Media Reform and Prospects for Peace and Conflict-Sensitive Journalism in Nigeria: A Critical Appraisal of International and African Research on Media and Peacebuilding

Abstract

ABSTRACTThis paper offers a critical assessment of the role that the media, and in particular peace and conflict-sensitive journalism, can play in peacebuilding in African countries with a primary focus on the history and roles of the media in Nigeria. The theoretical lenses offered by post-colonial and southern criminologies, along with emancipatory peace, global, and human rights journalism are deployed to engage with the prospects and challenges for peace and conflict-sensitive journalism in Nigeria. Overall, this paper aims to serve as a resource material for further research on the role of the media in Nigeria’s conflicts.KEYWORDS: African studiesconflict-sensitive journalismemancipatory peacehuman rightsinsurgency Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Notes1. Ahmed K. Nigerian Media: Let’s Stop Ethnic Profiling!,” Premium Times. 20212. Galtung J, editor. 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More recently, Shaw (2021) has developed his human rights journalism approach further and applied it specifically to issues related to the prospects and challenges of mediating peacebuilding in Africa and specifically Nigeria.111. Or, alternatively-termed, “glocal” (Aas, 2013).Additional informationFundingThis work was supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada [430-2020-00164].