Chapt er Fi f t een

Act Gl obal l y, Thi nk Local l y

John Fi ske

A cul t ur e of power i s a cul t ur e of r epr esent at i on. The i nt el l ect ual , et hi cal , r el i gi ous
di scour ses of power m ay wel l t end t owar ds hi gh ar t ( gr eat r epr esent at i ons) , and t hei r
mor e economi c, pr agmat i c ones t owar ds i ndust r i al i zed ar t ( mass r epr esent at i ons) ,
but bot h r el y on t hei r abi l i t y t o pr oduce r epr esent at i ons of t he wor l d and, mor e
i mpor t ant l y i f l ess expl i ci t l y, of t hemsel ves i n t he wor l d. .
Cr oss-cul t ur al communi cat i on whi ch i s i ni t i at ed and di r ect ed by t he mor e pow-
er f ul of . t wo cul t ur es ( f or power di f f er ence i s al ways par t of cul t ur al di f f er ence)
..

al ways r uns t he r i sk of r educi ng t he weaker t o t he canvas upon whi ch t he st r onger

r epr esent s i t sel f and i t s power . Thi s r i sk i ncr eases i n pr opor t i on t o t he power di f f er -
ence bet ween t he h矿o cul t ur es. To poi nt t hi s out i s not t o pr opose t hat cul t ur es
shoul d i sol at e t hemsel ves f r om each ot her , f or i nt er cul t ur al communi cat i on i s be-
comi ng mor e, not l ess, necessar y f or a peacef ul pl anet , but r at her t o war n t hat t he
weaker of t he t wo cul t ur es must al ways exer t a sat i sf act or y ( t o i t ) degr ee of cont r ol
over t he com muni cat i ve r el at i onshi p. I t must be abl e t o say what i t want s t o wi t h
r easonabl e con⾃自dence t hat i t wi l l be l i st ened t o: i t must , i n ot her wor ds, be abl e t o

I !i !
r epr esent i t sel f r at her t han be t he obj ect of r epr esent at i on. Thi s ent ai l s a di st i nct i on,
whi ch i s necessar y but of t en di f f i cul t t o dr aw, bet ween one cul t ur e l i st eni ng t o
anot her , and one exot i ci zi ng t he ot her . I n t he f i r st case, cul t ur al di f f er ence can
pr oduce genui ne di ver si t y i n t he i magi nat i on of t he l i st ener s, but i n t he second i t
ser ves onl y t o r ei nscr i be exi st i ng power r el at i ons and t o const r ai n and const r i ct
i magi nat i on. Any at t empt t o hear and l ear n仕omwhat anot her cul t ur e wi shes t o say
wor ks t owar ds equal i zi ng power r el at i ons, par t i cul ar l y when what i s sai d m ay not be
what t he l i st ener wi shes t o hear . Li st eni ng i s t he opposi t e of r epr esent at i on, whi ch i s
why t he f i r st act of t he power -bl oc on r i si ng i n t he mor ni ng i s t o i nser t i t s ear pl ugs.
A cul t ur e of r epr esent at i on, t her ef or e, i s not l i mi t ed t o what i s o丘en t hought of
as r epr esent at i onal ar t . Abst r act ar t , f or i nst ance, can r epr esent t he ab过i t y t o i mpose
an ext er nal or der upon even t hose par t s of nat ur e subj ect i ve f eel i ngs) whi ch appear
(
t o be m ost di sor der ed, most ent r opi c: i t can gi ve a publ i c f or m t o t he most pr i vat e
I t s ab过i t y t o ext end cont r ol i nt o t hose r eal ms of exper i ence whi ch
of exper i ences.
once seemed t o be wel l beyond i t s r each may be one r eason why i t i s t he st yl e of ar t
most col l ect ed by mul t i nat i onal cor por at i ons t o hang i n t hei r f oyer s and boar d-
r ooms: 1 mul t i nat i onal capi t al i sm r epr esent s i t sel f i n t he abst r act ed, i nsi di ous or der i ng

277
278 J O HN F I S KE Act Gl obal l y, Thi nk Local l y勾9

wer e gr eet ed wi t h smi l es and waves. The f i r st t hi ng t hey di d was make f r i ends wi t h
of what i s not non-r epr esent at i onal ar t . But , despi t e t he Navaj o pot on t he whi t e
t he ki ds, t he way sol di er s al ways do, t hey handed out smi l es and candy.
bookshel ves and t he Jackson Pol l ock i n t he boar dr oom, t he wor ki ngs of r epr esent a-
men l et ’ s do i t .
t i on can best be t r aced i n what i s most commonl y meant by t he t er m “ r eal i st i c
nat sound: ( sol di er s t al ki ng) Al l r i ght
Then t hey l i nked up wi t h t he ot her “ can-do" peopl e of t he camp, t he Dut ch
r epor t er :
r epr oduct i ons" and i t i s on t hese t hat t hi s chapt er f ocuses.
br anch of Doct or s Wi t hout Bor der s set up t he doct or s’ oper at i on her e wi t hout
Repr esent at i ons ar e r epr esent at i ve i n t hr ee ways. I n t he f i r st t he sampl ed mi ni a- Tur ki sh per mi ssi on, because t he r ef ugees needed i t . Whi l e Tur ki sh sol di er s wer e

-
t ur i zat i on of r eal i t y ( whi ch i s what a t ext i s) i s t aken as r epr esent at i ve of t he whol e.
The Navaj o pot i s r epr esent at i ve of 咽咽avaj oness" t he ugl i ness of t he wor d appr o-
beat i ng r ef ugees away f r om f ood suppl i es, t he Dut ch doct or s have had peopl e l i ni ng
up t o t he onl y medi cal car e i n t he camp.
pr i at el y r epr esent s t he pr ocess of gi vi ng a col oni zer ' s meani ng t o t he col oni zed. nat sound: ( doct or hol di ng a baby) She’ s had no f ood and she has di ar r hea.

