Cultural Sensitivities in Ethical Publishing

Figure 1: Suharto and his 'Last Supper'

Source: www.daylife.com/photo/0dUFdkFbDIbYt

If you are a Christian, there is a chance that you were offended by the picture above published in the Indonesian news weekly, Tempo, on February 6, 2008 (daylife, 2008) after the demise of president Suharto. The picture was a mimickry of Leonardo Da Vinci's The Last Supper which featured Jesus Christ and His disciples, and the headline read, 'After He Departed'.

Or if you are a Muslim, the Prophet Muhammad caricatures published in Danish newspaper in 2006 might have provoked a sense of outrage.

In the former case, Tempo chief editor Toriq Hadad had to apologize "for anything unacceptable arising from the publishing of that cover" (ABC News 2008). In the latter, the cartoons sparked diplomatic sanctions and death threats in some Arab nations, while media watchdogs defended the freedom of the press to publicize the cartoons (BBC News 2006).

This begs the question: is it ethical to publish satirical images in the name of exposing prejudices and entertaining readers? Or should cultural sensitivities be given priority at all costs?

Kress and van Leeuwen (2006) argue that different people have different interpretations of texts due to different perspectives based on culture and social experience. Signs often mean what the creators want them to mean rather than convey how most people understand them (Williams 2003). Cross-cultural misunderstanding easily takes place, evoking anger and confusion if ideas are not communicated properly in the context of a particular culture.

Document designers should ask themselves whether the image they publish is intended to instigate negative emotions in their audience. Otherwise, entertaining a particular segment of the audience while offending the rest may not be wise. Designers should ensure that a complete and coherent understanding of the message they intend to communicate is achieved among the audience.

References:

1. ABC News 2008, 'Indonesian weekly apologises over Last Supper Suharto cover', ABC News, viewed 1 June 2009, <http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/02/06/2156269.htm>.

2. BBC News 2006, 'Muhammad Cartoon Row Intensifies', viewed 11 June 2009, <http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4670370.stm>.

3. Daylife, 2008, viewed 2 June 2009, <www.daylife.com/photo/0dUFdkFbDIbYt>.

4. Kress, G. & van Leeuwen, T. 2006, Reading Images, Routledge, London.

5. Williams, K 2003, ‘Ways of Making You Think: Theories of Ideology and Meaning’, Understanding Media Theory, Arnold, London.