Counter-flows

Counter-flow (also referred as contra-flow) is the movement of cultures from one place to another brought by mobile subjects (migrants) that can have a positive or negative impact or effect on society. It is no longer from “the west to the rest,” but a two way movement. Counter-flows can be seen through the media such as telenovelas (soap operas) and through gangs such as La Mara Salvatrucha or MS13 from El Salvador. Daya Kishan Thussu defines contra-flow as:

“the semantic and imaginative referents for the institutional, cultural and political matrix of a world framed by processes of global cultural power and local negotiation: a world experienced through the identity politics of nations, individuals and cultures and negotiated through contestations of locality, nationality and global citizenship.” ^[1]

History

Unlike transculturation, counter-flows (or contra-flow) is not the mixing or meshing of two cultures. Rather, contra-flow(s) is about the movement of cultures, like a two-way traffic lane, where individuals are said to live “between cultures.” ^[2]. The term contra-flow originated from the preceding peripheries of global media industries, designated ‘sub-altern flows.’ ^[3] More importantly, contra- flow(s) emerged because of the global mass media reversing the dominant Western, First World direction, in other words it is no longer from “the West to the rest,” ^[4] It can also be said that counter-flows originated because of colonization and later on because of Diaspora.

Colonization brought a new language and religious beliefs to the Americas. In the one hand a new way of living was taken in by the indigenous people, but on the other, they retained part of their language that is still used today such as the words maiz and aguacate, among other. Additionally, just like the indigenous people, colonizers acquired something from the colonized; they brought back with them goods from the Americans such as potatoes and corn. Through colonization, we can see counter- flows being born and take action because of the consumption, fluidity, and flexibility of culture in both directions, from the colonizer to the colonized and vice versa.

Example of contra-flow media

Contra or counter-flows, through media, has had a positive and negative impact on migrant communities. As mentioned before, counter-flows is the movement of culture, not only one way but a two way movement. Furthermore, media is a major source of communication and information that reaches hundreds of homes across the country. The term counter-flows is especially applied and seen in the Latino communities located all throughout the United States.

A positive example of contra-flow media are telenovelas or soap operas. Telenovelas have become global because of the leading producers of telenovelas such as Televisa in Mexico, Venevision in Venezuela, and Globo TV in Brazil, reaching hundreds of homes all around the globe. Through these leading networks, migrant communities are able to obtain information and watch entertainment shows from their native land.

Yo Soy Betty La Fea, a telenovela originally from Colombia, has become a success not only in its native country but in more than seventy countries in three different continents ^[5]. In the United States, for example, the telenovela aired on the Telemundo network for Latino communities in the United States. After its grand success, other United States networks became interested in creating or remaking the telenovela by naming it Ugly Betty, but for an English-speaking audience. However, the producers of Ugly Betty made sure to still maintain the plot and some of the main characteristics from the original Yo Betty La Fea telenovela to retain the Hispanic fans and audience ^[6]. By maintaining some of the characteristics, producers hope that the English-speaking Latino communities are able to relate with the main character, Betty, because of the fact that she is a Latino woman living in the United States with an immigrant father.

Yo Soy Betty La Fea is a great example of contra-flow media because of the increasing exportation of telenovelas to the United States and other countries not familiar or culturally similar to Latin America. Ugly Betty also shows the reverse media imperialism which is “the term focused on the one-way flow of information from the United States to the rest of the world with complete disregard for the importance of counter-flows generated by television exporters in other parts of the world,” ^[7].

La Mara Salvatrucha as counter-flows

La Mara Salvatrucha is a negative example of counter-flow. This Latin gang originated from Los Angeles California after Salvadoran migrants left their country in the early 1980s due to the civil war. La Mara Salvatrucha (or MS13) has a reputation of being the world’s dangerous gang difficult to stop. The flow of La Mara Slavatrucha gang members between the United States and El Salvador has created a transnational empire of power and control supported by violence. Members from MS13 keep in constant contact with members in El Salvador. Among the different criminal activities that they operate in both the US an El Salvador are robbery, muggings, extortion, drug trafficking,the distribution of weapons, human trafficking and murder. They are protective with their business empire of drug and making money while keeping in touch through technology. According to Strickland the gang members stay in contact by “…using disposable cell phones and the Internet, both of which are readily available at low cost” ^[8] Many of the members do not have technological skills, but there are programs that help them navigate.

La Mara in the media centric

Through technology, the media centric has exposed society to learn of issues that are occurring in the world. The media does not hesitate to expose the violence through the news, internet and newspaper magazines. The printing industry and images are a navigation chain to reach out to the world, and La Mara has been on top of the negative exposure. La Mara’s exposure to the world has created fear among society. The gang’s history has appeared in different airings, from Fox News Channel, and Gangland on the History Channel. According to Strickland, “Deportations have helped create an ‘unending chain’ of gang members moving between the U.S. and Central America…it’s a merry-go-round” ^[9]. Till this day the Salvadoran gang MS13 is still considered a transnational group through their back and forth movement.

References

1. ^ Thussu, Daya Kishan. "Media on the Move: Global flow and contra-flow". Routledge, 2007, p. 49
2. ^ Thussu, Daya Kishan. "Media on the Move: Global flow and contra-flow". Routledge, 2007, p. 1.
3. ^ Thussu, Daya Kishan. "Media on the Move: Global flow and contra-flow". Routledge, 2007, p. 5.
4. ^ Thussu, Daya Kishan. "Media on the Move: Global flow and contra-flow". Routledge, 2007, p. 50.
5. ^ Highet, Emily. "Yo Soy Betty La Fea is Beautiful in the United States." University of New South Whales, http://www.emilyhighet.com/uploads/5/8/4/2/5842260/yo_soy_betty_la_fea_is_beautiful_in_the_united_states.doc (p. 1)
6. ^ Highet, Emily. "Yo Soy Betty La Fea is Beautiful in the United States." University of New South Whales, http://www.emilyhighet.com/uploads/5/8/4/2/5842260/yo_soy_betty_la_fea_is_beautiful_in_the_united_states.doc (p. 3)
7. ^ Highet, Emily. "Yo Soy Betty La Fea is Beautiful in the United States." University of New South Whales, http://www.emilyhighet.com/uploads/5/8/4/2/5842260/yo_soy_betty_la_fea_is_beautiful_in_the_united_states.doc (p. 1)
8. ^ Strickland, S., Tina. “Mara Salvatrucha: A Threat to U.S. and Central American Security.” The World’s Most Threatening Terrorist Networks and Criminal Gangs, New York, Palgrave Macmillan, 2009, p. 252.
9. ^ Strickland, S., Tina. “Mara Salvatrucha: A Threat to U.S. and Central American Security.” The World’s Most Threatening Terrorist Networks and Criminal Gangs, New York, Palgrave Macmillan, 2009, p. 262.