Si mi l ar l y, t he Vi ct or i an capi t al i st i n hi s machi ne-made f r ame ( no l onger my gr and- r epor t er : Gr ound i s al r eady bei ng cl ear ed f or a f i el d hospi t al . Geor ge Bel l as, an Amer i can
f at her ) is r epr esent at i ve of hi s er a or he coul d not r e-pr esent i t. I n t he second a Ful br i ght schol ar t eachi ng i n Tur key deci ded t hi s was t he pl ace to spend hi s spr i ng
r epr esent at i ve is one who pr omot es our i nt er est s i n t he wi der
one who speaks f or us, br eak.

wor l d and i s t hus i nst r ument al i n ext endi ng our power beyond our i mmedi at e geor ge: I mean peopl e di e up her e and t hey shoul dn’ t di e. Ther e’ s no r eason f or peopl e

condi t i ons. The busi ness r epr esent at i ve on t he r oad or t he pol i t i ci an i n t he House of t o di e.
r epor t er : They st i l l do di e, but t her e i s a pal pabl e i mpr ovement i n t he camp’ s at mo-
Repr esent at i ves ar e power -ext ender s. I n t he t hi r d, a r epr esent at i on pr esent s agai n
spher e. The mi l i t ar y men say t he camp i s f ul l of t al ent ed peopl e who want t o hel p
sel ect ed f eat ur es of an absent “ r eal i t y" or r ef er ent . By pr esent i ng us wi t h a par t i cul ar
t hemsel ves.
exper i ence or knowl edge of t he r eal a r epr esent at i on act ual l y pr oduces t hat r eal i t y,
sol di er : We’ ve done a l eaf l et dr op aski ng t hese peopl e t hat when we come i n t o come
f or our exper i ence/knowl edge of i t becomes r eal i t y-f or -us. Real i t y i s al ways r epr e-
up and i dent i 命t hemsel ves, and t hey’ r e comi ng up t o us i n dr oves and of f er i ng
sent ed, we cannot access it r aw: it never exi st s i n i t s own t er ms, but is al ways “ r eal i 可－
assi st ance.
f or -someone. ” Ther e ar e US ar my men over t he camp what do
r epor t er : al l t r yi ng t o且gur e out to
One of t he key r epr esent at i onal st r at egi es i s “ ot her i ng. ” The “ ot her ” i s al ways a wher e.
pr oduct of r epr esent at i on and, as such, what ever f or mi t may be gi ven, al ways appl i es nat sound: ( r adi o voi ce) Al l r i ght Roger -w丑co and out .
t he di scur si ve and mat er i al power of t he r epr esent i ng soci al or der upon t hat par t of r epor t er :That meant per suadi ng r ef ugees t o move t hei r t ent s f r omt he pr oposed l andi ng
t he wor l d i t has made i nt o i t s ot her . Edwar d Sai d and Fr ant z Fanon, 2 f or exampl e, zones so t hey woul dn’ t be bl own away. The r ef ugees st i l l st uck her e seem t o know
show how Eur opean and US i mper i al i zat i ons have wor ked consi st ent l y t hr oughout t hat i t ’ s not goi ng t o be as bad as t hey f ear ed or even as bad as i t was.

and Lat i n Amer i ca. Thi s ot her i ng wor ks

hi st or y t o ot her t he Mi ddl e East , Af r i ca, Asi a The pr obl ems of t hi s camp wer e so massi ve t hat no one gr oup coul d hope t o
sol ve t hem al one, but i t l ooks l i ke t he r i ght peopl e ar e f i nal l y ge忧i ng t oget her t o do
i n t wo ways. Fi r st i t i mposes upon t he so-cal l ed ( or ot her ed）“ t hi r d" wor l d meani ngs
t he j ob m any of t hemsay t he Tur ks shoul d have at l east st ar t ed weeks ago.
t hat bear , as t hei r unspoken obver se, t he super i or i t y of t he⻜飞r st ” （ r epr esent i ng t he
“ t hi r d" wor l d i s a f i ne exam
as “ t hi r d" pl e of t hi s pr ocess) , and second i t r epr esent s The CBS i mages of r ef ugees or of si ck and st ar vi ng chi l dr en ar e l i ke t he Navaj o
t he “ t hi r d” wor l d as t he t er r ai n wher e t he power of t he “ f i r st " i s qui t e pr oper l y pot i n t he whi t e l i vi ng r oom: t hey r epr esent t he“ t hi r d” wor l d t o and f or t he "f i r st ” －
exer ci sed. Si mi l ar l y, f emi ni st schol ar s have shown how t he power t o ot her t he They r epr esent US power i n i t , not j ust mi met i cal l y by showi ng US sol di er s benevo-
f emi ni ne wor ks bot h t o set t l e meani ngs of i nf er i or i t y upon i t and t o nat ur al i ze i t as l ent 与at wor k but m or e i nsi di ousl y by pr esent i ng t he “ t hi r d" wor l d as t he pr oper
t he obj ect of pat r i ar chal power . Repr esent i ng t he ot her i s r epr esent i ng“ our ” power f i el d f or US power , a f i el d t hat i s onl y knowabl e by t hi s power , f or wi t hout i t , i t i s
i n i t , and i s not j ust a semant i c sl ei ght of hand but i s a mat er i al exer ci se of power .
unf or med and usel ess, The “ t hi r d" wor l d i s not and cannot be r epr esent ed i n i t s own
Repr esent at i on is r eal 抄，not symbol i cal l y, power f ul . t er ms, f or i n “ f i r st " wor l d i mper i al i zi ng knowl edge t her e ar e no such t hi ngs: i t s m ode
TV news r epr ⾅臼ent s t he wor l d, i n al l t hr ee uses of t he wor d. A st or y, br oadcast by of r epr esent at i on i s a“ f i r st " wor l d pr oduct whi ch r epr oduces t he “ f i r st ” wor l d i n al l
CBS on 17 Apr i l wor k of i t hi n such r epr esent at i on of t he “ f i r st -i n-t he-t hi r d" wor l d, US
1991, is r epr esent at i ve of t he news’ s r epr esent at i on: t hat i t r epr esent s. W

