Media and Uncertainty| In One Hand, a Camera, and in the Other, a Gun: State Adoption of Visual Activist Strategies for Narrative Legitimacy

Authors

  • Anat Leshnick University of Colorado Boulder

Keywords:

Israel, IDF, Documentary-Combat squad, platforms, state power, images, social media, narratives, ontological security, activist strategies

Abstract

This article examines how states adopt visual activist strategies to promote and legitimize their own narratives in today’s digital environment. Specifically, it tackles the work of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Documentary-Combat squad, a new unit that trains soldiers in strategic image-making. Based on a qualitative analysis of ten interviews with former members of this squad, this article contends that the IDF uses social media as a key platform to circulate its images to maintain its sense of ontological security.

Author Biography

Anat Leshnick, University of Colorado Boulder

Anat Leshnick is a PhD student in Media Studies at the University of ColoradoBoulder. Her research explores states' use of visual materials in context of evolving media technologies. She holds an MA inCommunication Studies from the University of Haifa and a BA in Communication Studies from Sapir Academic College. 

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Published

2022-08-11

Issue

Vol. 16 (2022)

Section

Special Sections

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