Cynthia P. Schneider

• About The SpeakerAbout The Speaker• an American diplomat• 61st United States Ambassador

to the Netherlands• Cynthia Schneider studies culture

and politics -- watching how novels, TV shows and cultural engagement around the globe (and especially within the Muslim world) might lead to political change.

The surprising spread of "Idol" TV

• About The TalkAbout The Talk• Cynthia Schneider looks at

two international "American Idol"-style shows -- one in Afghanistan, and one in the United Arab Emirates -- and shows the surprising effect that these reality-TV competitions are creating in their societies.

Runner-up

Runner-up

Poet of the Millions

Poet of the Millions

WinnerWinner

What are they in common?

Simon Cowell behind the Idol franchises

• What kind of show are What kind of show are these idol franchises? these idol franchises?

• (A) Reality Show• (B) Talent Show• (C) Sit-com* • (D) Soap Opera

• Answer:Answer: Reality Game Reality Game Show & Talent ShowShow & Talent Show

Simon CowellSimon Cowell

Definition of Terms• A situation comedy, often shortened to sitcom, is a

genre of comedy that features characters sharing the same common environment, such as a home or workplace, accompanied with jokes as part of the dialogue.

• Ex. FriendsFriends http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friends

• Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded.

• Ex. Big BrotherBig Brother http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Brother_Australia_2008

Singing CompetitionHow does it work?

Singing CompetitionHow does it work?

A panel of judgesA panel of judges SMS Texting VotingSMS Texting Voting

Contestant & HostContestant & Host AuditionAudition

Toll-freeToll-free

AT&T wireless

AT&T wireless

finalistsfinalists

Matching the Idol winners

Guy SebastianGuy SebastianAngels brought me hereAngels brought me here

• Winner of the first season of Australian IdolWinner of the first season of Australian Idol• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GM5nNX

o5o4o

Background Knowledge

Background Knowledge• Muezzin 報告禱告時刻的人• Prayer 禱告• Mosque 清真寺• Islam 伊斯蘭• Arabic 阿拉伯的• Fasting 禁食• Ramadan 齋戒月（回教九

月）• Quran 可蘭經• Hijab/Burqa 回教女孩穿戴的頭

巾＆全身袍 (dress code)• Taliban 塔利班• Pilgrimage 朝聖• Mecca 麥加 ( 沙烏地阿拉伯 )

Masala Chai• Masala chai (literally "mi

xed-spice tea") is a beverage originating from the Indian subcontinent made by brewing tea with a mixture of aromatic spices and herbs such as ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, fennel, peppercorn and cloves.

Cross-Cultural Experience

TEA TIME

TEA TIME

Osama (2003)

• Osama (Persian: أسامة) is a 2003 film made in Afghanistan by Siddiq Barmak.

• It is about a girl living in Afghanistan under the Taliban regime who disguises herself as a boy, Osama, working in a chai teashop to support her family.

• The Taliban have also forbidden women to leave their houses unless you are escorted by a male "legal companion."

• http://www.moviemaze.de/media/trailer/1149,osama.html

Brainstorming!!!

Arab LeagueArab League

Can you name each of them?Can you name each of them?

ISLAM WORLDISLAM WORLD

Can you recognize

Can you recognize

them?them?

How about the

How about the

timeline?timeline?

World ReligionWorld Religion

• Christianity 基督教• Taoism 道教 (Confucianism 儒家 )

• Judaism 猶太教• Buddhism 佛教• Hinduism 印度教• Sikh 錫克教（印度）• Scientology 山達基教• Mormonism 摩門教 ( 基督教派之一 )• Islam 伊斯蘭教

TIMELINE OF WORLD RELIGIONTIMELINE OF WORLD RELIGION

• Please categorize the following religions chronically.

• (A) Christianity• (B) Judaism• (C) Hinduism• (D) Buddhism• (E) Muslim

• (B) - (C) – (D) – (A) – (E) (B) - (C) – (D) – (A) – (E)

TIMELINE OF WORLD RELIGIONTIMELINE OF WORLD RELIGION

Population OF World ReligionsPopulation OF World Religions

• Can you order the top 4 largest religions?• Buddhism• Christianity• Islam• Hinduism

• 1st Christianity – 2nd Muslim1st Christianity – 2nd Muslim• 3rd Buddhism – 4th Islam3rd Buddhism – 4th Islam

Four Largest ReligionsFour Largest Religions

ChristianityChristianity 2.1-2.2 billion2.1-2.2 billion 33%-34%33%-34%

IslamIslam 1.5-1.6 billion1.5-1.6 billion 22%-23%22%-23%

BuddhismBuddhism 500 million – 500 million – 1.9 billion1.9 billion

7%-929%7%-929%

HinduismHinduism 1.0-1.1 billion1.0-1.1 billion 15.2%-16.2%15.2%-16.2%

World population: 6.96 billionWorld population: 6.96 billion

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57AUhZiT3U4

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSmcmmDO2jI

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHN51MtHDTI&feature=related

Audio-Script-(1)

• I’d like to ask you, what do these three people have in common? Well, you probably recognize the first person. I’m sure you all avid “America Idol” watchers. But you might not recognize Aydah Al Jahani, who is a contestant, indeed a finalist, in the Poet of the Millions competition, which is broadcast out of Abu Dhabi, and seen throughout the Arab world. In this contest people have to write and recite original poetry in the Nabati form of poetry, which is the traditional Bedouin form. And Lima Sahar was a finalist in the Afghan Star singing competition.