sol di er s can move easi l y f r om bombi ng I r aq t o set t i ng up f i el d hospi t al s f or I r aqi

anchor : On t he Tur ki sh si de of 由e I r aqi bor der , US t r oops and W est er n vol unt eer s ar e
handl e on t he r ef ugee cr i si s, Al l en Pi zzey i s on t he scene.
j ust st ar t i ng t o get a ?l 咄，becau的ombi ng I 叫W挝、al l y" s创ng叩a f i el d hospi t al f or Kuw矶The
r epor t er : Thousands of r ef ugees ar e f i nal l y bei ng t aken o旺t he mount ai nsi des wher e t hey ⻜飞ew can-do spi r i t i n t he ai r " r epr es创s ( t he) US ( of A) i n t hem, f or i t i s t he spi r i t
wer e st ar vi ng and wi t hout cl ean wat er . Thei r new home i s a camp on a f l at pl ai n t hat put us i nt o t he dr i vi ng seat of t he "devel oped” wor l d and whi ch t he “ devel opi ng"
wher e i t shoul d be easi er t o hel p t hem, but so f ar t he Tur ki sh gover nment hasn’ t wor l d i s now di scover i ng i n i t sel f : f or i t i s “ f ul l of t al ent ed peopl e who want t o hel p
suppl i ed enough f ood and t he r ef ugees compl ai n t her e st i l l i sn’ t adequat e medi cal t hemsel ves" but who ar e r epr esent ed as i ncapabl e of doi ng so wi t hout US ai d:
hel p f or si ck chi l dr en.
Back i n t he mount ai ns i t ’ s st i l l a hel l hol e, but t her e’ s a new“ can-d。” spi r i t i n We’ ve done a l eaf l etdr op aski ng t hese peopl e t hat when we come i n t o come up and
t he ai r and US speci al f or ces hi t t own t oday. They came up t he r oad i n a t r uck and i dent i 命t hemsel ves, and t hey’ r e comi ng up t o us i n dr oves and of f er i ng assi st ance.
 Act Gl obal l y, Thi nk Local l y 281
280 J O HN F I S KE

Chi ef Gat es, on hi s

a mi ni at ur e r epr esent at i on of US
f or ei gn pol i cy i n gener al : t he economi cs and was r el eased, i n Jul y 1992, Pol i ce l ast day i n o伍ce, r epl i ed t o i ts
Thi s is
i nt er nat i onal ai d ar e a pr oduct of i t s di scur si ve r epr esen- of br ut al i t y occasi onal l y amount i ng t o t or t ur e, by denounci ng Amnest y
pol i t i cs of i t s di st r i but i on of
char ges

r el at i onshi ps bet w een t he “ ⾃自r st ” and “ t hi r d” wor l ds, and t hei r r eal i t i es I nt er nat i onal as“ a bunch of knuckl ehead l i ber al s" who “ at t ack ever yt hi ng t hat i s
t at i on of t he
guar ant ee i t s r epr esent at i on and “ pr ove" i t s accur acy. good i n t he count r y . . . and good i n t he wor l d. "4
ci r cl e back i nt o t he di scour se t o
phr ase“ 阳e peopl e" i s used her e as a be鸣nl y di s叫ow- Tom Br adl ey, t he Mayor of Los Angel es, hi msel f an Af r i can Amer i can and a
i t i s 咿i 且cant t hat t he
f or mer cop, admi t t ed t hat he had l ong known of such r aci sm and br ut al i t y wi t hi n
ng r epr esent at i on.
·

