"Media, Religion, and Politics in the Age of Globalization" ---three very complex, interrelated phenomenon, the intersections of which present interesting challenges on the world stage articulated by three graduate student scholars whose work appears in this section of the Journal. Can humor, in the form of comics, find a place in the dialogue about faith if representation defies religious edict? Does the fact that media can print what they want, in the interest of fair comment, necessarily mean they should?

This issue’s invited essay, "The Danish Cartoon Controversy: Globalized Spaces and Universalizing Impulses" is by Tarik Ahmed Elseewi. This provocative personal reflection was motivated by a question an American peer posed to Ahmed Elseewi: "What are you people doing over there rioting over a stupid cartoon?" YOU people, over THERE, and the implied just a "STUPID cartoon" prompted the author to explore the power in this question, the connotative meanings behind the words, and creatively connect this to Castells’ (2004) concepts of European/Western discursive practices that conflate the Muslim faith with radicalism and danger. Therefore, Ahmed Elseewi asks: "what does the cartoon crisis tell us about how Western cultures are reacting to manifestations of a different kind of space, a space that can be at once local and global?" The answer is intriguing and important in wrestling with past and present issues of identity construction, projection, and personalization of politics and religion in this age of globalization.

Creativity, ambition, and import characterize the other papers in this issue’s referred articles, as well as invite reflection for future research. Assem Nasr’s "Historical Perspective on Fundamentalist Media: The Case of Al-Manar Television," brings to light important information on the historical settings that gave rise to Lebanese media, the implication of Western imperialist values in media, and the implications of the counter-hegemonic tool for Hezbollah and its supporters. In a culture that regards itself as a victim of Western hegemonic influence, this analysis is ethically and intellectually critical.

Last, but by no means least, is Jae Kook Lee’s and Jeong Jaekwan’s innovative look at "The WMD coverage of blogs and mainstream media: A comparison of two media types." In this study, the authors conduct a comparative analysis of coverage of Iranian and North Korean weapons of mass destruction (WMD) on blogs and in mainstream media examining how each covers international news on this subject. Interestingly, despite blogs potential for disruption and resistance of dominant discourse, the findings suggest that despite newness, openness and freedom from many of the restraints of mainstream media, the coverage is very similar. Why might this be so? Many blogs rely on mainstream media for international news content because of the expense, difficulty of access, and other logistical challenges to the collection of this kind of information in a medium that seemingly should be bolder and riskier in approach. This presents interesting questions and opportunities for future research into new media.

Debra Merskin

Graduate Student Submission Editor

GMJ, Fall 2007