Bollywood and Terrorism

I recently watched “A Wednesday”, a Bollywood thriller, starring Anupam Kher and Naseeruddin Shah - indisputably among the finest actors in Hindi cinema today. They were the protagonist and antagonist respectively, dealing with one issue which Bollywood; which in my opinion has been handled rather openly and directly: terrorism.
While it is true that terrorism, violence do not make for good dinner table conversation, and people watch cinema for entertainment and to switch off from their daily worries , it is also true that cinema as a medium is extremely powerful and can be used to effect change and bring about a change in people’s perceptions. Bollywood, I believe is coming of age.
In contrast, I will argue that Hollywood has failed in this regard. There are too many stereotypes, clichéd arguments and portrayals of the “other” – that is to say anyone non-western or American as evil. At the outset, I must also admit that I am no authority on cinema – but I am surely a film buff. I have grown up around a lot of theatre, cinema and have spent a lot of time around people who work in the medium and promote it.
Coming back to Bollywood, despite the fact that there is an overdose of emotions and of course the typical masala formula of song and dance; most of the movies I have seen dealing with this rather heavy subject, do a decent job.
My name is Khan is another recent film that comes to mind –which touches upon issues of terrorism, loss, grief, Love and higher emotions. The Shahrukh Khan starrer is about a mentally challenged Muslim boy who grows up to face inordinate challenges of both identity as well as personal adjustments – and overcomes them through sheer determination and passion for life.
Right from the days of “Dil se”, a 1998 film, starring Shahrukh Khan and Manisha Koirala; which is about terrorism in the North East part of India, which to date remains involved in cessasionist violence. It was part of Mani Ratnam’s trilogy on terrorism and human relationships (the other two films being Roja and Bombay).
Indian parallel cinema, which incidentally also has a good following, as compared to “mainstream” cinema continues to make powerful statements about contemporary social issues.
A more nuanced approach needed ?
There is for sure an awareness of the complexities of the origins of terrorism, as well as the human element of where a terrorist comes from. This can be considered a sign of maturity of the industry, as well as a good deal of understanding of the issue of terrorism itself ? This is not to clear Bollywood of all blame and give it a clean chit.
There is stereotyping going on in Bollywood too– right through the 80s’ and 90s’ – with the Sherwani wearing, pan chewing Muslim man and the Burqa clad Muslim woman, as if these were the only realms of possibilities in the Muslim world. Almost always, terrorism is associated with Muslims in mainstream cinema.
If there is one thing that can be said about Bollywood’s treatment of the issue of terrorism it is this : the industry is not shy to tackle it head on. There is no ambivalence and beating around the bush. While the western media, and Hollywood in particular still relies on blatant stereotypes and use of worn out formulas to make blockbusters (the same can also be said about Bollywood to some extent), some actors and directors seem to be making a conscious effort to address this issue with all the honesty they can muster- and are succeeding fairly well at this.
This intellectual honesty and directness, I believe, will produce more original and cutting-edge cinema, which hopefully will have some social impact in the years to come.

Media and grassroots advocacy

In our class on International and non-profit management at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, a few weeks ago, we discussed the case of Greenpeace and its efforts to stop the dumping of used batteries in Argentina. Greenpeace’s efforts to creatively manage media to send out messages about global warming, climate change and environment conservation are legendary.

It is interesting to note that the group garnered enough media support and sufficient grassroots mobilization to ensure that there would be a new National Law on Management of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment.

This is a classic case of use of traditional media, social media as well as the internet to pressure the companies in question to get the results that Greenpeace wanted. One must remember that limited budgets, need for on the feet and smart thinking is what differentiates work for grass roots organizations from large corporate or even the government. Strategic communications, in my experience, takes on a whole new meaning. It can be akin to guerilla warfare in many ways.
I believe media and especially strategic media communications (Social media, Public Relations included) can help grass root organizations in the following five ways:
1. Help build credibility
2. Cheap and ( at times) free publicity which is essential for a grass roots organization, which may not have big marketing budgets
3. Build stakeholder confidence
4. Keep the issue(s) alive and energize the staff
5. Create an ongoing dialogue with all stakeholders involved and ensure that there is adequate feedback
My most successful campaign working at Ogilvy Public Relations, India was for our client Apollo Hospitals, the largest healthcare services provider in India. I ideated several campaigns during my stint there (between the years 2007-08), one of which one two global awards for its social marketing (Clio and Abby). I was able to bring in several grassroots organizations, including a local theatre group to put up a film festival on international women’s day to get focus on women’s health issues.
Additionally, during my work at Centre for Civil Society, a think-tank based in New Delhi in 2003, we used media rather effectively to ensure that our ideas were spread and the advocacy work received the kind of ink-space that we felt would guarantee some action in the areas we were advocating for. I believe that the work that we did for our Education campaign is significant in terms of media usage. The School choice campaign has had a very significant impact and the state governments in North India have adopted various measures that we advocated.
The work for both these organizations involved building credibility for the causes – that is healthcare issues and education for all – involving local organizations and people. We also partnered with local celebrities in giving joint press statements during certain important events as well as helping spread the right messages about critical healthcare and other issues.
The tools that we relied mostly were very cost-effective – including media relations, partnerships with other organizations etc. keeping our costs low. One such example I can think of is organizing a free Asthma screening camp for the local traffic police of Bangalore city by Apollo Hospitals. This idea originated from our end and was championed by the Hospital, as it made sense for them to do it as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives.
Both the CCS and Apollo Hospital cases involved building greater confidence in the stake-holders and also greater involvement of all parties involved. We also managed to create an ongoing dialogue with all stakeholders involved and ensure that there is adequate feedback

