International Journal of Mass Communication
International Journal of Mass Communication Co-Editor-in-Chief: Tae Hoon Oum (Canada) Kang-Young Lee (South Korea) Abbreviated key title: Int. J. Mass Commun. ISSN (online): 2818-3401 Published by: Lifescience Global Periodicity: One Volume per year - Open Access For further information contact us here Scope and Topics of the Journal International Journal of Mass Communication is a peer-reviewed, open-access journal that publishes the research content related to the subfields of mass communication in all local and global contexts. The journal is oriented to throw light on the impact that the developments in diverse field of mass communication have on its audience; as well as influences various sections of society exert on the growth of this field, via publication of scholarly material ranging from the fundamentals up to the cutting edge progress in this ever evolving field. The journal welcomes original research articles, review articles, case reports, mini-reviews, commentaries, short reports, letters to Editor and editorials with both qualitative and quantitative approaches on topics that relate to multiple fields of Mass communication including, Journalism, Broadcasting, Advertising, Health Communication, Internet, Marketing Communication, Media studies, Political Communication, Public Affairs, Community journalism, Ethics and Standards of mass communication, Globalization, Internet, Civil and Political Rights, Digital Advertising, News Media, Environment, Corporate media, Photo Journalism, Social Media, Telecommunication, etc. along with other disciplines of the field.
Niklas Luhmann and the Risks of Moral Communication: Polemogeny and Modernity
Niklas Luhmann’s systems theory offers a radical rethinking of morality and society, conceptualizing the latter not as a collection of human beings grounded on a moral consensus, but rather as a collection of operationally closed systems of communications. Within this framework, morality is identified as a specific, highly volatile form of communication characterized by the binary code of respect and disrespect, or esteem and disesteem. This medium does not integrate modern society in the way classical thinkers within the sociological tradition such as Émile Durkheim imagined. Rather, in a world defined by the evolution of functional differentiation, morality assumes a provocative "alarm function" that frequently generates more conflict than it resolves, a condition Luhmann identifies as inherently "polemogenous". As a remedy to the contemporary overproduction of moral discourse and moral panics, I propose that a Luhmannian approach must emphasize pluralism and the autonomy of systems.
Bridging the Second-Level Digital Divide: Prioritizing Emotional and Social Literacy through Intergenerational Communication in Rural China
Based on interviews with 52 Xianchong Village residents, this study shows older adults value emotional comfort, relational ties, and family support in digital inclusion. Rather than technical skills alone, seniors emphasize well-being and social cohesion when using technology. Intergenerational communication—especially reciprocal family learning—reduces digital alienation, reflecting Confucian ideals of filial piety and responsibility, especially in rural contexts dominated by family networks. While some barriers resemble first-level divides, findings mainly address second-level dynamics, highlighting emotional and social aspects of digital literacy. Mechanisms such as reassurance, cultural continuity, and reciprocity persist across technological shifts, reframing digital inequality as relational and affective, and revealing how enduring cultural norms shape engagement.
From Postcolonial Histories to Digital Futures: Rethinking Global Communication in the Global South
This essay invites scholars of global communication to rethink the field from a broader perspective. It challenges the dominant theoretical traditions that have long shaped research in global communication and argues for greater openness to interdisciplinary approaches capable of fostering a more expansive epistemological framework. By examining global communication through both historical and postcolonial lens, the paper calls for a multidimensional framework in which history and postcolonial experiences are theorized in more rigorous ways for scholars seeking to study communication from a Global South perspective, thereby expanding the analytical relevance and reach of the discipline.
