NDM: Marxism, Pluralism and Hegemony

1) Research the Ian Tomlinson case. What would the traditional, hegemonic view of the police be in a case like this? How did new and digital media create a different story? What does the police officer's subsequent acquittal suggest about the power of new and digital media?

The traditional, hegemonic view of the police would be that they have more dominance over the public and people of the community. In particular, this dominance has recently suggested in the news to be violent and aggressive amongst the African-American community. Ian Tomlinson's case was one that could have perhaps changed these traditional, hegemonic views about the Police, as they started to think the police shouldn't have this much dominance over the public, as they are using it for an excuse when there is a accidental killing or using it to their advantage. New and digital media has helped create a different story as it was in highly in favour of the policing force, when projected on news channels, however, due to a higher amount of user-generated content and access for public on sites like Twitter, that can connect the world and create a Global Village, many other views and values came into consideration.

However, it was said that these social networking sites, are equally causes of major historical issues like the 'Arab Spring', causing the revolutions in countries like Tunisia, Egypt and Libya. Politically, then, the internet has given the people a potentially powerful tool to communicate with each other, and so to challenge their rulers. However, as governments can exert a large degree of control over the internet, ‘We Media’ on its own is not sufficiently strong to allow ‘people power’ to succeed.

2) What does the author argue regarding whether hegemony is being challenged by Web 2.0? 

Web 2.0 is essentially a medium allowing audiences to become producers of media texts. On one hand, the use of user generated content, and lack of gate keeping, has been said to 'democratises the media'. Some observers believe this is one cause leading to 'dumbing down' and 'the cult of the amateur'. This is beneficial as thousands of members from the general public are able to use these mediums if they are co-producers and is especially lower in cost. Without the Web 2.0, it was very unlikely that the case of Ian Tomlinson would have made it to court.

3) In your opinion, does new and digital media reinforce dominant hegemonic views or give the audience a platform to challenge them?

In my view, I think new and digital media, in particular, Twitter, can give the audience a platform to challenge them. People using sites like Twitter are mainly members of the general public, some of which are the oppressed, which gives them a great way to express their feelings towards the elite in society, and almost target them through social media. Understandably, hegemonic views are also prominent through new and digital media, for example, through the Twitter accounts of the elite, and the opinion leaders, as they can use their power to grab the attention of members of the public, further reinforcing their hegemonic views.