http://blogs.ssrc.org/tif/2008/12/12/attacking-mumbai/ Secularism, religion, and the public sphere Fri, 12 Mar 2010 21:27:55 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 http://blogs.ssrc.org/tif/2008/12/12/attacking-mumbai/comment-page-1/#comment-5280 Somita Sen Mon, 15 Dec 2008 05:43:53 +0000 http://blogs.ssrc.org/tif/?p=991#comment-5280 A very interesting analysis that sheds light on the highly telegenic nature of these attacks. The choice of mumbai - India's celluloid capital - is fascinating for this among the many other reasons that have been outlined by the many excellent essays in this blog. As we witnessed what appeared on TV, a far less televisual state machinery battled these media-savvy terrorists (who now it turns out commanded civilian communication technology far advanced of the Indian police but probably much like the phones and blackberrys being used by the bystanders, journalists and victims to communicate with their families and friends) and the increasing hysteria of folks like barkha dutt et. al. simply confirmed the frustrations that a mediated population encounters when faced with luddite state actors. The intimacy between terrorists and citizens, at least when it came to the use of technology became all the more evident. Perhaps if we train the Indian police force to play video games, they might be better trained to handle such attacks. Devji's point that this was meant to garner maximum media attention is an excellent one since old-fashioned hostage taking etc hardly offers the excitement of stand-offs. A very interesting analysis that sheds light on the highly telegenic nature of these attacks. The choice of mumbai – India’s celluloid capital – is fascinating for this among the many other reasons that have been outlined by the many excellent essays in this blog. As we witnessed what appeared on TV, a far less televisual state machinery battled these media-savvy terrorists (who now it turns out commanded civilian communication technology far advanced of the Indian police but probably much like the phones and blackberrys being used by the bystanders, journalists and victims to communicate with their families and friends) and the increasing hysteria of folks like barkha dutt et. al. simply confirmed the frustrations that a mediated population encounters when faced with luddite state actors. The intimacy between terrorists and citizens, at least when it came to the use of technology became all the more evident. Perhaps if we train the Indian police force to play video games, they might be better trained to handle such attacks. Devji’s point that this was meant to garner maximum media attention is an excellent one since old-fashioned hostage taking etc hardly offers the excitement of stand-offs.

]]>