh Sharifzadeh

These days more than 1.5 billion Moslems all over the world are celebrating the holy month of Ramadan that occurs in the ninth month of the Islamic Calendar. It is the 'feast of God' in which the host expects the voluntary guests to observe the fast and cut down from some of the worldly desires from dawn to dusk for 30 days. The host compels the guests to practice self –control and purify the soul through patience by abstinence from food to control appetite to recreate health once a year. Those who are invited to this feast are females above 9 and males older than 15 years old.

       In ancient times, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Galen, Paracelsus, and Hippocrates all believed in fasting as a form of therapy. Further on in the Bible, Moses, Elijah, Daniel and Jesus suggested fasting for the sake of spiritual purification by complete abstinence from food and drink as a means of communication with God even for one day in a year.  In the Bible it is mentioned: [Jesus warned his followers against fasting only to make others admire them. He provided practical steps on how to fast in private] (Mathew 6:16- 18).  Of course it is performed differently based on the New Testament.

       In some beliefs as Hinduism, Buddhism, Baha'i's  and others, the followers fast in one way or another. For instance Zoroastrians do that, by not eating meat on 4 certain days of each month and don't kill any animals during those days.

      Later on, the holy Qur'an which was revealed to Mohammad Peace Be Upon Him in Ramadan, mentions: [O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, in order that you attain piety. ] (Al-Baqarah/ Cow 2:183). 

      

     For Muslims, fasting is an act of faith to perform what is mandated by the Qur'an. In Ramadan, it is permitted to drink and eat from dusk to dawn. Quran reads: [And also Eat and drink until the white thread of the light of the dawn appears to you Distinct from the black thread of the night; then complete your fast till the night falls. And do not associate with your wives…..even Do not draw near, thought of violating them. Thus, does Allah Make His words of revelation clear to Mankind, detailed and well explained, so that they may become pious]. (Al-Baqarah / Cow 2:187).

     Muslims are recommended to study and interpret one of the 30 chapters of the holy Book of Qur'an every day in Ramadan to analysis the words of God and perform them in real life. In this way the whole book can be completed by the end of the 30 days of Ramadan. The goal is to purify our deeds and review the words of God to gain spiritual and physical upgrading.

       Ramadan is a time of contemplation.  The Muslims get up before dawn; eat a light morning meal based on their appetite. When the call of prayer is heard, eating must be stopped and a 16 hour of fast starts in hot summer days of Iran.

        In Iran during Ramadan the working hours are reduced and summer schools are usually closed to give more opportunity to the children to rest and avoid the long hot days. At the end of the day, people invite their friends and relatives to Iftar (Supper) and enjoy meeting each other while having their evening supper together. Many wealthy Iranians, set tables in the streets and host the people with foods at dusk. The state officials announce a decrease in criminal and violent actions in Ramadan. 

          In Ramadan, TV and Radio programs are produced to refresh, educate and entertain the audience. At nights, shows, serials and discussions are programmed on the 8 channels of the state TV. People can get together in the parks to enjoy the happy programs which are organized by different sectors as well.  Since Iran is a Muslim Shiit country and the martyrdom of the first Imam, Imam Ali (A) took place in this month, the last 10 days of Ramadan cannot be happy and the mourning ceremonies are held to cherish the anniversary of the event. It is necessary to mention that, observing the Islamic values and producing amusement for the people is not an easy task in this Islamic country, but is being done anyhow.

        As the Muslim calendar shifts every year, the month of Ramadan happens in different seasons and every 33 years reaches to its previous point. When Ramadan occurs in a season like summer with long days and hot weather, performing a 30 day ritual gets tougher. Islam gives complete freedom in this case, though. The sick and women are exceptions in some cases to avoid the harmful effects of the ritual. In trips, all people can break their fast, unless it takes more than 10 days. Those who break their fast as for what has been mentioned must pay atonement to the poor. And no one is permitted to break ones fast for no good reason.

     Although not eating and drinking for several hours may have risky results for some, extended fasting has been recommended as therapy for various conditions by health professionals of most cultures, throughout history, from ancient to modern.

