Peace Journalism, War and Conflict Resolution

Description

Peace Journalism, War and Conflict Resolution draws together the work of over twenty leading international writers, journalists, theorists and campaigners in the field of peace journalism. Mainstream media tend to promote the interests of the military and governments in their coverage of warfare. This major new text aims to provide a definitive, up-to-date, critical, engaging and accessible overview exploring the role of the media in conflict resolution. Sections focus in detail on theory, international practice, and critiques of mainstream media performance from a peace perspective; countries discussed include the U.S., U.K., Germany, Cyprus, Sweden, Canada, India, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea and the Philippines. Chapters examine a wide variety of issues including mainstream newspapers, indigenous media, blogs and radical alternative websites. The book includes a foreword by award-winning investigative journalist John Pilger and a critical afterword by cultural commentator Jeffery Klaehn. Cover Contents Foreword Introduction: Why peace journalism matters The emergence of the notion of peace journalism Shifting the focus Debating Herman and Chomsky’s propaganda model Peace journalism theory and practice in an international context On the potential of web-based activism Critiquing (and transforming) the mainstream Peace and pedagogy The future Notes References Section 1. Peace Journalism: New Theoretical Positions 1. Non-violence in philosophical and media ethics Social contract theory Dialogic theory Spiritual dimension of the human Holistic humans Taoism Golden rule Conclusion Notes References 2. Recovering agency for the propaganda model: The implications for reporting war and peace Herman, Chomsky and media sociology War propaganda and CIA penetration of the media William Laurence’s double act – working for The Times and the government Judith Miller – spreading fear of WMD Michael Gordon and the misreporting of Iran ‘As though’ reporting of the Iranian nuclear ‘threat’ Conclusion Bibliography 3. Peace journalism as political practice: A new, radical look at the theory Peace journalism as ‘revolutionary’ political practice The Independent: Not so independent Peace journalism as a form of political practice: Working within the mainstream The historical role of the alternative media – from the French Revolution to Iran today Don’t hate the media – be the media: The crucial role of the alternative media The role of radical alternative journalists The role of radical intellectuals The role of research centres Political activists doubling as media activists ‘Citizen journalists’ Peace movement and human rights organisations Beyond ‘alternative utopianism’: The Iranian Revolution of 1979 Countering the myth of revolutionary violence Conclusion: The right of all to journalism Notes References 4. Propaganda, war, peace and the media The journalistic virility test over the fall of Saddam Defining propaganda How ‘balance’ promotes war Humanitarian warfare US foreign policy and the ‘nurturant parent’ frame Postmodern warfare Cascading activation Increasing influence of corporate PR over the news agenda Conclusion: The logic of peace journalism References Section 2. Peace (Or Conflict Sensitive) Journalism: Theory and Practice in an International Context 5. A global standard for reporting conflict and peace A global standard for reporting conflict Adaptations of the peace journalism model Research design: How would it work? Conclusion: Identifying war journalism as ‘harmful’, peace journalism as ‘psychologically beneficial’ References 6. When peace journalism and feminist theory join forces: A Swedish case study Women not valued as news Some of our findings The monitoring methodology How the media’s ‘logic’ excludes women’s voices Voice in their own right Ignored and ridiculed Heaping blame and putting to shame Lack of gender perspective – even within the peace journalism model Feminist theory and peace journalism How patriarchal norms are built into news making Do women make better peace journalists? Conclusion: A project in progress Notes References 7. Crossing borders: The global influence of Indigenous media Declarations and apologies: Indigenous peoples on the world stage Structural violence theory, Indigenous media and conflict resolution Structural violence and media responsibility in Papua New Guinea Journalism and nonviolence: Mediation and conflict resolution in Mohawk territory Mapping the Indigenous media universe Australia Kalaallit Nunaat (Greenland) The United States Canada Inuit beyond borders Ainu in Japan From local to global: Indigenous media networks The Guatemala Radio Project The launch of World Indigenous Television Conclusions: Outlaws and visionaries: looking back and moving forward References 8. Iraq and Dahr Jamail: War reporting from a peace perspective Media coverage of the invasion and occupation of Iraq: War journalism Dahr Jamail: Reporting people The second US assault on Fallujah in November 2004 Dahr Jamail: Peace journalism in practice The aftermath Conclusion Notes References 9. Are you a vulture? Reflecting on the ethics and aesthetics of atrocity coverage and its aftermath Introduction