%0 Journal Article
%T Ayatollah Khomeini: The changing face of Islam
%A Rob Leurs
%J Estudos em Comunica£¿£¿o
%D 2012
%I Universidade da Beira Interior
%X In cultural studies discourse theory is often used. Remarkably, the politically oriented work of Laclau & Mouffe has hardly been used whilst it is extremely useful for researching culture: Laclau & Mouffe can indeed be helpful to research media, conflict, and identity (politics).Their discourse theory (and that of others) can be seen as a ¡®toolbox¡¯ that can be combined with qualitative research methods. I agree with the concept of the ¡®toolbox¡¯ but argue that the complexity of combining Laclau & Mouffe with other research methods and theories within cultural studies requires the formulation of the conditions under which this is possible. I shall discuss these conditions andexpand on the relationship between Laclau and Mouffe and cultural studies research. I do so by analysing the representation of Ayatollah Khomeini in Western television news from 1978 through 1989.In Western eyes Khomeini is a powerful even threatening individual: in his rational treatment he appears to have control of irrationality (in the form of ¡®irrational¡¯ masses). And irrationality is somethingthat in Western culture is experienced as very threatening. Khomeini has, in Western perspective, the power over threatening irrationality. And that makes him all the more terrifying: he is represented as an ¡¯antagonist¡¯ of great proportion because he is able to both unleash and master the irrational.
%K Ayatollah Khomeini
%K Chantalle Mouffe
%K cultural studies
%K discourse theory
%K Ernesto Laclau
%K media studies.
%U http://www.ec.ubi.pt/ec/12/pdf/EC12-2012Dez-2.pdf