      Ramadan ends with Eid-al-Fitr or the Festival of Fast-Breaking. On that day Muslims attend a community prayer in the morning and based on their affordability, give money to the charity organizations.

      Some of the targets of fasting in general are: focusing on our inner self , thinking about creation, respecting the creator of the whole universe. 'Fast' makes us start changes in 'ourselves' while pursuing God's commands.  The main objective of 'fast' is to give a chance to the individuals to cut from some of the earthly values for a while. Concentrating on the actions and communicating with God to discover the strengths and weaknesses of bodies and souls and finding out the depth of patience and tolerance is what one gets through this process.

      It is substantial that fasting is common in essential religions and some beliefs. This brings unity and harmony among different cultures. Although it is a big challenge but conveys the goal of creation which is nothing but correcting our own behavior to create peace and love in a better world. By concentrating on one's own actions a better universe can be shaped with the help of God's Commands.  Let's pray for peace and unity in any communication among different cultures and ideas of the world. Amen

Today I was informed that D. Ray Heisey, one of my dearest friends passed away. Ray Heisey was a wonderful person in my life. I never met him in person and I was just planning to visit him during a conference in Pennsylvania this October. Most of our communication was through email correspondence but on some occasions, we sent parcels through mail services. Overall, we bandied thousands of emails during our five years of friendship and collaborations.

Our first contact goes back to five years ago and when my paper had been accepted for presentation in a conference in U.S. Professor Heisey emailed me then and asked if I am planning to attend. My answer was negative given the hard procedure of getting a U.S visa for Iranian citizens. However, our communication continued and we together done some important projects. The first one was “The cross-cultural schemata of Iranian-American people toward each other: A qualitative approach.” It was published in journal of Intercultural Communication Studies and is acknowledge as a main contribution in theory of cultural schemata. We also presented this paper in conferences in U.S., China and Iran. My second project with professor Heisey was “Iranians, Americans, Beyond the Media Construct.” In this project Goudarz Mirani joined us. This paper was presented in Netherlands and U.S. and now has been accepted for publication in Journal of Intercultural Communication. Our third common project was “A Comparative Rhetorical Analysis of the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso.” In this study we worked with Danielle Fisher from Hiram College. This paper was presented in U.S. by Danielle but when I went to China to present the paper the Chinese security services banned its presentation and delimited my communication with other delegations. This paper is being reviewed by Sage Open for publication. I am also honored to be professor Heisey’s consultant on many other projects.

During this period, I was benefited deeply from professor Heisey. He taught me many things. Professor Heisey also helped me to join International Academy for Intercultural Research and paid my dues. He also introduced me to Dan Landis to be the reviewer of International Journal of Intercultural Relations which in my opinion is the best in the world. Nevertheless, the real reason I loved professor Heisey was in his personality. A kind, positive thinking and hardworking Emeritus Professor will capture every heart. May God bless you my friend.

Tue, November 18, 2008 5:56:54 AM

My report of the Conference

From:	D. Ray Heisey rheisey@kent.edu
To:	ehsanshaghasemi@yahoo.com

The conference was good. I think I heard that there were about 140 in attendance. They were on the program from Norway, Thailand, Japan, China, Australia, Canada, U.S., U.K., Malaysia, France, Mexico, Taiwan, Brazil, Russia, Ukraine. For our presentation, I explained that you were not able to come but that you sent a video of the Iran results, which I played for them. They really enjoyed seeing and hearing you in the video.It came through very well. I had taken along my own speakers because they could not guarantee they would have any in our room. They did have a computer and a projector to show it on the big screen. I had put your video on my memory stick so they downloaded it onto their computer.