r
r epr esent ed i n t he second par agr aph of t he
r epor t er ’ s i nt r oduct i on and t he LAPD but , wi t hout a way of r epr esent i ng t hat knowl edge t o t he publ i c and t hus
What is
accompany i t i s r epr esent at i ve of t hi s i mper i al i zi ng di scour se. The of maki ng i t power f ul , he was hamst r ung. W hen i t was hi s own, per sonal knowl edge
t he vi sual s t hat
“ t hi r d” wor l d i s a “ hel l hol e" of i nadequacy: The US
pr ovi des bot h t he spi r i t and t he it w as l ocal i zed and r est r i ct ed: whi l e he mi ght have been abl e t o use i t i n hi s own
l ocal e as an Af r i can Am er i can ci t i zen he coul d not , appar ent l y even as Mayor ,
s t 。“ devel op” i t .
det ai l of t he st or y. The phr ase t r ansl at e t hat knowl edge i nt o an ant i -i mper i al i zi ng one t hat was“ st r ong” enough t o
Thi s r epr esent at i on cont i nues down t o t he smal l est
“ t o get a handl e on" i s accent ed by US ver nacul ar speech;
i t sounds l i ke t he “ aut hen- chal l enge whi t e i mper i al i st power i n i t s own spher e. Onl y when t hat knowl edge was
5

t i c仕mer i ca br eaki ng t hr ough t he of f i ci al l anguage of publ i c event s. But t l 川M made r epr esent at i onal ( i n al l senses of t he wor d) coul d i t gai n t he power t 。
“ i mper i al i ze” ⼀一t hat i s, t o ext end i t s power f ar beyond t he i mmedi at e condi t i ons of
ace削ed by t hi s ver nacul ar aut hent i ci t y i s“ handl e，” an i nst r ument
of cont 叫Si _mi -
out ” aut hent i cat es t he Amer i canness of men- t hose who know i t exper i ent i al l y r at her t han r epr esent at i onal l y. Af r i can Amer i can
l ar l y, t he ver nacul ar “ t r yi ng t o f i gur e
r at i onal i sm whi ch has t ur ned t he “ can-do spi r i t ” vi a t echnol ogy
i nt o mat er i al and ot her r aci al mi nor i t i es “ knew" pol i ci ng i n t hi s way仕omt hei r l ocal i zed exper i -
ti fi c

achi evement . The Amer i can nat i onal i dent i t y r epr esent s i t sel f i n i t s
r epr esent at i ons ence of but whi l e t he Eur opean Amer i cans may have known about i t , such
i t,

of “ t he r ef ugee cr i si s. ” The power t o r epr esent t he wor l d i n t hi s way i s

t he power t o knowl edge was di st anced and mar gi nal i zed i n t hei r consci ousness. The power t o
behave i n t he wor l d i n t hi s way. The US mi l i t ar y and US t el evi si on r epr esent US r epr esent r eal i t y makes i t s r epr esent at i ons r eal ; i t i s a r eal power and pol i ce r aci sm
si mi l ar l y, and t he pr esence of t he TV cr ew i n t he “ t hi r d" wor l d i s, i n t he oper at i on became known as r eal i t y . . . .
Real i sm, as a mode of r epr esent at i on, par t i cul ar l y char act er i st i c of West er n
of power , i dent i cal t o t he pr esence of t he sol di er s . . . .
is

power f ul and
The “ t hi r d" wor l d al so exi st s wi t hi n US ci t i es. And suddenl y, ear l y i n 1991, a moder n wor l d, of capi t al i sm.
cul t ur es and, t her ef or e, i n t he I t i s as

gr ounds our cul t ur al i dent i t y i n ext er nal r eal i t y: by

r epr esent at i on i n whi ch i t spoke, or r at her scr eamed, f or i t sel f was wi del y because
ci r cul at ed at t r act i ve as i t i s it
"r eal l y" ar e. To
t ur ns who we t hi nk we ar e i nt o who we
b; t he medi a. On 3 Mar ch, LA cops st opped an Af r i can Amer i can d⼱巾er , maki ng “ us” seem r eal
Rodney it

Ki ng, f or a mot or i 吨of f ense, pul l ed hi mout of hi s car and beat hi m so seve呻t ha丁 achi eve t hi s, i t must “ know" r eal i t y i n t he way t hat sci ence “ knows” i t , as an obj ect i ve
uni ver sal whose exi st ence and t r ut h ar e i ndependent of cul t ur e.
t he f i l l i ngs wer e knocked out of hi s t eet h. He sur vi ved. Thi s was not an
unusual