Practitioners’ perspectives The role of reflection in research Murder in Khairlanji Personal experience Ethics and aesthetics The vulture question Editorial guidelines and practitioner experience To conclude with questions Notes References Films Unpublished interviews Acknowledgement 10. Social networks and the reporting of conflict Introduction Social media ‘come of age’ during India’s ‘9/11’ Concerns over ‘re-tweeting’ How the BBC made use of the new social media Mediating the Greek street protests 2008 Social networking sites lead the way The ‘rise of a new global phenomenon’ Bearing witness to the cost of war: Social media during the Israeli assault on Gaza Individualised and professional media intersect War without witnesses in Sri Lanka How online media highlighted civilian casualties Citizen media ‘helping the country towards peace’ Conclusions: Social media rewriting the protocols of war reporting Notes References 11. Building a peace journalists’ network from the ground: The Philippine experience Journalism in the Philippines PECOJON: Birth and development Peace is a dangerous word in a dangerous world Conflict-sensitive journalism instead of peace journalism Integrating theory and practice The need for long-term support The reality of market forces The journey ahead Networking and solidarity (continuing reform from within) Reorienting the market: Producer and consumer literacy (intervening in adjacent fields) Conclusions: Succeeding in a transformed market (building a parallel field) References 12. Peace journalism in practice – Peace News: For nonviolent revolution The origins and early days The political economy of peace journalism ‘A reflex of your minds’ The conjunction of journalism and activism Peace News’s role within British social movement Counter-journalism Conclusion References 13. Mediating peace? Military radio in the Balkans and Afghanistan Information warfare: Influencing activity in context Radio influencing as impression management Target audiences: The voiceless Interaction and influence: Opening dialogue Countering adversary influence: Orientation to solution Peace journalism and military radio: Inimical or aligned? Notes References Section 3. Peace Journalism’s Critique: Transforming the Mainstream 14. Conflict gives us identity: Media and ‘the Cyprus problem’ Identity as a media construction and site of conflict Media and Cyprus Cypriot media narratives in times of hope Shifts in the discourse: From one Orientalist imagination to another Self-dislocation, criticism and denial The deeply contested past Little reduction in blaming and distrust Conclusions References 15. The Peace Counts project: A promoter of real change or mere idealism? The project Classifying the Peace Counts project Between good and evil: Is Peace Counts consistent with human nature? Is Peace Counts a new concept? Is the key role of Peace Counts to put the findings from peace and conflict research into practice? To what extent is Peace Counts over-idealistic? Conclusion: Nothing to do with idealism – but real change Notes References 16. Conscience and the press: Newspaper treatment of pacifists and conscientious objectors 1939–40 Pacifist responses to the ‘good war’ Transforming pacifists into pantomime eccentrics The press, conscientious objectors and the emergence of the ‘conchie’ How the press delegitimised radical groups Yet positive reports about COs not infrequent Focusing on debates in local authorities Space for relaxed liberalism diminishing Conclusion: The best deal COs were likely to get References Websites Newspaper resources 17. War as peace: The Canadian media in Afghanistan A peacekeeping nation Media salute war A close look at Toronto Star’s war journalism war journalism War – Canadian style ‘Medieval religious dogma’ Abandoning neutrality Helping ‘ungrateful locals’ Adopting American exceptionalism During wars, the media should question everything References 18. Normalising the unthinkable: The media’s role in mass killing Turning our heads to see it The machinations of Tony’s cronies Rationalising the unthinkable: The division of labour The human rights myth Kosovo: The fictional genocide Iraq – boosting Blair and burying the dead Covering up catastrophe in Iraq: The Lancet controversy Congo: A study in contrasts Denying discussion and choice Conclusions: The world wide web – saviour or snare? References 19. US coverage of conflict and the media attention cycle The three major phases of an issue attention cycle Phase One: The government’s exploitation of the American media Phase Two: Self-reflection and explanation Phase 3: Slipping from the media’s radar The costs of war reporting High risks for journalists remaining in Iraq The social costs of insufficient war and terror coverage Conclusions: Endangering progress to a more peaceful world References 20. Perspectives on conflict resolution and journalistic training Introduction Role of media in conflict situations The peace journalism option Re-examining role of media, conflict resolution and objectivity Integrating conflict resolution in journalistic training Journalistic training in field: Trends and practices Improving the journalism curriculum Challenges and dangers Conclusion References Web sources Afterword List of Contributors Index