They were very interested in our study and some of the questions were, "Did you provide the categories of the positive and negative responses?"  I answered that we took them from the language of the respondents. Another response from the audience was from a scholar from Norway who said she thinks that the Norwegians would have had similar perceptions on the negative side as the Iranians did toward Americans. Another question was what were your reactions to the American perceptions of the Iranians? I answered that you were not surprised and that you understood them and then I shared from your paragraph about the Iranian views toward the American presidential election. I also showed them the cartoon and read to them your reaction to the cartoon which they really enjoyed. I read some sample responses from both the Iranian and American students in the positive and negative categories. There wasn't enough time of course to read the whole paper. I told them how the project got started by your proposing the research questions for this cross-cultural study. I think the result they were most interested in was the positive nature of the Iranian response toward the Americans, and how distorted and unreal the American response was toward the Iranians. The audience members thought some of those responses were terrible that the American students had.

I have now presented our study showing either a video of you or your photo at three occasions--the Hiram presentation, the conference presentation, and they asked me to share the results of our study at our church Adult Dialogue class. It had been announced in the local paper so they knew about this study I had done with an Iranian colleague and they asked me to present it to them. There was a report in the Hiram college student newspaper about the presentation at the college that I will try to locate on their website and send to you.   

Well, this is enough for now. It gives a little picture of how it went.

Your friend,

Ray

Because of unprecedented facilities new media provide for their users, cyber-utopianism has been a rampant view among many academicians. This optimism about the effects of the new media is not directed to a singly feature of the new media. In fact, as there is not a single agent affecting the human’s life, in this view the different aspects of life is perceived to be affected positively by what these new media give their users.

 Much is made of the democratizing effect of ICTs in e-government (Lor & Britz, 2007). Scolari (2009: 956-957) goes to the point in which he fearlessly claims “weblogs are founded on the free distribution of information. Wikis empower user modification and distribution of digital texts. Even if traditional broadcasting is still the core activity of media systems, the combination of open source philosophy and many-to-many distribution is introducing changes that are transforming the foundations of established mass communication production logic.”

Many feminist scholars appreciate the WWW and other new facilities as well. Sadie Plant (1996) offers perhaps the most prominent and optimistic cyberfeminist visions. Women, computers, virtual reality, and cyberspace, she argues, “are linked together in dispersed, distributed connections—the matrix, which, because of its inherent feminine character, will emerge as the new society that will destroy patriarchy” (Lagesen, 2008: 7).

Halpin (1999: 351) asserts “human rights organizations have been quick to adopt the Internet and it is having a great number of impacts upon their work, creating change, providing new means of campaigning and challenging abuses of human rights.” Chalaby (2000: 19) takes a historical view to say “the nascent book was involved in the struggle for religious freedom in the 15^th and 16^th centuries, the public press was engaged in the struggle for political freedom in the 17^th and 18^th centuries, and today’s new media are, in turn, used as vehicles for the advocacy and promotion of new rights.”

Pruijt (2002) focuses on the social capabilities of the networks and appreciates the new media because “Social capital is the spirit of the Internet and also the direction in which its equalizing potentials can be found. It results in an internal drive to chip away at the digital divide. This is an explanation for the Internet’s unprecedented worldwide growth rate. Getting connected means getting access to a stock of social capital. The value of this stock multiplies (exponentially) with the number of participants. At the same time, the ethical formula of the Internet requires participating organizations to help other organizations connect” (p. 113).

Many political scientists, media researchers and other scholars, as well as political activists, believe that this new medium has the potential to fundamentally change societal communication and that, in a nutshell, internet communication makes a better public sphere than have the old mass media These hopes draw heavily on the participatory model’s understanding of ‘good’ public debates (Gerhards & Schafer, 2010: 145). Therefore, proponents of cyberspace promise that online discourse will increase political participation and pave the way for a democratic utopia. According to them, the alleged decline of the public sphere lamented by academics, politicos, and several members of the public will be halted by the democratizing effects of the internet and its surrounding technologies (Papacharissi, 2002). Therefore, celebratory rhetoric on the advantages of the internet as a public sphere focuses on the fact that it affords a place for personal expression (Jones, 1997). Others suggest that the Internet engages citizens in everything “from challenging dominant discourse to cyberdissent and, therefore, allows individuals to fully engage on a broad range of social and political issues” (Rohlinger & Brown, 2009: 133).