occur r ence、but what was unusual about i t was, f i r st , t hat a near by r esi dent
vi deo- Real i sm and sci ent i f i c r at i onal i sm go hand i n hand, and bot h gr ew i n par al l el t o
t aped t he event , and以ond t hat l ocal and t hen nat i onal TV pl ayed and r epl ayed t he become t he domi nant ways of knowi ng of post -Renai ssance Eur ope. The secul ar
vi deot ape so t hat i t became one of t he most wi del y hear d Bl ack st at ement s
of t he humani sm whi ch i s common t o bot h t aught t hat man ( si c) coul d, t hr ough r eason,
cont r ol hi s own dest i ny by usi ng t hat r eason t o under st and, r epr esent and cont r ol
year . Thi s was one of t he r ar e occasi ons when a t ext can be shown t o
have di r ect
soci al and pol i t i cal consequences. I t pr ovoked a passi onat e nat i onwi de debat e
over t he r eal i t y wi t hi n whi ch t hat dest i ny woul d evol ve. Si mi l ar l y, t he new capi t al i sm
t he ways i n whi ch t he soci al r el at i ons bet ween t he pol i ce and mi nor i t i es wer e
embod- t aught t hat man coul d cont r ol hi s own economi c dest i ny. The hi st or i cal conj unct ur e
and capi t al i sm l aunched
i ed and enact ed, as opposed t o i nst i t ut i onal l y r epr esent ed. W hat t he vi deo r ep时， of humani sm, sci ent i f i c r at i onal i sm, r epr esent at i onal i sm
wor l d Eur opean soci et i es on t hei r voyage t o domi nat e t he wor l d. These ar e t he-i sms of
sent ed was not t he “ t hi r d" wor l d as t he pr oper f i el d of power , but t he “ f i r st "
as t he i mpr oper exer ci se of t hat power . power whi ch wor ked as ef f ect i vel y f or t he West i n t he moder n wor l d as t hey di d f or
The pol i ce of f i cer s i nvol ved wer e char ged, a new hot l i ne f or ci vi l i an com?l 在i 户t s Gr eece and Rom e i n t he cl assi cal .
was set up and盯盯aged仙可cal l s a day over t he nα t si x mont hs, and a C1Vi l 叫 The power t o r epr esent t he wor l d i n t he way t hat . . . CBS· · · di d i s a power t o
commi ssi on of i nqui r y r epor t ed vi r t ual l y unchecked r aci sm t hr oughout t he LAPD' s map t he wor l d i n a par t i cul ar way. Maps ar e c肌i al t o i mper i al power , f or we cann?t
l ong- cont r ol what we do not know、and we cannot know a t er r i t or y unt i l we can
map 1t .
8, 300 member s. I n t he mi dst of al l t he ot her r eper cussi ons, Dar yl Gat es, t he
i nst ead gi ve t hei r
t i ⼝口l l 创－n I n gener al , non-i mper i al i zi ng ’ soci et i es do not pr oduce maps, but
of al l , Amnest y I nt er nat i nal announced t hat i t woul d i nvest i gat e t he LAPD
t o see if
member s di r ect i ons f or t r avel . Di r ect i ons f or t r avel l i ng t hr ough a t er r i t or y di f f er
power /
br ut al i t y, r aci smand a di sr egar d f or human r i ght s wer e syst emat i c i n t he depar t menr . si gni f i cant l y丘om a m ap of i t , and t he di f f er ences ar e pr oduced by di f f er ent pow-
Amnest y I nt er nat i onal ’ s usual spher e of oper at i ons is t he “ second” and
“ t hi r d” knowl edge r el at i ons bet ween a肌i et y and i t s physi cal en由onme_nt . Maps ar e
er f ul di scour se, f or t hey br i ng t oget her sci ence and r epr esent at i on t o
f unct i on as
wor l ds-a f act t hat was not l ost on an LA Pol i ce Commi ssi oner who compl ai ned on
CBS News t hat ‘ ＇They’ r e t r eat i ng us l i ke a t hi r d wor l d count r y. η When t he r epor t expl i ci t i nst r ument s of cont r ol .
 Act Gl obal l y，η i i nk Local l y 283
282 J O HN F I S KE

r epr esent ed i t t o us i n t he f or mof maps. who wor ked wi t h Mer cat or i n t he pr oduct i on of hi s at l as, al so pr oduced
The TV news of t he Gul f War const ant l y engr aver
al l -seei ng, al l -power f ul t r ut h of t he wor l d. Equal l y Engl i sh-l anguage newspaper : i n 1620 he pr i nt ed t he si ngl e sheet cor ant o ( t he
The maps gave us t he obj ect i ve, t h; f i r st
has come t o be r egar ded as London’ s f i r st
i mpor t ant l y, of cour se, t hey gave t he US name means“ cur r ent ” or “ new勺，whi ch
mi l i t ar y t he al l -seei ng eye t hat I r aq l acked.

I n maps r epr esent at i on and sci ent i f i c t echnol ogy become one. The sci ent i f i c way of newspaper .
The ot her per i od of ener get i c Eur opean i mper i al i zat i on was
i n t he ni net eent h
knowi ng, coupl ed wi t h i t s wi l l t o know, pr oduced t he abi l i t y t o bui l d t he sat el l i t e
f or m of maps. These r epr esent a- r epr esent at i onal ar mof power t hi s t i me wor ked l ess t hr ough maps t han
whi ch r epr oduced i t s own way of knowi ng i n t he cent u町：i t s

and t anks. Amer i can power was t he power news. At l east t hr ee maj or f act or s mot i vat ed t he ni net eent h-cent ur y devel -
t i ons wer e as i nst r ument al as t he bombs t hr ough
expl osi ve. The war was r epr esent ed news i ndust r y. I mper i al i zat i on pr oduced t he need t o knowt he wor l d
of knowl ed旦e as wel l as of heavy ar mor and hi gh ooment of t he

