Research Themes and Projects
Diasporic Nationhood (Annabelle Sreberny)
The Persian Service of the BBCWS has been of crucial importance at particular historical junctures (Iranian revolution) and is so once again as Iran is caught up in nuclear controversy. BBCWS web space has become a key contact zone for Iranians inside and outside Iran, arguably more important than its radio service, while a BBC Persian television service is under discussion. Diasporic Iranian media platforms are mostly wedded to some political viewpoint. At BBCWS , differing political and cultural viewpoints come together: even if they dislike each other, they seem to like the BBC.
We will interview BBCWS producers in London, seeking to understand their roles as modernisers, cultural brokers, and interlocuters between conflicting national and political interests. How do diasporic producers view themselves: as inhabiting "hybrid identities", speaking Pinglish, feeling Pertish? How do they mediate new and conflicting forms of cultural expression? Audience responses (letters, emails) linked to specific BBCWS content will be examined. How have perceptions of the BBC changed over time? Does the image of 'neutrality' still hold? Inside Iran, interviews will explore how different forms of Iranian diasporic nationhoodare enacted via BBCWS; how Iranians at home and abroad are perceived through the construction of news agendas; how audiences respond to entertainment formats whether and how they feed back their concerns back to BBCWS; whether the blogosphere considers the diaspora important and in what ways.