Laundry-on-Air: Cultural Intimacy and the Transnational Circulation of Popular Culture

Abstract

Abstract TV shows and movies, as dominant forms of modern popular culture, often trigger domestic discussions, especially when dealing with sensitive and thorny issues in society. But what happens when these domestically-created cultural productions are globally circulated and consumed? In recent years, especially following the streaming revolution, there have been increasing numbers of national TV shows and films that are internationally distributed and broadcast. Focusing on the Israeli case, this article examines discursive responses to conflict-related TV shows and films that were created in Israel and are broadcast to an international audience. Situating these responses within International Relations constructivism and Social Psychology literature, we argue that the Israeli harsh and emotional response is a result of three dimensions related to these productions: (1) they deal with culturally intimate issues; (2) they expose Israeli vulnerabilities to outsiders; and (3) they are created by Israeli citizens, expected to align with group norms. In addition to bringing to the surface domestic identity debates, these internationally consumed cultural productions add another layer of ontological anxiety—the uncomfortable feeling associated with “airing the dirty laundry in public.”