Media, as we have come to accept, has assumed a dominant role in our lives; and there is enough proof to say that this will only continue to grow in the years and decades to come.

The Arab revolutions, which are ongoing as of today, are an example of grass-roots organizations, which came together, organized and spread information about demonstrations and overthrew decades old dictatorships. Social media in particular have been very effective in these revolutions.

All in all, one cannot deny that media and activism are coming together like never before in this generation –which is empowered with Facebook, Twitter and other social media. While there is enormous potential to use this to educate, engage and build stakeholder value, there is also the danger of not using it at all or at worst ignoring these tools. It is the choices that we, as communications professionals make, that will determine the success of our organizations.

Who is worse : The monster or the people who helped in its creation ?

Blame Greg Mortenson or the media ?

I am upset, angry and saddened to learn about Greg Mortenson and the revelation that he has been swindling away money from innocent people all over the world – in the name of building schools for poor Afghani, Pakistani children. While at one level, he is to be blamed entirely for what he did, at a more nuanced level, isn’t the media to be blamed too ? How ? You may ask.
Well, for starters, why did it take all these years for the media to wake up to the reality that the funds were being mis-used. Anyone with basic investigative skills ( in particular those whose job it is to follow and write about non-profits) should have been able to locate the financial statements of the Central Asia Institute and report any irregularities they may have noticed. They could have, and ideally should have done this due-diligence and fact checking. If we do it in cases involving domestic issues, why not with a charity which is claiming to be educating thousands of children. Simple isn’t it ?
Well, it turns out it is not all so simple.
Media, as we know and are seeing on a daily basis, tends to be a victim of groupthink . Iraq war, War in Afghanistan are just two examples of the media falling all over themselves to reproduce every word that came out of the State department. There were exceptions to the rule for sure, but for the most part, media has become a tool of manipulation by those in power. Groupthink dominates discussions at times, and the most dominant idea or meme perpetuates, sometimes without being questioned. It takes someone like 60 minutes to stop, look hard and eventually find out the truth. Until this happens, all the media play along with what is convenient and seems easy to follow - just like sheep.
A victim of its times ?
One of the reasons I chose not to pursue journalism in India, when I had to make a career choice is the direction that the field was ( and is ) taking. There seems to be a huge influence of the corporate sector and the government, in any mature media market. India, USA are but two examples. “Independent media” is a term which has become fashionable. The very word is a contradiction of sorts. Why should they even call a media publication, while by its very nature it is supposed to be independent, non-partisan and free to publish what it wants ? Makes sense ?
Media today is a victim of what I would call the “celebrity syndrome”. The media ( just like all of us are) is desperately searching for heroes. Simply because we live in such cynical times, where most of us cannot think beyond our own selves, when someone like Greg Mortenson comes along, who claims to have climbed hills, survived harsh conditions and shows idealism, we grab him with both hands and don’t let him go.
We want a piece of him, his idealism and all that he stands for – because he represents what is noble, lasting and real in us.
Alas, he seems to have mis-used this trust, and the media seems to have gone overboard in just showing what a hero he claimed to be he is, thus creating a monster.
Can we draw any lessons from this ? Perhaps yes. Here are a few :
1. Media should do some fact-checking and we should also demand this of them, and not just blindly consume information
2. We should all question everything we read in the media and especially if a story is too good to be true
3. Stay away from hyperbole. At least, I am increasingly becoming wary of people who indulge in it.
4. More fact-checking, careful analysis, transparency are needed and also avoiding the tendency to hero worship
5. On a cynical note, I think we should all learn some budgeting and financial analysis – at least we can learn to read financial statements and see who really paid for that private jet flight.

At the same time, there should not be cynicism. This incident or any other should not stop us from giving to worthy causes or individuals. What we can draw from this is the need to be vigilant and caring at the same time.. Being one without the other can be devastating.

