As a media psychologist interested in the role of media in conflict, I can't pass up the chance to be in Beijing during the Olympics. I head out tomorrow, now that I have my visa in hand, and will report from the frontlines during the coming week. I don't look forward to the crush of the crowds, but am extraordinarily curious to see how it feels to be in Beijing, to sense the emotion of the crowd and then to see how my impressions align with the media coverage shown here in the U.S. Things I have been pondering in anticipation of this trip: Is China ready to host the Olympics OR is the more accurate question, is the rest of the world ready for China to host the Olympics? This is the first time an emerging country has hosted the Olympics since Mexico City. Does China hosting the Olympics cause cognitive dissonance between what China is today and how we perceive China to be? Is this dissonance significant enough that the collective 'we' must identify and emphasize those … [Read more...]