The Pragmatics of Theatrical Dialogue: Analysing Utterance and Meaning on Stage
The use of dialect in personal communication extends beyond merely sharing thoughts and information; it plays a vital role in fostering and shaping relationships among individuals. Conversations enable people to express their identities, cultural ties, and preferences for intimacy or distance within their relationships, often without conscious awareness. By employing specific dialects, individuals define their relationships and reaffirm their connection to particular social groups. In contrast, inappropriate terms of address can obstruct effective communication, as these terms mirror the social dynamics of status and distance between speakers, as noted by Akindele (2008: 3-15). The phonetic elements of communication seldom convey neutral implications for interpersonal relationships. Ultimately, self-expression communicates distinct emotions and mental states, which can significantly influence the outcomes of interpersonal interactions. This article aims to outline the features of a written theatrical text that emphasises its oral intent, especially regarding its suitability for stage performance. By highlighting a linguistic understanding that goes beyond the basic levels of words, clauses, phrases, and sentences—knowledge that is essential for effective communication—this study will explore pragmatics from multiple perspectives. This includes analysing speech acts through a focused linguistic approach and interpreting pragmatic significance using frameworks drawn from sociolinguistics, conversation analysis, discourse analysis, and the ethnography of speaking, among others. The research employed qualitative assessment through established linguistic methodologies and utilised descriptive qualitative methods for data analysis. Data collection involved observing and listening to character interactions during performances, as well as examining the corresponding scripts.
Crisis Communication and Response Strategies in Car Manufacturing Companies: A Multiple Case-Study Approach in Gauteng, South Africa
South Africa has several car manufacturing companies or plants, referred to as open systems, and in fact, the automotive industry is the biggest employer in the country with 120 000 employees and a 6.4% stake of the national GDP (against 8% of the mining sector, 5 years ago). Although its contribution to the economic prospects of this nation is undeniably huge (more or less 14.2% of national exports and 24% of manufacturing output), the car manufacturing industry also comes with its own challenges and, at worse, crises. This study, amongst the other things, sought to address car manufacturing crises by looking into four car manufacturing companies’ chaotic situations and related theories. The research shows that crises are inevitable in business and industry alike. It also demonstrates that crisis communication steps and response strategies thereof, if followed and adhered to, could help to better understand potential crises, avoid them, address them at hand or in their aftermath. Through this research, it is obvious that the car manufacturing industry, specific models tend to have potentially fatal defects, leading to numerous car recalls as shown in selected case studies. This research followed a multiple case study and qualitative approach. The research was conducted by administering semi-structured indepth interviews, doing thematic and content analyses of obtained raw data, making sense of them and infering/deriving knowledge for all to use. The participants were four car manufacturing companies (herein referred to as Companies A, B, C and D) with their head offices in Gauteng, South Africa. The crisis management teams were selected as the target population because they actively attempt to remedy the crises and interact with various organisational stakeholders when a chaos occurs. The findings identified gaps in crisis communication planning and implementation, given the ever-changing business and public relations’ environments in which organisations operate. As a result, recommendations are made to assist public relations and communications practitioners today and in the future to handle various crises effectively. Ultimately, car manufacturing companies will benefit by improving the protection of their organisations and stakeholders from threats, thus reducing those threats’ negative impacts on business and the economy. Future research could be done either at national level to include more car manufacturing companies in order to allow comparison, or selectively across the regions in the continent, to pursue an hybrid study which equally considers crises in the only other truelly African industrial economy, namely Egypt.
UK AI Governance at a Crossroads: Charting the Path Ahead
Governance of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the UK remains in its formative stages, guided by the policy objective of a “proportionate and pro-innovation regulatory framework” as set out in the White Paper (DSIT, 2023). Consistent with this framing, the UK has adopted a cross-sectoral, principles-based approach that seeks to balance regulatory flexibility with innovation while addressing AI-related risks. Rather than enacting comprehensive AI-specific legislation, the government relies on sectoral regulators to implement overarching principles - safety, transparency, fairness, accountability and contestability - through existing legal and institutional frameworks (DSIT, 2023).This trajectory is reflected in key initiatives such as the National AI Strategy (DSIT, 2022a), the establishment of the AI Safety Institute, and the AI Opportunities Action Plan (DSIT, 2025), collectively signalling a decentralised and innovation-friendly governance model. Nevertheless, whether this regulator-led approach should be maintained or replaced by a more uniform, horizontal legislative framework remains an increasingly contested question.To address this issue, this paper examines how AI is currently regulated in three sectors - healthcare, education and legal services - and evaluates the extent to which cross-sectoral principles are being operationalised consistently and effectively. It contrasts these practices with the EU’s horizontal framework under the EU AI Act (European Parliament and Council, 2024). The analysis identifies persistent challenges, including regulatory fragmentation, inconsistent application of principles and uneven enforcement capacities. It concludes that the UK model’s long-term effectiveness depends on stronger central coordination, proposing minimum statutory duties for regulators, a lead coordinating authority and clearer accountability pathways across sectors.