Inventing a new language to talk about Israel-Palestine issue

The J-street conference on Middle East peace titled, "Giving voice to our values" ended yesterday. As someone who is researching the issue of Israel-Palestine issue, I was amazed at the variety of voices that spoke out almost unanimously to solve this decades old issue.

As I traveled from Columbia, Maryland from my uncle's home to Washington DC, several questions popped up in my head. My aunt, who is a bit skeptical about anything to do with the word "Jew" in it asked me quite blutly "Why are you hanging out with those people ". I was quite taken aback with this question, and tried my best, to respond, as politically correctly as possible. "Well, we need to talk to everyone, especially with those you disagree with", i pointed out to her. "And besides, you make peace only with your enemies, not your friends". She wasnt convinced. And this was the line of thinking of someone who had worked with a Jewish boss for over 12 years and she herself described her relationship with him as "superb". What could is say ? At least, my cousin sister and brother did not share her opinion. Nor did many of my Muslim friends and relatives, who knew that the only way to resolve this issue is to take the leap of faith, believe that there is genuine intent to solve the problem and move on with life.

The belief that the status-quo is not sustainable is slowly spreading. Even Israel is waking up to this reality and if the Arab revolutions taking place across the Arab region are any indication, this will for ever change the nature of politics in the region. The Israelis are aware of this too.

As Mona Eltahawy, the well known blogger and media commentator pointed out, one cannot rule out another mass uprising in the Arab world for the Palestinians. And this time, it may be about the dignity of the people who have been enslaved in Gaza and treated as second class citizens. Demographic imbalance cannot be used as an excuse to mis-treat Palestinians, she added.

The discussions, both from those working with the Obama administration, as represented by Ambassador Dennis Ross, who spoke on the last day, as well as those such as Roger Cohen, Columnist for NYT, pointed out the need for movement on this issue. Everyone agreed that the time has come to solve this issue, once and for all.

When the conference finished and i headed home, i stopped by a friend's home for a quick chat. My former class-mate from graduate school, Steph, a reformed Jew, who believed that J-street was just a propaganda machine, which was not sincere in its claims, and was just a pro-Israeli organisation. This cynicism is also a part of the equation. Cynicism that Israel is not sincere, which is partly true. Cynicism that nothing will ever come out of the situation, and there is no chance for peace to succeed.

While i am still trying to grapple with these issues myself, i do believe that there is a peaceful solution to this issue. I tried to explain that just because J-street was pro-Israeli did not make it evil. I believe they have a nuanced position on many issues, and i believe they are progressive, authentic and sincere in what they say. There is sense in pushing these progressive, left leaning organisations and offering them support, in spirit and otherwise.

With elections coming up in September in Palestine, and the need for reform becoming a war-cry in the region, those who could not deliver cannot stay in power for longer. It is definitely the time for change, it seems.

One could sense the energy in the air, with thousands of pro-peace activists exchanging ideas, opinion as well as arguing with each other about the manner in which peace can be brought to the region.

While the larger questions remain up in the air, and who will win the battle for ideas will be determined in a few months or perhaps years; No matter who wins, one can only hope that sanity and peace prevails. As far as i can see, there is no other alternative to peaceful co-existence.

Responsiveness and good leadership, governance

I woke up very early this morning, unable to sleep. Too many thoughts were battling for attention, and I couldn’t shut them off. With barely 5 hours of sleep, I was still sleepy. But I dragged myself out of bed, not wanting to waste time, and instead decided to start my day. Nice and early. I logged into my mailbox and also typed in a few news sites into my browser to access the latest information about the happenings in Egypt.

A mail in my inbox and what I read and heard on several websites taught me my lesson for the day( or month or year) : Listening and responding to what people say is not just good manners, but also critical for good leadership and governance.
The mail I referred to was from Miles Young, the global CEO of Ogilvy Group, the global communications firm, with over 500 offices across the world, of which I was a part in India. Though I left the agency to move to work , I have been in touch with several people from the old office, as well as a few from across the world. The company prides in being a creative hot shop as well as a flat agency, where ideas flow seamlessly and the best ones rise to be implemented. “We are not in the creative business, but that of talent”, says Mr Young’s statement on the website. And having worked at the agency, I can attest to the integrity of that statement. It is not PR speak. That is the truth as it plays out ( well almost) most of the times in the agency. At least the bench-mark and principle is set. This is a company which “listens” to its employees. And responds to the demands. And this mechanism I believe has brought it to the position that it is in today.

Lets look at what is happening in Egypt today. While hundreds and thousands (possibly millions) crowd the streets of Cairo, protesting the overthrow of a leader who is not listening to the demands of the youth -Middle East Youth initiative estimates that unemployment is at staggering heights in Egypt, at around 19% and youth are not able to reach “adulthood”, meaning having the ability to move out of parents home and start families etc. because of purely economic reasons. The government of Mr Mubarak clearly is not responding to this call, and has failed in all the time that it has been in power ( 30 years is a long time to shape a country in a direction that the leaders want to ). If one were to measure the impact of USA’s financial aid to Egypt over the years, clearly the billions of dollars have not had a significant impact on the outcomes that were intended.