⋯us-US, i ? par t at l east , as bei ng one bet ween smar t

t echr ⋯r e e伍ci
because t hey coul d not see Saddam Hussei n any mor e and t he r i si ng st andar d of l i vi ng made t hat publ i c a sour ce of pr of i t . And f i nal l y
The I r aqi ar my w as bl i nd
movement s. Bei ng abl e t o see or know i s not possi bl e t he mass pr oduct i on and di st r i but i on of newspaper s: t he
made
cl ear l y t han t hey coul d see US t r oop t echnol ogy
t hat cont r ol . The mappi ng di spar i t y was t el egr aphi c cabl e syst em enabl ed news t o be col l ect ed,
t he st r eam and t hen r ot ar y
j ust a pr er equi si t e f or cont r ol , i t i s par t of
pr ess accel er at ed pr i nt i ng仕om150 copi es per hour
i n 1814 t o 12, 000 by 1848, and t he
as 2: r eat and as i nf l uent i al as t he har dwar e di spar i t y.
t hemsel ves. I nt er na-
Thi s i s not news, f or i t has al ways been so. Eur opeans mapped ?ew r ai l ways enabl ed t he over ni ght di st r i but i on of t he paper s
t he wor l d as由1
The maps pr oduced by Mer cat or ’ s pr oj ect i on, t i onal news agenci es gr ew r api dl y t o pr ovi de t he
r equi r ed knowl edge. I n 186⼆二 丁he
expl or ed, expl oi t ed and col oni zed i t .
hi s sci ent i f i c way of r epr esent i ng a gl obe on a f l at sur f ace, have become par t of per i al l y named Agency Al l i ance Tr eat y di d away wi t h unpr of i t abl e compet i t i on
·

t hat each coul d have

west er n common sense because t hey r epr esent , not j ust t he wor l d, but West er n bet ween t he t hr ee maj or agenci es, and di vi ded t he wor l d up so
London t he knowl edge of t he
oower i n and over i t . To f l at t en t he cur vat ur e of t he ear t h, Mer cat or made t he i t s ow n col ony of knowl edge. Reut er s of cont r ol l ed
and Ru?si a,
?e“ i ans par al l el and so pr ogr essi vel y wi dened t he di st ance bet ween t hemas由 Empi r e and t he Far East , Wol f f of Ber l i n t hat of Nor t her n Eur ope
Br i t i sh
bet ween t he Por t ugal , I t al y and t hei r r espect i ve empi r es.
t r avel l ed nor t hwar ds. To compensat e f or t hi s, he enl ar ged t he di st ances nd Havas of Par i s t hat of Fr ance, Spai n,
( Associ at ed Pr ess and
par al l el s pr opor t i onat el y. The r esul t was a map t hat empower ed Eur ope i n t wo ways. Subsequent r eor gani zat i on br ought US pl ayer s i nt o t he game
i s cont r ol l ed by f i ve
I nst r ument al l y it was an ef f i ci ent navi gat i onal t ool because it al l owed a st r ai ght l i ne Uni t ed Pr ess I nt er nat i onal ) so t hat now t he news of t he wor l d
t o H盯as
agenci 优AP, UPI , Reut 帆AFP ( Agence Fr an仕Pr e毗t he
successor
on i ts sur f ace t o be sai l ed by a compass bear i ng on t he sur f ace of t he ea?t h:
st r ai ght
i mper i al i st power s. δ
i t di st or t ed t he di st ance but hel d t he bear i ng. W hen t i me and di st ance wer e l ess Tass. These ar e al l under t he cont r ol of Eur opean-der i ved,

t oo, i s t he t echnol ogy by whi ch t hei r power i s appl i ed:

t he sat el l i t es whi ch di st r i but e
cr uci al t han di r ect i on, t he m ap was a super b t echnol ogy f or capi t al i smf or i t al l owed
t he i nf or mat i on ( and i nci dent al l y pr oduce bot h our m oder n maps and t hat speci al -
t he mer chant s and t he mi l i t ar y of Eur ope t o f i nd t hei r way t o any par t of t he
known
ar e, i nevi t abl y, par t of t he same soci et i es as t he
wor l d and br i ng back t o Eur ope t he r esour ces and t he gl or y of t hei r power t o see i zed news cal l ed mi l i t ar y i nt el l i gence)
and t o sa让Repr esent at i onal l y, t he pr oj ect i on enl ar ged Eur ope. Fl at t eni ng t he cu凹e agenci es.
had a st r ong com-
V

of t he ear t h ent ai l ed e由r gi ng t he nor t her n l and masses whi ch“ happened” t o be t h⻜飞 As t he devel opment of car t ogr aphy i n ear l y moder n Eur ope
y was news i t sel f
ensi on, so di d t he devel opment of news. Not
onl
ones occupi ed by Eur opeans. But t hi s was not Mer cat or ' s onl y r epr esent at i on创 i al di m
cal l ed“ adver t i -
t echni que. Because most of hi s cust omer s needed t o know about and sai l about t he odi f i 叫but newspaper s di st r i but ed com mer ci al kn户叫edge (

i mper i al i zi ng knowl edge

nor t her n hemi spher e, he dr opped t he equat or t o al most t wo t hi r ds of t he way down ment s") i nsepar abl 丁r f r om, and uncont r adi ct or i l y wi t h, t hei r
on o仰’ s backs.
hi s map. He al so st andar di zed t he i dea t hat t he nor t h shoul d be on t op-i n
t he
(cal l ed "news” ） News and adver t i si ng t r avel each I ?pe????主回g
economi c, r epr est : n-
?

posi t i on of di scur si ve as wel l as pol i t i cal and economi c power . Eur ope became t he knowl edge al ways has mul t i pl e di mensi ons-pol i t i cal , mi l i t ar y,
enl ar ged cent er of t he wor l d. . . . t at i onal