AI Applications in Vitagen-Based Education: Expanding Opportunities and Emerging Risks in Developing Students’ Mentality
Vitagen-based education treats learning not only as the acquisition of disciplinary knowledge, but as the deliberate cultivation of students’ mentality – a constellation of metacognitive, self-regulatory, motivational, and socio-emotional dispositions that shape how individuals relate to themselves, others, and a rapidly changing world. This article explores how artificial intelligence (AI) can both strengthen and destabilise this project. First, it reconstructs the theoretical foundations of vitagen-based education and clarifies the notion of mentality in relation to agency, reflection, and lifelong learning. It then maps four major clusters of AI applications – personalisation and adaptive pathways, intelligent mentoring and feedback, assessment and data-informed insights, and learning analytics for mentality development – showing how these tools can scaffold reflection, support growth mindset, and extend socio-emotional learning when carefully designed. At the same time, the article identifies four interlocking domains of risk: privacy and surveillance; bias, fairness, and inclusivity; dependency and erosion of critical thinking; and mental health and well-being. Drawing on international cases and longitudinal studies, the analysis distils pedagogical and policy implications for curriculum design, teacher professional development, and multi-level governance of AI in education. Finally, it outlines a research agenda for AI-enhanced vitagen education, arguing for ethically grounded, mixed-methods and cross-disciplinary inquiry. The article contends that AI will not automatically elevate vitagen-based education, but, under well-governed conditions, can become a powerful – though never neutral – partner in developing students’ mentality.
Hispanic Parent-Child Relationships and Communication on Substance Use and Sex in 4th-6th Graders
Background and Purpose: Parent-child communication is vital in preventing pre-adolescent health risk behaviors such as substance use and sex, yet little is known about these dynamics in Hispanic families. This study explored how Hispanic parents and their pre-adolescent children communicate about such risks. Methods: Using a qualitative descriptive design, researchers conducted focus groups and interviews with 24 Hispanic parents and 23 children (grades 4–6) from an afterschool program in the Southeastern U.S. Data were analyzed using conventional and directed content analysis. Results: Children expressed love and respect for their parents but were hesitant to discuss sensitive topics. Parents wanted to guide their children but struggled with timing conversations about sex, managing media use, and general parenting challenges. Mothers noted that fathers were often less involved in these discussions. Conclusions: Culturally and developmentally tailored interventions are needed to support Hispanic parents in addressing risk behaviors with their children.
Framing Conflict: American Media’s Framing of the Israel-Hamas War
A content analysis of 335 news articles from The New York Times, The Washington Post, CNN, and Fox News published between October 2023 and March 2024 reveals that Fox News predominantly employs the ‘security threat’ frame, portraying Israel’s actions as necessary defenses, while The New York Times and CNN emphasize ‘humanitarian crisis’ and ‘moral responsibility’ frames, highlighting impacts on Palestinian civilians and ethical concerns. The Washington Post takes a more balanced but critical approach toward the war. We also interviewed 10 journalists from the four media channels, and they confirmed and elaborated on what we found in the content analysis. These outcomes demonstrate that in the coverage of an international conflict media framing may take a bidirectional nature, where media influence public opinion while simultaneously adapting to audience perceptions.
