6 - Human Rights Modes and Media

Summary

This chapter explores the role that various media play in the developmnent of human rights discourses. It pays particular attention to the dependency of humanitarian initiative on media exposure, and the construction of specific cases of human rights abuses as sufficiently deserving of relief, or otherwise. The author argues that the role that the media play goes beyond mere carriers of information and ideology. They are fundamental in creating the imagery of suffering, and its generative association with care and relief. Within limited news cycles, they also have to deal with “compassion fatigue”; and the chapter closes with a description of how human rights advocates negotiate with these issues as they seek to bring attention to violations.