The ability of the government to take feedback, modify policies and reflect the public sentiment is in essence the spirit of democracy. In a liberal political set-up this also points to a healthy situation. In this respect, businesses and responsive governments which are successful are similar. One can also extrapolate this philosophy to leadership style and say that a good leader is one who listens, responds and reasons with the people who he / she governs. A leader who is incapable of doing this is not fit to be in this position, and is replaced, sooner than later. Repression, authoritarianism ( both in a political as well as corporate) scenario may last for a while, but ultimately, both market dynamics as well as political calculations will weed out the “inefficient” leader.

Even from this perspective, Mr Mubarak has failed as a leader.
And Mr Miles, thank you for that email. It not only made my day, but also perhaps taught me an important lesson in leadership today.

Call for papers - post-disaster recovery conference 4/15 at Maxwell School of Syracuse Uni

Conference on Post-disaster Recovery
Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs,
Syracuse University
CALL FOR PAPERS
SUBMISSION DEADLINE: FEB 28, 2011

The South Asia Center of the Moynihan Institute at Maxwell School is hosting the first Annual Conference on post-disaster recovery to bring into focus the recent disasters that have wreaked havoc in many parts of the world—the southern US, Haiti, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, among others. The conference is scheduled to be held April 15,2011 at Maxwell School.
Through this one day conference, we hope to bring together scholars and practioners of post-disaster recovery to elucidate the commonalities and differences among these events and how we can best plan for and mitigate the effects of these devastating events.

We have selected four overarching themes for the one day conference and invite papers that address these themes:
1. Climate change and disasters
2. Role of faith based organizations and NGOs in post-disaster recovery
3. Role of advocacy, media in post-disaster recovery
4. Post-disaster recovery and humanitarian assistance
Paper guidelines/ criteria:
- Deadline : Abstracts should be submitted by February 28, 2011 as a Microsoft Word document (.doc or .docx). Email them to Emera at elbridge@maxwell.syr.edu. Please include your name and affiliation. The abstract should not exceed 250 words.
- Length and format : Policy papers not to exceed 25 pages. You are encouraged to present posters too
For further information please contact :
Emera Bridger Wilson, Outreach coordinator, South Asia Center : elbridge@maxwell.syr.edu and Sabith Khan, graduate student, Maxwell School : skhan02@syr.edu

"The new vision is of trans-pacific and not trans-atlantic"

Blake affirms Obama administration’s commitment to Indo-US strategic partnership

1/25/2011
Syracuse, NY: Speaking at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, Syracuse University, Assistant Secretary of State, Robert O. Blake affirmed the Obama Administration’s commitment to the US-Strategic partnership, which was strengthened by the president’s recent three day visit to India last November. He used the presidents’ words to describe the unique partnership as the “most important one for the US in the 21st century”. Shared values of pluralism, democratic processes, belief in human rights and economic progress are what will help us work together, he added.
He also spoke of the Maxwell School’s connection with India, with the then Dean Appleby making a visit to India and preparing the “Survey of India” in the 1950s’, which led to the establishment of the Indian Institute of Public Administration.
“We believe India is our most important partner both in terms of trade, as well as our regional interests in Asia. Areas of technology, clean energy, Information Technology, healthcare, Human resources and Space exploration were discussed during the Strategic dialogue that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has initiated with the Indian government. We are committed to ensuring that India reaches where it has to, and in it lies the best interest of the USA”, he pointed out.
He also pointed out that India is the rising star of the region, with its GDP being 10 times what it was in 1990, when it liberalized its economy. It is the 14th largest trade partner with the USA, and we have very good reasons to believe that this partnership will only grow in the future, despite challenges. He also fended questions from the audience about security issues, conflicting interests with India and Pakistan and terrorism etc.
Earlier in the day he spent time with graduate students and talked about his experiences as a foreign service officer and shared tips about possible career opportunities.

Key points from his speech :

- The relationship between India-US is one of the most important one in the 21st century from the US perspective.

- The fact that both countries are democracies and economies which are significant on the world stage makes this partnership important

- The strategic dialogue initiated by Secy. of state Hillary Clinton has created a momentum that is both positive and forward looking. There is a need to build on it and India sees the benefit of working to make this happen

- President Obama's visit to India in November shifted gears in terms of our relationship with India, into one of the most important ally in the region

- Tapping areas of common interest and mutual benefit is what will help both countries.

- We signed a few MoUs' with firms and also government entities in India during president Obama's visit.

- We have also facilitated the trade and technology transfer between India-USA, and we will see greater business and other transactions between the US and India