Algorithmic Audiences: Navigating Identity, Influence, and Power in the Age of Platformized Media
Purpose: This article investigates the formation and operation of algorithmic audiences within platformized media environments, focusing on how processes of identity, influence, and power intersect to shape audience behaviour. It seeks to theorise the algorithmically produced publics that emerge from data-driven engagement on social media, streaming services, and online gaming platforms. Methods: The study employs a critical conceptual synthesis of current literature in media studies, platform capitalism, and communication theory, supported by illustrative case studies of user-platform interactions. Through thematic analysis of secondary sources (2017–2023), it maps how algorithmic recommendation systems, identity performances, and influence mechanisms mutually reinforce each other to establish dynamic audience configurations. Results: Findings reveal that algorithmic audiences are neither passive recipients nor purely autonomous actors, but datafied hybrid entities produced through collaborative interplays of user self-presentation, platform logics, and commercial surveillance. Identity construction increasingly depends on visibility metrics, while influence is redistributed through opaque recommendation architectures producing echo chambers and filter bubbles. Power asymmetries deepen as platforms gain control over information flows, data extraction, and behavioural manipulation, raising serious ethical and regulatory concerns. Conclusion: Algorithmic audiences represent a paradigm shift in the understanding of contemporary media publics. Their emergence compels scholars and policymakers to move beyond traditional audience theories and to confront new questions surrounding data ownership, platform governance, and audience agency in the age of automated curation. Future research must address how regulatory frameworks and ethical design interventions can protect user autonomy while ensuring transparency and accountability within platformised media ecosystems.
The Media’s Impact on Democratisation and Conflicts in Africa: An Analysis of Recent Trends
The fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, and the end of the Cold War, did not have an effect only on the Germans whose countries were re-united, or the combatants of the Cold War – the United States and the Soviet Union. Rather, the effects of these events affected many countries worldwide, especially developing countries who have since witnessed an unprecedented political and democratic reawakening. As the wave of democratisation continues to move across Africa, conflicts have almost become a by-product, where people, divided on ethnicity and/or religion, fight to establish their presence and dominance in government. One institution associated with the democratisation process and conflicts in Africa is the media. This article reviews some of the democratic processes that have taken place in Africa and the associated conflicts and the role the media have played in both. The article thus contributes to the literature on both democracy in Africa and its associated conflicts and the media’s role. It concludes that, whereas the media played key roles in some conflicts, they have played crucial roles in the promotion of democracy in Africa.
Well-Being: The Keystone of Sustainable Social Development and Social Entrepreneurism
In an interconnected world, global challenges like climate change transcend borders, complicating governance as national interests often clash. Unregulated information flows fuel misinformation and erode trust in institutions. Today’s governance resembles a complex puzzle, where addressing one issue may exacerbate another. The rise of e-commerce has transformed consumer purchasing behaviors and research, yet marketing lags in adapting to this shift, focusing on digital media rather than engaging consumers. This paper investigates how societal narratives and digital engagement can guide governance and marketing in a complex, interconnected world where trust in traditional institutions is declining. It introduces the Virtual Living Lab (VLL), a tool that analyzes social media, Big Data, and AI to track emerging public priorities and behavioral patterns. Research conducted in Japan and the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic reveals that well-being narratives play a vital role in shaping societal recovery and resilience. The findings emphasize that effective engagement requires not only relevant content but also emotional and contextual awareness, especially in times of uncertainty. As public perceptions of Well-Being evolve, particularly in Japan, organizations must ensure their messaging remains emotionally resonant and contextually relevant to foster behavioral change and promote healthier, more sustainable lifestyles.
