Media for Peace pondered in Munich
I spent a very interesting (early) morning at the Media for Peace symposium organized by University Munchen der Bundeswehr University in Munich, Germany.

Dr. Ines Drefs (Technical University-Dortmund) went over some fascinating media research projects her PhD students are doing in Uganda and Guinea Bissau and on UN peacebuilding operations (the impact of UN radio on local radio markets) and health reporting in sub-Saharan African.

Other panelists included Dr. Sonja Kretzschmar from Bundeswehr University, Dr. Nicole Stremlau from Oxford University, and Dr. Anja Wollenberg from MiCT.

Dr. Stremlau posed some interesting questions about social media, including: Are social media or internet shutdowns ever acceptable? What is the potential of international actors to intervene in cases when social media is being used to instigate violence/mass atrocities? When might this kind of intervention occur, and to what extent could it be justified under international law? Dr. Stremlau used Myanmar, where social media has fueled conflict, as one example that prompted these ”urgent questions.” She finished by suggesting that the time is now for the UN or AU to revisit procedures and rules that might govern such media interventions in extreme cases involving mass atrocities.

My presentation, on peace journalism resources and projects worldwide, is based on the materials pasted below.

A Guide to Peace Journalism

1. Peace Journalism-An Overview

a. Definition, principles   http://professoryoungblood.blogspot.com

b. Overview  https://mediapeaceproject.smpa.gwu.edu/2017/12/14/what-is-peace-journalism/

c. Center for Global Peace Journalism

www.park.edu/peacecenter

2. Peace Journalist Magazine—Current and archived issues

www.park.edu/peacecenter

3. Peace Journalism organizations and projects worldwide--examples

a. Lebanon-Media Assoc. for Peace  https://maplebanon.org/

b. Northern Ireland-Shared Future News  https://sharedfuture.news/

c. Uganda—Refugees Online Network  https://refugeeandmigrationmedia.org/?fbclid=IwAR1waC52sVyM8veHLEK937hP4HPohB2RHRxtTvY8I4z1XR8wA_ZDElvL7cM

d. Center for Global Peace Journalism—see projects page  www.park.edu/peacecenter

e. India-Pakistan: East West Center Project

a. https://www.eastwestcenter.org/professional-development/seminars-journalism-programs/reporting-cross-border-issues-mutual-concern

b. https://www.journalistsforchange.org/

4. References and toolkit

a. Peace Journalism resources list, The Peace Journalist magazine   www.park.edu/peacecenter

b. Transcend media service—Dr. Johan Galtung  https://www.transcend.org/tms/

c. Peace Network-Nigeria  https://www.peacenetwork.org.ng/resources

d. Books—Peace Journalism Principles and Practices (Youngblood); Peace Journalism (Lynch-McGoldrick); Expanding Peace Journalism (Lynch); Peace Journalism in East Africa (Ogenga); Media and Peace in the Middle East (Tiripelli)