Confluences: of war porn and nationalism, at the limits of memory

Abstract

ABSTRACTThis short article explores the suggestive and complicated genre of ‘war porn’ as first described by Jean Baudrillard in his now-famous essay from Libération. I attempt to situate the genre within the context of South Asia, and specifically of India, to undergird a conversation regarding nationalism and the ways by which violence – its production, mediation, circulation, and subsequent consumption – becomes promulgated, particularly when we consider the violation of others. How does understanding its mediation become central to an understanding of how this violence becomes enacted and how does a discussion about ‘war porn’ facilitate a better comprehension of such conceptual frameworks as nationalism, religious fundamentalism, historical memory, and the problematic construction of the figure of the other – these are some of the queries that will be examined here. Furthermore, I also explore how the virtual mediation of violence participates in the ongoing perpetuation of the violation of others as much as the very real acts of violence themselves.