The Paradox of ESG Performance and Audit Fees in the Energy Sector: Mediating and Moderating Effects of Green Innovation, Supply Chain Management, and Media Attention
The ESG concept, which covers the dimensions of corporate environment, society, and corporate governance, has promoted the transformation of corporate goals from pursuing maximum self-interest to balancing environmental, social, and corporate governance values. The vast majority of current research focuses on how improving corporate ESG performance can reduce audit fees, and there is little literature specifically studying the relationship between ESG performance and audit fees for energy industry companies. This article takes energy-listed companies from 2018 to 2022 as samples to analyze the impact of ESG performance and its environmental, social, and corporate governance dimensions on audit fees in the energy industry. At the same time, this study explores whether ESG performance and its environmental, social, and corporate governance dimensions have an intermediary mechanism for audit fees through green innovation capabilities, supply chain integration management, and shareholder equity, as well as the moderating effect of media attention on the relationship between ESG performance, environmental, social, and corporate dimensions and audit fees. Research has found that: (1) the improvement of ESG performance, environmental performance, social performance, and corporate governance performance of energy companies cannot reduce audit fees; (2) Green innovation capability and supply chain integrated management play an intermediary role between corporate ESG performance and audit fees, supply chain integrated management and shareholder equity play an intermediary role between corporate environmental performance and audit fees, green innovation capability and supply chain integrated management play an intermediary role between corporate social performance and audit fees, and green innovation capability plays an intermediary role between corporate governance performance and audit fees; (3) Media attention has played a positive moderating role in the impact of corporate ESG performance and environmental dimensions on audit fees. The research has improved the ESG performance of energy industry enterprises in specific industries and the relationship between their performance in the environmental, social, and governance dimensions and audit fees. This will further promote energy enterprises to practice ESG concepts and achieve sustainable development.
Parallel Crises: The Underlying Science Infodemic Revealed by the COVID-19 Pandemic
This study examines the relationship between news consumption behaviors and credibility assessments during the COVID-19 pandemic. The researchers surveyed and interviewed participants and found evidence that political ideology and demographics significantly relate to news-seeking practices, trust in sources, and knowledge about the virus. Participants struggled to articulate coherent fact-checking strategies. The conflation of news and information resulted in widespread distrust. This study underscores the need for comprehensive news literacy education to generate critical thinking toward and informed engagement with news sources in a public health crisis.
Catalyst for Change: A Grassroots Implementation of a Residency Communication Curriculum and Resulting Culture Change
Issue: Effective physician-patient communication is essential to end-of-life care. The teaching approach of end-of-life care communication skills has evolved over decades, from an apprenticeship model to coached practice. With this evolution of practice and teaching, also comes a continuously evolving culture that often carries remnants of prior practices. Learning complex communication skills requires a curriculum of coached practice that may be challenging to implement in settings where apprenticeship models prevail. Evidence: In this article we explore structures of change as an approach to ongoing curriculum development and associated culture change: the ‘path-goal theory’ and the ‘program development cycle.’ We explore these two models through iterations of a communication skills curriculum for internal medicine residents to understand the factors that contributed to each iterative change as well as the resulting effect on the institutional culture. We also highlight the importance of a grassroots voice in identifying tensions between culture and behaviors. Through this reflection, we show that a step-wise approach leads to incremental practice and culture change through the incremental support of all parties involved (students, educators, institution). Implications: We show that an educational intervention that challenges existing cultural norms requires stepwise implementation and adaptation as stakeholders and resources evolve. Notably, local institutional culture shapes institutional practices and, in turn, influences the teaching of communication skills. This article provides a reflection on how residency programs can find success in curricular implementation by being attuned to local resources, structure, and learner practices.
