The Impact of Al-Jazeera Channel Relationship With the State of Qatar To Other Countries - Dissertation Example

?Running Head: Research Proposal Research Proposal [Institute’s TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS 2 INTRODUCTION 3 Research Statement 3 Aims and Objectives 3 Research Questions & Hypotheses 4 LITERATURE REVIEW 4 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 7 Research Plan 8 CONCLUSION 8 REFERENCES 9 INTRODUCTION Since few decades, there has been enormous progress in the field of information and technology and that have resulted in massive changes in every aspect of human life globally. Media is one of the major fields that have gone through the process of noteworthy changes due to such advancements, and one can observe a significant role of media in political, social, and cultural aspects of nations globally (Rinnawi, pp. 30-35, 2006). However, since the last decade, and especially after September 11 attacks (Fandy, pp. 20-26, 2007), things have changed abruptly and media’s role has become decisive where breaking news has become a tool for changing of governments, as well as tensions between the nations. In this era of globalization, media has become an evident tool of bringing change through communication around the globe, and evidently, media has been benefiting from this huge authority and responsibility; however, it is an observation (Ingram & Dodds, pp. 58-69, 2009) that it has resulted in increment in governmental crisis in a number of countries. Research Statement In this regard, the researcher will put efforts on the below mentioned research statement to achieve aims and objectives of the research: “To identify and analyze the impact of Al-Jazeera Channel Relationship with the State of Qatar to other countries” Aims and Objectives Some of the particular aims and objectives of the proposed research are: Identification and analysis of the role of Al-Jazeera Channel in Arab region Scrutinize the extent of Al-Jazeera impact on the State of Qatar specifically Study the nature of Al-Jazeera’s relationship with the State of Qatar Investigate the impact of abovementioned relationship on Qatar’s relations with other nations Identify and recommend strategies that may ensure positive impact of studied factors on performance and reward management systems of business organizations Research Questions & Hypotheses In brief, the research will focus on the following research questions: What is the role of Al-Jazeera in Qatar? What is the role of Al-Jazeera in Arab region? What is the role of Al-Jazeera in enhancing/deteriorating relationships of Qatar with other nations/regions? The below-mentioned literature review has led to the following hypothesis, which will be under testing in the process of research: 1. Al-Jazeera is positively under correlation with Qatar. This means that Qatar will be able to resolve its various bilateral issues based on functions and operations of Al-Jazeera channel. LITERATURE REVIEW Brief analysis of literature (Miles, pp. 23-29, 2005) has indicated that neighbors Qatar and Saudi Arabia are almost similar in terms of their social and cultural existences, as both seem to be following ultra-sensitive Wahabbism (Tatham, 2005). However, one single notion that differentiates the State of Qatar from Saudi entity is television channel of Al-Jazeera (2011) that has been successful in ensuring an individual identification and social existence of Qatar around the globe. In particular, Al-Jazeera (2011) means ‘the island’ in literal perspective; however, from a critical perspective, Al-Jazeera (2011) is a satellite television channel that has been able to achieve success in a short period; however, has acquired this success with huge volumes of antagonism and controversies for itself, as well as for the State of Qatar (ICWN, 2010). Still, even after huge number of controversies, Al-Jazeera (2011) has been unbeaten in catering roughly thirty-five million Arabs by providing international news. In addition, scrutiny of media reports has indicated that Al-Jazeera (2011) has even been able to create disturbance for big names, such as BBC, CNN, etc by dominating on the news related to Iraq war, the same way that BBC did during the Gulf War of 1991 (Korski, 2011). Moreover, besides critics, Al-Jazeera (2011) now enjoys its position as a credible source, at least in the Arab region, as well as in other parts of the globe where Arabs exist. Due to such significance, experts have suggested a very powerful and imperative role of Al-Jazeera in building or deteriorating relationships of the State of Qatar with other nations globally. In the result, despite Al-Jazeera (2011) has created problems for Qatar, the state has initiated to consider its role of a bargaining tool to bring positivity in country’s relations with other nations globally, especially in the Arab region and the United States. Since Al-Jazeera’s launch in the year 1996, it is an observation that the Qatar government has been putting efforts to control and monitor its working. However, critics (Kincaid, 2011) have argued that the government has confronted failure in this regard, and Al-Jazeera has been explicitly directing and altering Qatar’s relations with other countries, such as Jordan, Syria, etc through its biased approaches. However, since 2-3 years, there have been significant changes in such process, and Qatar has been able to improve its foreign relations with a number of countries, especially the United States and Saudi Arabia by using the same platform of Al-Jazeera (2011). For instance, at several places, US Ambassadors, as well as government authorities of Qatar have acknowledged the influential role of Al-Jazeera that has the ability to shape public perspective in the Arab region (AJR, 2011), as well as in other parts of the globe that indicates huge potential of Al-Jazeera, which can be a very powerful political tool for Qatar. For instance, studies have indicated that the government of Qatar has improved its foreign relations with Saudi Arabia by reducing criticisms of Saudi authorities on Al-Jazeera channel (2011), and the same is happening with its relations with the United States. Recently, there have been reports pointing out Obama’s contentment related to the working of Al-Jazeera channel, and thus, the state of