Recently, I attended a lecture about Media, Politics and Global Cooperation organized by the Student Activities department at Qatar University. It featured a lecture from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in Room C224. There were two main speakers for this lecture---a representative from Qatar and Mr. Mohammed Ibrahim, who is a senior official from UNITAR, or the United Nations Institute for Training and Research. The room was decorated with the UN flag, which was so fitting and relevant for the global topic of the discussion and my Media and Politics Minor.
The speaker from Qatar explained how the media helps tell the world about Qatar’s political narrative. He cited how Qatar uses media outlets such as Al Jazeera to promote its foreign policy agenda and stimulate discourse within the Middle East. Which brings me to an argument most relevant, almost intrinsic, to my studies, or rather, how media serves as a political instrument. Hearing about Qatar’s media strategies was a pragmatic case study relating to some of the material we’ve been covering in classes, such as “Media and International Relations,” where we explore how countries wield media as a tool for their soft power. This topic is closely related to my studies, particularly about the use of media tools for political influence and communication. Qatar’s media methods were a tangible reflection on our topics like “Media and International Relations,” which has been our basis for discussion on how countries use media to broaden their soft power.
Mr. Mohammed Ibrahim from UNITAR then shared how the UN uses media to encourage global cooperation to address challenges such as climate change and conflict 2 resolution. He also cited examples of UNITAR’s digital campaigns and collaborations to promote the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) among media outlets. This portion of the lecture was closely related to my course on “Global Media and Political Advocacy,” in which we examine how global organizations leverage the media to inform and engage public opinion and policy makers. His talk also illuminated the complex role that media can play in global politics, which is a key focus in my minor.
The lecture was bilingual, presented in Arabic and English, which echoed the transnational character of my studies. It emphasized how the media can play politics across cultural boundaries. The sight of the UN flag underscored the concept of global connection, encouraging me to reflect upon how media assists in bridging political discrepancies, which is a core idea in my minor.
Being this close to an interactive lecture further developed my perspective about media and politics both in my community and around the world. This provided practical insights into the ways in which Qatar and the UN each use media strategically, which was an excellent application of some of the analytical skills I have been working on through my minor. The lecture not only augmented my academic background; it also made me eager to learn more about the way media impacts political outcomes in today’s interconnected world.