Describe The Historiography In Kuwait From The Early 1990s To 21st Century (Term Paper Sample)

Historiography in Kuwait
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Historiography in Kuwait
Film has an important value to the culture of Kuwait and act as a reflection of how the society they are produced in look like. Film historiography is a significant tool majorly used by scholars to derive a topic related to film in a specific society over a given period of time (Vitali, 2010). Very few literatures are available on the history of Kuwait cinema and there is no single film historiography mention or written in articles.
Film and censorship in Kuwait
The current civil wars experienced in most countries in Arabs in the global demonstrated the strength of unrestricted flow of information. The influence of the media through the upcoming technological platform such as Facebook, watsup, twitter and you tube significantly contributes to the rise of wars in Arab countries (Green and Karolides, 2005). The restriction of the free circulation for information still increases the challenges in the country. According to Mohammed (2011), freedom of the media promotes debates, clarifications and people can raise the challenges facing them for example poor governance where corrective measures can be implemented. The Arab countries have heavy laws that hinder all this benefits from being achieved.
Most of the Arab countries with exception of the Qatar country which is considering making changes to the media law have strict laws that guide the media information. The Arab countries are guided by strict customs and traditions of the Islam where certain morals and values are to be respected (Green and Karolides, 2005). Sex films and channels is highly prohibited in Arab countries for example, in 2009, the ministry of information blocked the pornographic sites without any court notification. Despite the fact that Kuwait has media freedom there are laws ad regulation that guides that information circulation in the country (International business publication, 2008). The constitution of Kuwait allows the practice of the freedom of expression guided by the laws, for instance the Article 37 which guarantees the media to express print and publish the information within the limits of the law. The penal code also have its laws that guides the media in Kuwait for instance, the Article 204, provides for a three years imprisonment if found to be selling pictures that promotes immorality, it gives an exception for those that publish pictures in accordance with the laws. This law controls the circulation of pornographic images in the name of promoting arts which is against the Muslim custom and traditions (International business publication, 2008).
According to the 2006 press laws, all the media licenses are to be obtained in the ministry of interior in order to write a newspaper. The ministry must also give a reason for any refusal of award licenses within a period of 90 days. The media law stipulates that the ministry is allowed to ban the books and films that portray an immoral behavior. The Article 21 of the media law stipulates that it is illegal to defame or insult a country or a judge, for example, the journalist cannot report a drop in the economy of a certain company (Kuwait press and publications law, 2006).
Globalization and the market in Kuwait media
The recent past is marked with a drastic progression in the media house. Every media house wants to influence and reach a high number of people globally. Globalization has shown a significant turning point to the media, it contributes to the fast and wide circulation of information than it was previously (Mohammed, 2011). The hard to reach areas can now receive the news from all across the world. Globalization embrace the use of technology is to enhance the spread of the news through large media companies for instance Al Jazeera and Al Arabiya in the Arab countries. Globalization and the market in Kuwait media is discussed as follows:
Foreign concepts in the Kuwait media
Kuwait population is comprises of people who come from diverse society. Despite the country being an Arabic speaking country, the country use English as it second language in order to communicate with foreigners from India, Philippines and Africa (Giddens and Griffiths, 2006). The country has a television channel Ktv2 which has programs and broadcast in English, the reason is to spread information to non-Arabic speaking people. The Ktv2 has various programs run in a day which are exclusively in English for instance from 8-8.30 p.m. there is news broadcast and 10-10.30 p.m. there is spotlight news. In addition the country prints its newspapers in English for example the Al Watan daily, this is for foreigners in the country to know what is happening ( Pintak, 2009). Mellor (2011) argues that, the country is also embracing the culture of other countries for instance; the TV channels show the Indian and Egyptian movies since they have the high number of population in the country.
Movies mall and theatres
The movies malls and theatres in Kuwait show that the country promotes both the local and international contents in their movie theatres and malls. For instance, in 360 mall movie theatre and Al Fanar mall movie theatre they show several movies from America, India and Egypt every week representing a high percentage of foreign content being displayed in the country despite being an Arab country. This shows that the effect of globalization has add an impact in Kuwait country, although the country still have small market in terms of the media development, the effect of technology is enhancing the circulation of information globally ( Hopper, 2007).
Women and media in Kuwait
The rate of women working in the media in Kuwait is highly increasing since the 1980s. Women are being acknowledged both in local and international broadcasting companies for example Al Jazeera which is a popular media company in Arab countries. The number of Kuwaiti women working in the media as journalist, reporters and editors in media companies is greatly increasing. In 2000; the number is reported to have increased to ninety nine women working in the media agency, covering twenty four percent of the employees in the media corporations (Sakr, 2004). In addition, women in Kuwaiti advance their lives through the advance media technologies like the internet. A research carried by Deborah wheeler ( Sakr, 2004), reveals that the continuous use of the internet contributes to social networking which leads to progression both socially and economically through linking in social networks such as twitter and Facebook where new innovations are shared.
Kuwait country is committed in giving the people fast internet services women included and is the number four in the list for speedy internet providers (GO-Gulf.com, 2013a). Arab countries is the most popular countries in the use of social platform, According to Arab social media report( 2013), Kuwait is leading having the highest number of active twitter users with a percentage of seven and number three with highest number of Facebook users women representing 33%.
The internet services and the advance technology contribute to the improved knowledge on how women used to view ideas and concept. Currently women in Kuwait can get ideas and views form the media and make important decisions either towards the political regime of the country or the conditions of the communities they are living in. Women through the internet services can seek advices from friends and are able to solve issues affecting those (Griffin, 2011).
On the contrary, globalization is still an issue of question since most television channels in Kuwait broadcast their pro...