Thi s Eur ocent r i c r epr esent at i on of t he wor l d was par t of Eur ocent r i c act i on i n t he T盯ower of i n
wor l d, f or knowi ng and doi ng ar e cont i nuous. Eur opean-der i ved soci et i es h盯e ；

r et ai ned i t as one of t hei r commonest maps, i f not t he nor mal one, because we ar e ; ; : di ?i ：：⼨寸：：：?〔??f：?：；?f . ?；i : d??⻜飞：；：：⼆二且；；. ：. ；；：：⼆二a?；↓
abst r act ed f r om t hi s t er r ai n, as ar e t he . . . US TV cr ew
i n Tur key, ⼲干nd t he gr eedy ：?1
st i l l engaged i n m uch t he same gl obal ent er pr i se as t he sevent eent h-cent ur y
may be embodi ed i n vi si bl e r epr esen-
hel msmen. Eur opean navi gat or i n Mer cat or ’ s wor l d, or i t

t at i ves such as t he beni gn Gl s on t he Tur ki sh bor der . But

whet her we see由e agency
The news of t he wor l d and t he maps of t he wor l d bot h const i t ut e t he wor l d as a
spher e of knowl edge and t her ef or e act i on f or t hose whose power enabl es t hemt o or not , i t i s al ways par t of t he pr ocess of
r epr esent at i on.
chooses t o r epr esent
know i t as t hey do. The con肌t i ons bet ween news and maps as ways of knowi ng可e Power f ul knowl edge exer t s i t s cont r ol not onl y over what
it

cl ose. The m aps and at l ases of t he si xt eent h and sevent eent h cent ur y wer e consi s?
t ent l y ent i t l ed “ new” or “ newl y descr i bed, " and Pi et er van der Keer e, a pr i nt er ana : : p：：?E骂：t ｝?e ; : ; : : En：：?：?: e?！：s???：：；γ ：：?：！?：：f . : e?；：：：?：
284 J O HN F I S KE Act Gl obal l y, Thi nk Local l y 285

r eor esent at i on. The US“ r epr esent at i ves” i n t he Mi ddl e East wear mi l i t ar y uni f or m, Repr esent at i on is The power t o r epr esent t he wor l d i s t he power t o
cont r ol .

a」⽃斗no r epr esent at i on of t hei r beni gni t y can obl i t er at e t he knowl edge阳sol di er s r epr esent us i n it or
i n us, f or t he f i nal st age of r epr esent i ng mer ges t he r epr esent or
it

ki l l and have ki l l ed. So, t oo, t he

pi ct ur es of Kur di sh f ami l i es and t he i nf or mat i on and t he r epr esent ed i nt o one. I mper i al i zi ng cul t ur es pr oduce gr eat wor ks of ar t
of soci al i dent i t i es and a soci al or der ( gr eat r epr esent at i ons) whi ch can be put t o wor k di scur si vel y as ar mi es and t r adi ng
about t hei r wi de r ange of t al ent s cont ai n t r aces
whi ch t hei r s and whi ch
is can, and shoul d, be know n qui t e di f f er ent l y f r omt hei r US houses wor k and economi cal l y. Shakespear e, Jane Aust en and maps wer e
mi l i t ar i l y
r eor esent at i on . . as i mpor t ant t o Engl i sh I mper i al power as was t he East I ndi a Company, t he Br i t i sh
Mer cat or ’ s map, t he most sci ent i f i c and hence i nst r ument al l y
power f ul of al l t he
._

ar my and t he chur ches of Engl and. I t i s no coi nci dence t hat moder n Eur ope, t he
r epr esent at i ons, r epr esses ot her ways of knowi ng
mor e ef f i ci ent l y t han do t he ot her s. Eur ope of col oni zat i on, was al so t he Eur ope of “ gr eat ar t , " and no coi nci dence ei t her
t hat i t was t he Eur ope of gr eat m ap maker s, f or unl ess we can cont r ol t he wor l d
B⽃斗t t hey ar e possi bl e and t hey do exi st .
Mer cat or ' s pr oj ect i on exi st s compet i t i vel y
r epr essed. I n 1974, Ar no
wi t h ot her s, even i f t he knowl edge of t hat compet i t i on i s di scur si vel y by m aps we cannot cont r ol i t mi l i t ar i l y or economi cal l y. Mer cat or ,
Pet er s, f or exampl e, pr oduced a pr oj ect i on whi ch r epr esent ed t he si ze of al l count r i es Mol i er e, Col um bus and Capt ai n Cook i mper i al i zed i n di f f er ent ways, but t hey al l
wor l d wi t h pr opor t i onat e accur acy. I t i s st i l l a“ sci ent i f i c" map, i ndeed, i t s i mper i al i zed, and ul t i mat el y t he ef f ect i vi t y of one depended upon and suppor t ed t he
6
i n t he
Mer cat or ’ s. To t he whi t e
suppor t er s cl ai m t hat i t exempl i f i es bet t er sci ence t han ef f ect i vi t y oft he ot her s. Si mi l ar l y t he US f or m of cont empor ar y col oni zat i on,
al l

wor l d, i n whom Mer cat or has been nor mal i zed, t he ef f ect was shocki ng. Nor t h whi ch i nvol ves occupyi ng economi es and pol i t i cal pa⼝口i es r at her t han physi cal t er r i -
Amer i ca, Eur ope and t he USSR appear t o be squeezed and mi sshapen. Af r i ca, Sout h t or i es, i s accompani ed by t he power of bot h Hol l ywood and t he sat el l i t e t o r epr esent
Amer i ca and t he sout h appear el ongat ed. Not sur pr i si ngl y Pet er s' s pr oj ect i on has t he wor l d t o and f or t he US.

