Conflict Analysis and Evaluation Report: Paxman and Brand Interview

This report analyzes the BBC Newsnight interview between Jeremy Paxman and Russell Brand, focusing on conflict management and communication styles. The assignment requires annotating the transcript, identifying the purposes of each participant, instances of conflict, and the reliance on opinions versus facts. The analysis includes an evaluation of how each participant could have managed the interview more effectively, incorporating insights from conflict management theories and communication strategies. The report examines the interview's dynamics, including the roles of the interviewer and interviewee, the use of language, and the underlying assumptions and biases that shaped the interaction. The analysis also delves into the potential causes of conflict, the stories the participants told themselves, and instances of threat. The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the interview, providing recommendations for improved conflict management and communication. The student utilizes a minimum of fifteen academic references to support the analysis and evaluation.

Running head: TRANSCRIPT ANALYSIS
TRANSCRIPT ANALYSIS
Name of the Student:
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Author Note:

1TRANSCRIPT ANALYSIS
The video is mainly an interview between Jeremy Paxman and Russell Brand. The
ideology believed by Russell Brand here has been detailed in this interview arranged by BBC
Newsnight. Here the purpose of Jeremy Paxman is to make sure that the interviewee Russell
Brand can explain his view of the current political system of the world and how they are
affecting the natural through process of the common people. To Brand, the political leaders
are confusing people with their actions so that others do not look into the real problems other
than some unimportant political propaganda.
Here the interviewer is asking separate questions about the understanding of politics
by Russell Band. The main question here revolves round the act that Band has edited a
political magazine and this is questioning to his ability as an editor of reputed political
magazine. On the other hand the interviewee has detailed his point of view as a common
man regarding the political issues of the world which need to be changed.
Jeremy Paxman and Russell Brand both have attacked each other in this interview
process that has revealed the ideologies of the Russell Brand about his intention to change
every political set up and administration in the countries which govern the people through the
path of revolution. Here the interviewee Russell Brand has been accused for editing a
political magazine without knowing much about the world politics (Newstatesman.com.
2019). He has been asked about the voting process which is one of the most important factors
of any democratic country of the world. As the answer of this question, the interviewee has
answered that he has never voted. This shocked the host because since his 18, Brand has not
supported any of the political parties of his country but now he is editing a magazine. This
will definitely be biased anyhow (Dahrendorf 2017). The interview reveals as that Brand
wants such a revolution which will be completely changing the political and administrative
framework of a country. The host have asked him the reason for the revolution and why he is
not supporting any of the political parties attaining the commitments needed for the growth of

2TRANSCRIPT ANALYSIS
the human society and eradicating all the worse things of the world. According to this person,
the political parties whenever fight for the chair, fight for narrow reasons. They get the power
to speak for restoring the planet but support the corporations to destroy the humanity day by
day (Parker, 2018). They do not speak about the sustainable growth of the society by
reducing the disparity of wealth among the riches and the poor but take the path of lies,
treachery and deceit to fulfil their own interests (Dahrendorf 2017).
In detailing the problems with the political parties, Brand has pointed out that the
main focus of all the political system in the world is mainly to serve the minority group of
people who already possess most of the portion of wealth in the world. These political leaders
do not think about the majority of people who do not have enough amount of money to meet
their ends. Now these political parties have the agenda of eradicating poverty and they
promise to stand by the people but after they win, just go right away to meet their interest and
promote conflicts to lead a war.
Other than thinking about the security of the countries, the leaders need to be focused
on the real problems (Independent.co.uk 2019). Russell Brand has forced on the word ‘real’
because he thinks that most of the political leaders are trying to keep the common people in
the imagination and dream without revealing the real problems with this planet. In this regard
the hoist called him a ‘trivial’ person who has limitation of thoughts. This amused Russell
Brand because he was accused for supporting revolutionary thought process and now is being
called trivial. This idea of imposing the ideology on the others is very disappointing to Brand
(Sawyer 2017). As the answer of the question for the host, Russell Brand has pointed out the
fact that he has not thought about being an editor. This is why he is a comedian whose
political ideology is completely different from the others. However, the idea that why a
comedian will be manipulating the political ideology and understanding of the people in a
different way so that they can question the political system without being serious. Politics and