Word BankWord Bank• have sth in common 有共同點• avid 熱情的 渴望的• contestant 比賽者• finalist 決賽參賽者• broadcast 廣播 放送• Arab world 阿拉伯世界• recite 朗誦• poetry 詩• Bedouin 貝多因 ( 遊牧民族 )

Audio-Script-(2)

• Now before I go any further, yes, I know it all began with Britain’s Got Talent. But my point in discussing this is to show you – I hope I’ll be able to show you how these merit-based competitions, with equal access to everyone, with the winner selected via voting by SMS are changing tribal societies. And I’m going to focus on Afghanistan and the Arab world with the UAE, how they’re changing tribal societies, not by introducing Western ideas but being integrated into the language in those places.

Word BankWord Bank• merit-based 價值優點• equal 相同的• access to 進入• SMS (short message service) 簡訊• tribal 部落的• UAE (United Arab Emirates)阿拉伯聯合公國• integrate .. Into 合併　合體

Audio-Script-(3)

• It all begins with enjoyment. (Video: We are late to watch “Afghan Star.” We are going to watch “Afghan Star.” We are late. We are running late. We must go to watch “Afghan Star.”) These programs are reaching incredibly deeply into society. In Afghanistan, people go to extraordinary lengths to be able to watch this program. And you don’t necessarily have to have your own TV set. People watch it all over the country also in public places. But it goes beyond watching, because also, part of this is campaigning. People become so engaged that they have volunteers, just like political volunteers anyway who fan out over the countryside, campaigning for their candidiate. Contestants also put themselves forward.

Word BankWord Bank• reach into 達到進入• go to length 大費周章的• extraordinary 格外的• campaign 宣傳活動• volunteer 自願者• candidate 參賽者候選人• put (themselves) forward 全力以赴

Audio-Script-(4)

• Now, of course there is a certain degree of ethnic allegiance, but not entirely because each year the winner has come from a different tribal group. This has opened up the door, particularly for women. And in the last season there were two women in the finalists. One of them, Lima Sahar, is a Pashtun from Kandahar, a very conservative part of the country. And here she relates, in the documentary film “Afghan Star” how her friends urged her not to do this and told her that she was leaving them for democracy. But she also confides that she knows that members of the Taliban are actually SMS-ing votes in for her.

Word BankWord Bank• certain degree 特定程度• ethnic allegiance 種族忠誠度• entirely 全然地• conservative 保守的• relate 講述• documentary film 紀錄片• urge 鼓勵促使• democracy 民主• confide 對 ~ 透露坦白

Audio-Script-(5)

• Aydah AI Jahnani also took risks and put herself out, to compete in the Poet of the Millions competition. I have to say, her husband backed her from the star. But her tribe and family urged her not to compete and were very much against it. But once she started to win, then they got behind her again. It turns out that competition and winning is a universal human value. And she’s out there. Her poetry is about women, and the life of women in society. So just by presenting herself and being in competition with men – this shows the voting on the program – it sets a very example for young women – these are young women in the audience of the program – in Abu Dhabi but also people in the viewing audience.

Word BankWord Bank• took risk 冒險• back (v) 支持• from the start 打從一開始• against 反對• It turns out 結果（演變成）是• universal 普世的• human value 大家認同的價值• present 呈現表現• set…example 以身作則

Audio-Script-(6)

• Now you’d think that “American Idol” would introduce a measure of Americanzation. But actually, just the opposite is happening. By using this engaging popular format for traditional, local culture, it actually, in the Gulf, is precipitating a revival of interest in Nabati poetry, also in traditional dress and dance and music. And for Afghanistan, where the Taliban banned music for many years, it is reintroducing their traditional music. They don’t sing pop songs, they sing Afghan music. And they also have learned how to lose gracefully, without avenging winner. No small thing.

Word BankWord Bank• Measure 方法措施• Americanization 美國化• Opposite 相反的• Engaging 迷人有魅力的• The Gulf 波斯灣• Precipitate 加速　促使• Revival of interest 興趣復興• Ban (v) 禁止• Lose gracefully 優雅的離場• Avenge (v) 報復

Audio-Script-(7)

• And the final, sort of, formulating of this “American Idol’ format, which has just appeared in Afghanistan, is a new program, people present policy platforms that are then voted on. Many of them are too young to run for president, but by putting the issues out there, they are influencing things unseen is how reality TV is driving reality. Thank you!

Word BankWord Bank• formulation 構想• appear 出現• policy platform 政策黨綱• put … out there 提出攤在陽光下• issues 議題• presidential race 總統大選• substance 本質• driving reality （實境秀）驅使現實面