Product Description

David Perlmutter examines concerns over the interplay of pictures in the press, elite decision-making and public opinion on foreign policy. His focus is on certain celebrated, indelible images that, it is said, sum up famous events, provoke moral outrage, mobilize public opinion, and spur government action: the icons of outrage. Discourse elites thrust greatness upon such images as well as frame their meaning and interpretation. The public only plays a marginal role in making icons; ordinary readers and viewers are, however, often resistant or indifferent to elite interpretation and pretensions of "outrage." To explore these ideas, Professor Perlmutter offers a series of case studies in crises in American foreign policy and the images that came to define and affect them: the Tet offensive in 1968, the Tiananmen events of 1989, and the Somalia intervention of 1992-1994. In each case, icons became sites of political struggle and argumentation, tools of policy rather than masters of it. Actual effects on public opinion are rarely found. Presidents, diplomats, pundits, and journalists, when confronting news images, apply a first person effect, projecting onto "all of America" or even "the whole world" their personal reaction to an icon. As Perlmutter shows, the influence of icons of outrage lies in their ability to focus debate, not in any power of visual determinism. He concludes that rather than worrying about how pictures affect policy, more attention should be paid to how politicians manage, frame, and "spin" images to win support for policies. A provocative study for students, scholars, and the public concerned with visual communication, the mass media, and current international affairs.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1049703 in Books
• Published on: 1998-10-30
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 192 pages

Review
“The case study approach Perlmutter uses can have a profound effect on those who ready his research....Be prepared to be challenged.”–Visual Communication Quarterly

“This is an important, fascinating book and one anyone concerned about media influences absolutely must read!”–Phi Beta Kappan

“David Perlmutter has written a fine book about the impact of powerful photographs, and he comes away with some not-so-obvious conclusions....It is clear, simple and direct, a model for scholarly work. His solid writing and his clear sense of subordination demonstrate that academic work need not be stuffy or pretentious.”–ICB

“You may get mad at his central thesis, but you should read this book and applaud the author because it will cause more people to seriously think about the power of photographs and video....By challenging commonly held assumptions, he has done photojournalsim a service and created many research opportunities for communications scholars.”–News Photographer

“David Perlmutter has written a fine book about the impact of powerful photographs, and he comes away with some not-so-obvious conclusions....Perlmutter's writing: It is clear, simple and direct, a model for scholarly work. His solid writing and his clear sense of subordination demonstrate that academic work need not be stuffy or pretentious.”–ICB

“This is an important, fascinating book, and one that anybody concerned about media influences absolutely must read.”–The Key Reporter

Review
"To bring in pictures into foreign policy consideration in international crises is to add a powerful dimension to the often neglected interplay between news and decision making at the national level. Perlmutter's work is original, penetrating, and to some extent provocative." - Tsan-Kuo Chang Associate Professor School of Journalism and Mass Communication University of Minnesota--Twin Cities

About the Author
DAVID D. PERLMUTTER is Associate Professor at Louisiana State University's Manship School of Mass Communication and Senior Associate for Research and Grants at the Kevin P. Reilly, Sr. Center for Media and Public Affairs.