Qatar. Still, majority of media and political experts (AJR, 2011) have acknowledged the fact that the Al-Jazeera (2011) has resulted in unanticipated amount of tensions and crises for the government of Qatar that has resulted in its adverse image on the international scene. In midst of such a negative role, one interesting factor existed in almost every research is the ambiguous nature of Al-Jazeera’s relationship with the government of Qatar that is still in continuance even after so many difficulties by the channel. This calls for an investigation regarding the intent of both channel, as well as the Qatari government in terms of their role and contribution in image of the channel. One of the major reasons of high level of tolerance of the Qatari government can be the significant impact of Al-Jazeera (2011) on Arab region, as well as the Western world that kept the state of Qatar to continue its relationship with the channel (Cushion, pp. 39-47, 2010). Another reason identified during the literature review (Korany, pp. 56-67, 2010) is the words ‘This is Al Jazeera television from Qatar’ (Al-Jazeera, 2011) that every viewer of this channel hears every day. In other words, this statement indicates the representative role of Al-Jazeera, as it signifies existence of the state of Qatar on the map of world for millions of viewers that would not have learnt about Qatar’s existence in absence of Al-Jazeera. From this discussion, now, the proposed research will include efforts on identifying the role of Al-Jazeera as a diplomatic and political tool for the government of Qatar while analyzing its negative role due to creation of difficulties and problems for the Qatar. In this regard, literature review has resulted in reports of both sides that indicate unending problems for the state of Qatar due to existence of Al-Jazeera channel. However, at the same time, analysis identified arguments of critics that see Al-Jazeera as an effective diplomatic tool that can play a crucial and positive role for Qatar to improve its foreign relations with nations globally. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY In particular, researcher has the understanding that methodology is an important component of every research, and selection of appropriate method will be decisive in determining success or the proposed study. For this purpose, the researcher has put enormous efforts in strategizing and analyzing different aspects of the research, and specifically, the proposed research will be a qualitative one that will enable a comprehensive and broad perspective of the topic. Besides selection of qualitative approach, it is an observation from the preliminary literature review that various media and political experts have worked on different aspects of Al-Jazeera’s operations and functions, as well as on its relationship with the state of Qatar. Thus, the researcher will be carrying out a secondary research methodology to identify more books, journals, articles, etc on Al-Jazeera channel and its impact on Qatar and its foreign relations that will allow the researcher to create fundamental basis to achieve identified objectives of the proposed research. However, the researcher believes that despite there is availability of huge amount of resources on the topic, still, there will be a need of primary research methodology that will enable the researcher to validate findings of secondary research, and additionally, will allow a customized analysis according to the identified research statement. For this purpose, the researcher has planned to distribute questionnaires among students of media literacy who will be efficient in contributing in the proposed study. Thus, amalgamation of primary and secondary research methodologies will be very effective in coming up with authenticated analysis that will be beneficial for both students, as well as experts in understanding the basic role of Al-Jazeera channel’s relationship in the standings of Qatar. Research Plan # Phases Date Date Date Date Date Date Date Date Date Date 1 Theoretical Framework 1st week 2 Research Proposal 2nd week 3 Secondary Research 3rd week 4 Analysis of Data 4-5th week 5 Primary Research 6-7th week 6 Distribution of Questionnaires 8th week 7 Collection of Questionnaires 9th week 8 Analysis 10-11th week 9 Rough Draft of Dissertation 12th week 10 Final Submission 13th week CONCLUSION In conclusion, the researcher included brief discussion of various aspects of the proposed research that will include efforts of the researcher to identify and analyze impact of Al-Jazeera relationship with Qatar to that of other countries. Finally, researcher expects that results of the proposed research will allow an inclusive and decisive understanding of different aspects of Qatar-Al Jazeera relationships, thus, will be beneficial for media students globally. REFERENCES AJR. 2011. “The Al Jazeera Effect.” American Journalism Review. Retrieved on May 12, 2011: http://www.ajr.org/article_printable.asp?id=5077 Al Jazeera. 2011. Al Jazeera. Retrieved on May 12, 2011: http://english.aljazeera.net/ Cushion, Stephen. 2010. The Rise of 24-Hour News Television. Peter Lang. Fandy, Mamoun. 2007. (Un)civil War of Words. Greenwood Publishing Group. ICWN. 2010. “Wikileaks” Qatar’s Al Jazeera Political Tool.” International Channel Watch News. Retrieved on May 12, 2011: http://icwnews.com/politics/513/wikileaks-qatars-al-jazeera-political-tool.html Ingram, Alan, Dodds, Klaus. 2009. Spaces of Security and Insecurity. Ashgate Publishing. Kincaid, Cliff. 2011. “The Masters of Al-Jazeera Imprison a Blogger.” Ruthfully Yours. Retrieved on May 12, 2011: http://www.ruthfullyyours.com/2011/03/08/how-does-qatar-pronounced-gutter-get-away-with-human-rights-violations/ Korany, Bahgat. 2010. The Changing Middle East. American University in Cairo Press. Korski, Daniel. 2011. “Al-Jazeera is not a new BBC World Service.” The Spectator. Retrieved on May 12, 2011: http://www.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/6666773/aljazeera-is-not-a-new-bbc-world-service.thtml Miles, Hugh. 2005. Al-Jazeera. Grove Press. Rinnawi, Khalil. 2006. Instant Nationalism. University Press of America. Tatham, Steve. 2005. “Al Jazeera.” Military.com. Retrieved on May 12, 2011: http://www.military.com/NewContent/0,13190,NI_0805_Jazeera,00.html Read More