Convergence Vs Homogeneity: Exploring Hong Kong’s Identity in Transition
This article explores the multiple drivers behind Hong Kong’s identity transition through the lens of the disappearing neon signs. Its cultural and political significances are analyzed through the theoretical frameworks of identity politics, decolonization, and nationalism. The simultaneous forces of decolonization and mainlandization largely accounts for the intricate politicalization of many issues in Hong Kong, including its iconic neon signs, whose connotations has gone through several transitions: from being historical (Western influence), to economic (as a prosperous entrepot and shopping paradise), cultural (unique hybrid of glocalization), technological (becoming outdated in energy efficiency) and even political (fading away after the strengthened regulation in 2010), especially when its early development was a result of bottom-up participation at a grassroots level, while their removal came from a top-down approach through government regulations. The study design incorporates both quantitative and qualitative methods by combining survey results with interviews and policy paper analysis to explore the multiple drivers and the perceived effects on Hong Kong’s identity. This then informs discussions of how to maintain Hong Kong’s position as a space for convergence while developing some new features of in-betweenness.
Exploring the Future of Corpus Linguistics: Innovations in AI and Social Impact
This paper explores the evolving landscape of corpus linguistics, focusing on the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) and its social implications. Over the past two decades, the study of language through corpus linguistics has evolved significantly, prompting ongoing reflection on the field's transformation. These reflections naturally give rise to pressing questions related to how corpus linguistics will evolve in a world defined by rapid technological progress and changing societal priorities. To validate the suppositions and reflections addressed in this contribution, the study explores a corpus that comprises scholarly papers from scientific journals, and a collection of AI-related articles taken from the media. This dual corpus enables a comparative analysis of how AI-driven corpus linguistics is represented, in order to explore how the integration of artificial intelligence is transforming corpus linguistics, and hence the methodological, theoretical, and socio-political implications of this shift. The methodological framework combines quantitative corpus analysis with qualitative discourse analysis. Collocation and keyword frequency retrieval is applied to identify prevalent themes. As expected academic literature emphasizes methodological advancements and data-driven rigor, while media discourse highlights ethical concerns and societal implications. These findings support the overview and contribute to understanding how AI is shaping both the practice and perception of corpus linguistics in contemporary society.
Can Academia be Revolutionary? Barriers to Encourage an Alternative Economics from University Perspective
There are many publishedcritical works on the hegemonic economics approach. Nevertheless, despite such, its hegemony continues. It does so, in part, and precisely, because of the support it receives from academia. This work questions the reasons for this academic behaviour, and offers the following responses: First, it points to an imbalance between hegemony and its alternatives. The latter is expected to be exhaustive and show sufficient arguments for all its proposals, whereas the first benefits from several cyclic functioning reproduced by inertia. Second, it shows how politics and academia follow two different schools of thought that defend very different conceptions of speed to get results; the exercise of freedom; the management of dissent; ingroup relations; and communications with the public. Third, it reflects on the fact that academia lacks cohesion, is mostly conservative, and is managed by the most obedient and efficient sector of its members. Fourth, it discusses how an academic minority interested in promoting alternatives is tasked with making the operations of hegemony visible to colleagues accustomed to obeying and focused on their compartmentalised work; in return, the minority is often punished by academic norms. Five, it focuses on how academia is absorbed by it through new public management models that marketize academic quality and fill the academic agenda, instead of transforming it. As solutions, the paper suggests the following: (1) creating visible alternatives and building group strength; (2) promoting new quality standards that release the academy from hegemonic conceptions of economics; (3) establishing partnerships with non-academic agents; and (4) transforming how we are teaching economics.
From Nollywood to the World: A Cultural Studies and Critical Discourse Analysis of Nollywood Films on Netflix
This study examines the transnationalization of the Nollywood industry in the rise of streaming platforms like Netflix. As nonwestern film industries begin to find global audiences beyond their local space, ideological underpinnings of these industries also continue to shift and become more apparent. The need to compete for global capital while retaining the cultural flavor of the South has been a major challenge of many transnational media industries. Taking Nollywood as a case study, this study argues that the production of Nollywood films on Netflix goes beyond the quest to find global market, instead economic interest, the need to appeal to global audience by producing multicultural relevant content and promulgating a Nigerian identity that non-African audience can understand are important areas that should be considered. Contextualized within the theories of cultural studies and political economy and the method of critical discourse analysis, the study accentuates the changing discourse of the new Nollywood cinema and what it means for critical cultural scholarship of media and communication, especially in the Global South.
