Traffic is pleased to present a talk and discussion on cultural voyeurism led by Dr. Osei Appiah, Associate Professor in the School of Communication at The Ohio State University. Cultural voyeurism is conceptualized as the process by which a person seeks knowledge about and gratification from a different cultural group or phenomenon. This process describes a person’s identification with another culture or subculture, to which he/she may not normally have easy access or be allowed entry. Like a Peeping Tom looking through an unsuspecting person’s window, the cultural voyeur looks through a media-enabled lens to observe and enjoy the actions and attributes of a different cultural group. However, unlike your average Peeping Tom, the cultural voyeur audaciously moves beyond mere observation, and begins to embrace and emulate aspects of the other culture.

Using examples from advertising, video games, music, and popular culture, Dr. Appiah will demonstrate the cultural voyeuristic behavior displayed by young White Americans for Black American culture. Although this discussion will focus mainly on White-Black intergroup relations, this discussion is applicable across the globe, including Dubai. The city of Dubai is multi-cultural and multi-ethnic, has an estimated 200 nationalities represented, and caters to a large expatriate population.

About Dr. Osei Appiah:
Dr. Osei Appiah, Associate Professor in the School of Communication at The Ohio State University, will be discussing notions of cultural voyeurism - conceptualized as the process by which a person seeks knowledge about and gratification from a different cultural group or phenomenon. This process describes a person’s identification with another culture or subculture, to which he/she may not normally have easy access or be allowed entry.