been ent husi ast i cal l y pr omot ed by member s of t he “ t hi r d" wor l d and by or gani za-
t i ons such as t he UN
or i nt er nat i onal chur ches. Those who bel i eve t hat t he best way
of knowi ng t he wor l d as we move t owar ds t he t went y-f i r st cent ur y is one t hat
NOTES
r espect s i t s di ver si t y and mi ni mi zes power di f f er ence bet ween nat i ons f i nd t hat t ?i
Fr om John Fi ske，“ Act Gl obal l y, Thi nk Local l y，＇’ i n Power Pl ays, Power Wor ks ( London:
map r epr esent s t hei r knowl edge mor e r eal i st i cal l y ( accur at el y) t han does Mer cat or ' s. ．

Ver so, 1993) . Repr i nt ed by per mi ssi on of t he publ i sher .

Equal l y unsur pr i si ngl y, t he Pet er s pr oj ect i on has been r ej ect ed or i gnor ed by most of
Roseanne Mant ovel l a, Cor por at e Ar t ( New Br unswi ck, NJ: Rut ger s Uni ver si t y Pr ess) ,
t he agenci es of t he power -bl oc i n t he W est -school boar ds, t he maj or map and at l as 1.

publ i sher s, t he TV news net wor ks and t he f eder al gover nment . CBS news coul d
1990.

Edwar d Sai d, Or i ent a/i sm ( New Yor k: Random House, 1978) ; and Fr ant z Fanon, Bl ack
har dl y backdr op i t s account of t he US mi l i t ar y i n t he Gul f or i n t he Kur di sh r ef ugee
2.

Ski n, Whi t e Masks ( NewYor k: Gr ove, 1967) .

camp wi t h Pet er s' s way of r epr esent i ng t he wor l d. 3. CBS News, 23 Sept ember 1991.
Peopl e l i ve i n pl aces. The power t o cont r ol pl ace i s al ways t he power t o cont r ol 4. Jack M过⽩白，“ Bl acks vs. Br owns，” The At l ant i c Mont hl y, Oct ober 1992, p. 64.
peopl e. Power i s never exer t ed onl y t hr ough t echnol ogi cal cont r ol , but al ways 5. The St ar Tr i bune, 28 Jul y 1991, p. 19A r epor t s hi mas sayi ng:
t hr ough di scur si ve cont r ol as wel l : t he power t o do and t he power t o know ar e
Wi t hout somet hi ng of a dr amat i c f ashi on t o hi t t he peopl e squar el y bet ween t he eyes,
i nsepar abl e. Geor ge Bush’ s l i ne dr awn i n t he sands of Saudi Ar abi a and t he US t anks
t her e was no way t hat you coul d convi nce t he maj or i t y of t he peopl e i n t he ci t y t hat
t hat enf or ced i t wer e par t of M er cat or ’ s pr oj ect i on of t he wor l d, not Pet er s、Sci ence
t hese ki nds of ( abuses) happen . . . . I have seen evi dence of i t 仕om t i me t o t i me and
and r at i onal i sm pr oduce knowl 吨e about t he physi cal and soci al wor l ds whi ch knew t hat t her e was much mor e of t hi s r aci sm and excessi ve use of f or ce pr esent i n
enabl e t hose who possess i t t o domi nat e and expl oi t t hose wor l ds f or t hei r own end⼆二 t hat depar t ment . . . . Had t hat t ape not been t her e, t hese of f i cer s no doubt woul d have
I t i s not sur pr i si ng, t hen, t hat t hose nat i ons whose power -bl ocs have
pr omot ect
deni ed t hat t ook pl ace and we woul d have had t he same ki nd of si t uat i on: char ges,
it

sci ent i f i c and r at i onal i st i c ways of knowi ng have com e t o domi nat e and expl oi t t he mat t er di smi ssed. That vi deot ape, I t hi nk, has shaken not onl y l aw
al l egat i ons, deni al ,
wor l d, j ust as, wi t hi n t hose nat i ons, t hose same power -bl ocs have used t hose same enf or cement i n t hi s ci t y, but acr oss t he nat i on.
ways of knowi ng t o domi nat e and expl oi t ot her soci al f or mat i ons wi t hi n t hei r own Wor l d Map: Pet er s
6. War d L. Kai ser , A New Vi ew of t he Wor l d, a Handbook t o t he
nat i on. Such an i nst r ument al l y power f ul way of knowi ng di sgui ses i t s pol i t i cal i nst r u’ Pr oj ect i on( NewYor k: Fr i endshi p Pr ess, 1987) .
ment al i t y wi t h t he r het or i c of obj ect i vi t y. Thi s di spl aces i t s t r ut hs and l ocat es t hem
i n ext er nal nat ur e or r eal i t y r at her t han i n t he power of t hose who pr oduce and use
t hem, and i n so f ar as i t i s ef f ect i ve i n t hi s ( and i n gener al t er ms i t s ef f ect i veness i :
al most t ot al ) , i t nat ur al i zes t hi s power by cast i ng i t not as t he ef f ect of a hi st or y or
domi nat i on but as t he ef f ect of bei ng abl e t o know t he t r ut h. The physi cal and
pol i t i cal i nst r ument al i t i es of t hi s knowl edge ar e mut ual l y endor si ng and i nt er depen-
dent : t hey ar e t wo si des of t he same coi n.