SMPA 3194, 3195, 6270 : Media and Peacebuilding
Course Description: While the media is often blamed for inflaming the passions of war, it can also at times be a force for peace and reconciliation. This course examines how the mass media, social media and mobile telephony/ICTs can play a positive role in preventing conflict, mitigating violence during conflict, and promoting reconciliation between former enemies, especially after wars end. The first part of this course introduces students to various theoretical approaches to the study of media and peacebuilding. The second examines the deliberate use of the media and ICTs to promote peace through media interventions for peacebuilding. This section of the course also involves engagement media peacebuilding organizations via guest lectures, allowing students to interact with practitioners in the field. Each week starts with a lecture, followed by discussion-based class exercises to promote participatory learning.
SMPA 6270 : Development and Humanitarian Communication
Course Description: Humanitarian communication aims to save lives, alleviate suffering, and restore human dignity through better communication during crises such as war, famine, and natural disaster. Development communication aims to use communication to reduce poverty, and to support or help enable social, economic, and sustainable development in fragile, low, and middle-income countries. This course has three sections. The first section (10 weeks) introduces students to various relevant theories and concepts related to development and humanitarian communication. Each week starts with a lecture and is followed by discussion-based class exercises that promote participatory learning. The second section (2 weeks) features presentations by experts who have worked in the field, with the goal of tying theories and concepts from the first part of the course to current-day practice and implementation. The third section (2 weeks) involves presentations by students on their major project in which students select a development or humanitarian communication case study, conduct a detailed evaluation on its effectiveness, and propose a strategic communication plan based on their evaluation.
Learn more about the course here.
Ra'idat: Promoting Women's Leadership in Libya
The Challenges faced by young women in Libya trying to engage in politics differ to those faced by young men. The Ra'idat programme aims to increase and magnify the voice of young women in the Libyan political dialogue. To do this it will build the communication and advocacy skills of young women from across the country to increase their ability to be actively involved in politics and lead their communicaties.
Ethiopia Peace Ambassadors Conference : Counterspeech Workshop Continued
Objectives: Participants should gain important knowledge and skills about counterspeech, including ability to:
- Identify different types of hate speech
- Differentiate different hate and counterspeech audiences
- Understand key research findings from the media effect/persuasion literature
- Learn what goes into an effective counterspeech message
- Create conditions for successful counterspeech campaign
- Know some effective tactics for online counterspeech
Interested in Hosting a Counterspeech Training Session?
Inquiries may contact Babak Bahador, Director of the Media and Peacebuilding Project: bbahador@gwu.edu