3TRANSCRIPT ANALYSIS
administration actually decide how the people will be living without allowing them to think
what they actually want (Dahrendorf 2017). To Russell, it is a deceitfulness of the leaders
who keep focus on the weakest out the people and manipulate for support. They do not think
about bringing changes in the traditional system for voting not they think how the young
educated people will be reacting to their actions and decision (Fitzpatrick 2017). The
interviewee has pointed out that no political leaders are thinking about the tax havens,
political affiliations as well as financial affiliations of the Conservative Party. They have not
thought about the young generation understands everything and they are angry to voting
system and all the corruption present in the political and administration system (Newton,
Stolle and Zmerli 2018). These political leaders are secured until people start addressing
things that these leaders have kept hidden from the common people.
Finally, the host of the interview Paxman asked about any hope seen by Brand. To
answer this question he has mentioned about the fact that the revolution is impending when
the exfoliated people will be insured against the government and the state and ask for
changing the entire corrupt system (Graber and Dunaway 2017). Russell Brand is highly
hopeful that this revolution will be taking place within few years because the process of
disillusionment has been started and this will engulf all the political system including fake
democracy and lead to the collapse of the state (Cini and Borragán 2016).
In this particular interview where any of the participants became threatened was when
Russell talked about supporting the idea of revolution and overturn all of the political systems
faking the wellbeing of the citizens but actually supporting their own interests. The host
Jeremy Paxman asked what would be the new ideology which can save the world from being
exploited and treachery of the political leaders, then Brand asked for revolution (Winter and
Leclerc 2019). To him politics and administration actually decide how the people will be
living which cannot be supportive in the real world. This idea of revolution is threatening

4TRANSCRIPT ANALYSIS
because it will not only create chaos in the already set society but will be ruining the human
understanding of running state, enjoying rights and living a peaceful life (Jervis 2017).
This particular interview between Jeremy Paxman and Russell Brand were mostly
relying on the opinions rather than facts. This is due to the fact that the term revolution is
not an incident that a person can attend this. Revolution is a lengthy process and needs
complete change of ideology and huge number of people along who believe on the
revolution. It needs a large number of people realising the need for revolution along with
their effect on the society (Lasswell 2018). These people think about the change and try to
manipulate the others surrounding them with their ideas which are mainly imaginative rather
than practical (Heinelt et al. 2018). The host Paxman kept constantly asking for the definition
and explanation of the revolution through by Brand but he was not ready with any culpable
answer but kept one accusing the standard political system for being self-centred and
supportive of the capitalist people (Heinelt and Magnier 2018). These types of people are not
satisfied with their stands hence try imaginative things about politics and accuse the system.
They themselves do not have understanding of the impact of revolution and its emotional and
social expenses but support the idea that revolution will come and destroy all people to stand
against this.
Therefore it can be concluded that Russell Brand has been continuously telling that
there are more educated people present in the system who have wide knowledge about the
politics and how this can affect the society in a better way. The issues of environment and
exploitation of the natural resources actually threaten the whole world but the political
leaders are not ready to reveal these real factors.

5TRANSCRIPT ANALYSIS
References:
Cini, M. and Borragán, N.P.S. eds., 2016. European union politics. Oxford University Press.
Dahrendorf, R., 2017. Reflections on the Revolution in Europe. Routledge.
Eysenck, H.J., 2018. The psychology of politics. Routledge.
Fitzpatrick, S., 2017. The Russian Revolution. Oxford University Press.
Graber, D.A. and Dunaway, J., 2017. Mass media and American politics. Cq Press.
Heinelt, H. and Magnier, A., 2018. Analyzing governance through local leaders’ perceptions:
comparative surveys, academic networks, and main results. Revista española de ciencia
política, (46), pp.157-172.
Heinelt, H., Magnier, A., Cabria, M. and Reynaert, H., 2018. Political Leaders and Changing
Local Democracy. The European Mayor. Cham, Switzerland: Palgrave Macmillan.
Independent.co.uk (2019). Russell Brand is far from trivial. On Newsnight, he made Paxman
look. [online] The Independent. Available at:
https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/russell-brand-is-far-from-trivial-on-
newsnight-he-made-paxman-look-ridiculous-8901524.html [Accessed 22 Sep. 2019].
Jervis, R., 2017. Perception and Misperception in International Politics: New Edition.
Princeton University Press.
Lasswell, H.D., 2018. Politics: Who gets what, when, how. Pickle Partners Publishing.
Newstatesman.com. (2019). Russell Brand on revolution: “We no longer have the luxury of
tradition”. [online] Available at: https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2013/10/russell-
brand-on-revolution [Accessed 22 Sep. 2019].

6TRANSCRIPT ANALYSIS
Newton, K., Stolle, D. and Zmerli, S., 2018. Social and political trust. The Oxford handbook
of social and political trust, p.37.
Parker, J. (2018). Russell Brand Finds His Medium. [online] The Atlantic. Available at:
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2018/07/russell-brand-under-the-skin/561731/
[Accessed 22 Sep. 2019].
Sawyer, M. (2017). Russell Brand: ‘I was a needy person. I'm less mad now’. [online] the
Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2017/sep/02/russell-brand-
needy-person-less-mad-now [Accessed 22 Sep. 2019].
Winter, D.G. and Leclerc, R., 2019. Developing a measure of generative historical
consciousness from political leaders’ speeches. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin,
p.0146167218823043.