Comics and Comedy: Innovating U.S.-Muslim World Diplomacy

As Sergio Vieira de Mello could attest, diplomacy is hard. Any point of common understanding can be crucial to making progress. In no relationship is this more true than in the United States' efforts to create better ties to the Muslim World.

Any well-represented, frank discussion about U.S.-Muslim relations will turn up substantive disagreement about policy. These disagreements are rendered far more difficult to grapple with by the heated emotional response they provoke, a response exacerbated by the lens that colors views of the issues on both sides. In the United States, there is a real lack of knowledge about Islam and mainstream Muslim life. In the Muslim world, there is a perception that the does not respect Islam or Muslims. A discussion that attempts to make progress on deep-seated policy disagreements without addressing these cultural roadblocks is unlikely to succeed. And in any case, while it is clearly important to address the issues that arose out of 9/11, the discussion must and should move beyond terrorism as the U.S. relationship with the Muslim world matures.

Lately, I've been intrigued by a range of new diplomatic tools s that innovate both the approaches and players in the diplomatic space between the United States and the Islamic World. Call it citizen diplomacy if you will, but we're not talking about a bunch of rowdy college students running amok overseas. These are thoughtful, experienced interlocutors digging into what makes Muslim societies tick and engaging all kinds of people both in the U.S. and Muslim World contexts.

For instance, Time magazine (image above courtesy of Teshkeel Media Group and Time magazine) ran a piece in early August that profiles Kuwait-born businessman Naif Al-Mutawa's new comic book series "based on superheroes endowed with Muslim traits and virtues. Now Mutawa is on an even greater mission: taking those same Islamic characters around the world." An animated show and theme-parks based on the franchise will soon follow. The idea is to remind Muslim youth of their own heritage of cardinal virtues, while at the same time spreading the idea that Islam can and should champion its shared virtues abroad.

Jordan's Queen Rania is championing another approach to citizen diplomacy. As reported in the Washington Post, Rania's YouTube channel goes right at viewers' stereotypes of the Middle East by enlisting Arab comics to make them explicit. From the Post's piece:

Call it the new Arab Lobby -- only it's not the minds of those on Capitol Hill this group is looking to woo. American performers of Arab and Iranian heritage are taking their case around the world with an explicit message: No More Mr. Bad Guy.

Performers ranging from stand-up comedians to actors and film makers have been working to tackle numerous issues; from the daily struggles of Arab-Americans in post 9/11 America, to politics, the War on Terror and American pop culture.

Alongside these artistic and cultural efforts at diplomacy there are some really interesting, if more traditional, other models being tested. Arab Insight, for instance, is an attempt to bring notable voices from the Arab World, in English and Arabic, to policy and academic-focused audiences in the United States. The current issue brings tackles two particular trends that affect U.S.-Arab relations:

The first examines current socioeconomic trends that exert far-reaching influence on democratic reform. Sparked first by the wave of economic privatization the swept the region since the 1990s, these trends are more recently linked to changes in political Islam ignited by spiking oil prices and sovereign wealth funds in the Gulf, and the advancement of electronic communication.

Secondly, several articles in this issue are dedicated to examining the abundance of politically-related conspiracy theories that pervade the region, their spread, and the socio-cultural vehicles that shape them through analysis of conspiracy in Arab media, religious institutions, and educational curricula.

Cynthia Schneider, Kristina Nelson and Mohammed Youssry recently authored a report, titled Mightier than the Sword: The Arts as a Bridge between the United States and the Muslim World that they discussed at this year's U.S.-Islamic World Forum. The report, building on a lot of research and interviews, makes the case for arts and culture as diplomatic tools. The paper argues that, as was the case during the Cold War, exploration of arts and culture is unlikely to dissuade extremists. Yet cultural diplomacy during that era is widely viewed as a success because it allowed, even fostered, dissent. "[Cultural diplomacy] can affect the environment that may tolerate or support [extremists], by promoting engagement, which has as its aim not competition for influence but to build understanding across cultures."

Indeed, building cultural literacy through collaboration between Americans and Muslims around the world is not simply a good faith way-point so that serious discussion can begin without hurting anyone’s feelings. The creative process is itself the lifeblood of a tolerant democratic society. An excerpt from Mightier than the Sword:

The very nature of the creative process, perhaps even more than the audience’s experience of the creative product, involves critical thinking and questioning. The process of experimentation, exploring alternatives, taking risks and critiquing and challenging the status quo—all of which are inherent to creative artistic expression—are the attitudes and approaches to life that foster pluralism and tolerance. As such, the creative process can be considered a model for promoting democratic practices and attitudes. Where promotions of democracy fail is in focusing on structures and procedures and neglecting the underlying attitudes necessary for those structures to work. Creative expression inherently promotes the independence of thought essential for democratic systems to function.

Artistic collaborations could pair universities and institutions sprouting up in the Middle East—from satellite campuses of Texas A&M, Cornell and Georgetown in the Persian Gulf to specialty schools like the USC School for Cinematic Arts in Jordan—with arts and media organizations based in the U.S. Filmmakers, musicians and professionals have their own avenues for integrating arts into dialogue: the Sundance Middle East Screenwriters Lab refines and produces stories from that region, while artists like rock star Salman Ahmed and Iraqi architect Zaha Hadid have taken their talents abroad to challenge stereotypes.

Most importantly, each of these examples cements real relationships across cultural lines and builds something tangible and ongoing between citizen diplomats, creating stakeholders for positive engagement and understanding for dealing with the tough policy questions.

Comments

[HotConflict]

This is an excellent article. I have been engaged in understanding the War on Terror and looking at ideology.

The need to look at culture and think outside the box is clearly necessary. Innovative ideas like the comic book 99 are a great start.

Check out this website that is doing Pop-Culture and the War on Terror from the Muslims Mind.
http://www.hotconflict.com/blog/popculture.html