Introduction Ever since the dawn of newspapers and television the use of imagery in International Relations has become increasingly important. Many people’s knowledge about current affairs is based on and shaped by the media, contemporary literature and through other cultural outlets. The cinema, an important element of pop-culture has also become a powerful source for the political communication of current societal concerns including civil conflicts, health crises, global warming or scarcity of resources. In their art the producers portray their understanding of human rights and security, which include the freedom from fear, freedom from want, freedom of speech and freedom of worship. Art concerned with Human Rights and Human Security is …show more content…
It is easy to connect to the protagonists and the audience develops strong feelings of sympathy and support for them in a very early stage of the story. However, on a deeper level the film shows abuses of human rights that can be observed in reality. While Human Rights and Human Security are complex and broad concepts that are not easily explained or defined, their various elements can easily be portrayed with the help of artistic means and therefore reach a broader audience than they otherwise would. The film makes abstract ideas of human rights and security concrete and accessible to young adults and opens up the door to discussions on human rights issues in the real world. Obviously the portrayal of human rights abuses in the film are to a certain extend exaggerated, but they clearly mirror the reality that a lot of people, especially in the Third World, face on a daily basis. The film offers the audience an opportunity to experience human rights violation on a personal level and shows how insecurity affects a society that is at peace by definition. The Hunger Games openly criticises violence, human rights abuses and makes warfare a deeply personal matter that triggers the audience to critically assess their own notions of human rights and