OUGD401 - END OF MODULE EVALUATION

OUGD401 - Module Evaluation

Looking at this module in retrospect I feel I have learn a great deal about the contextal side of design, this was my first time I have researched the contextual aspect of graphic deisgn in depth. Over the course of the module I feel have expanded my knowledge on a number of design related topics through a series of lectures, seminars and study tasks that will inform my practice and allow me to develop as a designer. I feel the quality of my outcome in this module is of a  extremely high quality due to the depth of my investigation research and timescale I was given to produce my resolutions. 

My research essay allowed me to devleop a hollistic knowledge of the social and political influence of graphic design.  I specialised this to appeal to my interests which made the process of research more enjoyable. Coming from a background of English Language A-level I enjoyed the process of formulating my essay however had intila difficulty with harvard referencing and my bibliography as these were new skills to me that I now feel I can use confidently within critical writing. I feel the outcome of my research essay was of a high standard as it was planned and flowed systematically. I think I remained focused throughout my essay to ensure a indepth research essay that provided a clear resolution to my hypothesis. 

I was initially apprehensive regarding the practical body of work to acompany my essay as I struggled to find a sucessful context and went through an extensive development process. I think my final design direction is informed and focused to relate back to my research essay. The aesthetic of my resolution is informed my primary research thus appealing to its audience, I am happy with my final resolution as  I feel it is concextually focused, relevent to my research essay and developed to be engagign and approprate for an audience. 

Overall I am happy with my progress through the module and my development throughout the year. I feel I have learnt an abundance of new essential skills that will be invaluable  when developing throughout the course and into my dissertation. I feel I have a much better understanding of the contextual elements of graphic design and how I can link these to my practice. I feel I  have worked well independantly through the course of this module, managing my time according and organising my own informal critiques and feedback. Due to the extended nautre of the module I have had the opportunity to extensively collate research and develop my essay to a strong professional quality andcreate a subsequent body of practical graphic design that is both relevent and focused to my research essay. 

OUGD401 - How my Practical Project links to my Research Essay

I stated in my essay that if it can be determined that propaganda has been used throughout history to deceive the people and deliberately put forth the corrupt ideologies of a small cohort, to work in that cohorts favour, these deceiving components can be isolated and prevented to ensure a more democratic society. This led me to form the hypothesis that if the state uses propaganda to enforce its own ideologies then they will deceive the people because they present biased and subjective representations of the subject matter.    Throughout the course of my essay I determined that there are substantial propagandist techniques evident within both examples of propaganda I analysed. There are subliminal examples of racism, fascism and militarism that are all encoded within the iconography presented to the people by the state. As a result of this, it can be determined that the state has used biased and subjective representations of their enemies in order to evoke a conditioned response from the people. Having identified these propagandist techniques and applied them to real life historical examples I planned to see if similar techniques that I have clearly identified as racist propaganda are still visible within todays contemporary society. I felt in modern day society news corporations have more influence than the state in influencing the people  due to increased political correctness. 

I researched FOX news as they are a world leading media organisation and found facts from CAIR (Council on American-Islamic Relations) that stated fox new are amongst the outer core of the U.S. Islamophobia Network. They published statistics by the Public Religion Research Institute that stated “There is a strong correlation between trusting Fox News and negative views of Islam and Muslims. This pattern is evident even among conservative political and religious groups.”. This suggested to me that similarly to the American propaganda I analysed Fox news also uses propaganda to enforce its own ideologies to deceive the people because they present biased and subjective representations of the subject matter (in this case Islam).  I then researched specific examples of statements made by fox news that were direct examples of propaganda similar to those used in the World War 2 American propaganda I analysed.  I analysed the following quotes made by Fox news Anchors and representatives and found them all to contain propagandist techniques. 

"Not Every Muslim Is A Terrorist, But Every Terrorist Is A Muslim."

This statement has clear use of Ad hominem as they are blatantly attacking the opponents (muslims) instead of their ideas or principles. This also use of demonising the enemy in the attempt to make the public think all muslims are terrorists. I think the clearest form of propaganda used in this statement is transfer as it is defined as 'association of an entity’s positive or negative qualities with another entity to suggest that the latter entity embodies those qualities' this clearly shows how FOX news are trying to associate the negative qualities of terrorists to muslims to sway the public opinions of muslims and make them seem dangerous. 

"Every terrorist on American soil has been a Muslim."

This statement also has clear use of propagandist techniques for example the use of Pensée unique as it represses alternative views to present the simple argument that every terrorist has been a muslim. This statements also has evidence of flag waving, the use of America, will appeal to the publics sense of nationalism and make that concerns real to an american audience making them seem directly in danger. 

"Islamism is a virus that is penetrating every area of society."

The final statement chosen uses Labelling, the use of the dysphemistic term 'virus' associated with islam is used to encourage a negative connotations by the audience. This could also be interpreted as transfer, accosting the virus with islam to deceive the public into believing islam is bad. Finally this statement is also guilty of Demonising the enemy by degenerating the appearance of islam to sway the publics opinions. 

This clearly demonstrates how FOX news use propagandist techniques to present biased and subjective representations of the subject matter to an audience, showing how these propagandist techniques are still present within todays society. I then aimed to demonstrate to an audience how we are being deceived by modern day news corporations  such as FOX news yet are blind to it, as we can see the propagandist and  racial injustice of examples throughout history (WW2) and cannot link the connections between the two.

I then created a campaign to articulate this information to the public in an accessible way as this was a problem generated from my research that the information of Fox News's alleged islamophobia was unaccessible and too time consuming to become easily educated. I think I have created a campaign that will increase public awareness in an appropriate aesthetic derived from primary research that allows the audience to draw their own conclusions and not be spooned the information, appreciating the audiences intelligence creating an engaging, thought provoking campaign. I feel I have succeeded in creating a relevant body of graphic design that will allow an audience to question why these statements are appropriate, where the same techniques used in World War 2 are openly labeled as racist.