Taking a Nosedive: Can Boeing’s Image be Saved? Application of Image Repair Theory
Boeing’s leadership faced significant criticism for its mishandling of the two 737 Max plane crashes that occurred within a six-month span. Since then, Boeing has been grappling with ongoing quality control issues with its 737 Max series, including a recent door plug failure on a 737 Max 9 mid-flight, and production flaws in the 787 Dreamliner, such as gaps between fuselage sections.This case study applies image repair theory (IRT) to explore Boeing’s crisis communication strategies in response to the 737 Max plane crashes. This study further investigates the application of the concepts of stealing thunder, framing hypothesis, and ethical apology, and their application in Boeing's crisis management. The findings reveal that Boeing's leadership employed both denial and mortification strategies; however, the timing and execution of these communications were flawed, leading to long-term reputational damage.Boeing’s failure to employ stealing thunder, effective framing, and delivering sincere apologies has hindered its ability to control the crisis narrative. Theoretical implications for IRT are discussed.
Building Resilience Among College Students: A Cross-Cultural Investigation on the Importance of Quality Crisis Communication and Social Support
Building on job demands-resources (JD-R model) and the social support theory, this study investigates how perceived quality of crisis communication and social support influence perceived uncertainties, emotional exhaustion, and resilience among college students in Kenya and the United States during the COVID-19 crisis. Data were collected using a survey (N= 394). The results indicate that higher perceived quality of crisis communication is associated with lower perceived uncertainties about the COVID-19 crisis. Both peer and advisor support are found to reduce students' perceived uncertainties. Notably, Kenyan students reported receiving more peer support compared to American students, while American students reported higher levels of advisor support. Additionally, perceived uncertainties mediated the relationship between advisor support and emotional exhaustion. Contrary to expectations, organizational intransigence did not moderate the relationship between social support and perceived uncertainties. Finally, a positive association was observed between perceived quality of crisis communication and resilience among students. These findings suggest the importance of effective crisis communication and social support in fostering resilience among students, with implications for both policy and practice across different cultural contexts.
Understanding the Material Impact of Social Media during Public Criticism and Dissent in African Countries: A Review of the Literature
Globally, governments are imposing national blackouts on digital communication, particularly the internet and subsequently the social media space during public criticism and dissent. To understand the material impact of this digital blackout, a literature review is conducted, focusing on African countries. The objective of this study was to examine the impact of social media during public criticism and dissent from an African perspective. To achieve this, an extensive review of the literature was conducted on African countries. The United Nations (UN) classifies 54 countries as African. All these countries had a known chance of being selected as part of the sample (probability sampling). In total, 29 countries were chosen based on relevance and the availability of data on internet shutdowns. Furthermore, the study looks into a 5-year trend from 2018 to 2022. Consequently, the results suggest that internet shutdowns in Africa are currently on the rise and remain disruptive, oppressive, expensive, and cost countries dearly. Additionally, the study also found that internet shutdowns often result in violent and/or fatal protests. It was further found that the responses by governments and companies during public criticism and dissent have been challenging, insufficient, and detrimental to human rights. At a country level, Ethiopia, Sudan, and Chad - respectively remain the regional leaders in terms of shutting down the Internet. This research recommends more scientific research to be conducted under the topic to enrich the existing body of knowledge, and possibly refine the findings of the current study. It further recommends country-specific policies that should openly condemn government-imposed internet shutdowns. Moreover, this research also recommends that global Human Rights Organisations should stand firm and strongly condemn government-imposed internet shutdowns by imposing sanctions and repercussions for oppressive governments. Finally, this research concludes that social media has unique capabilities to convey messages to larger groups of people, mobilizing or immobilizing them with only a few clicks. Among others, social media can also spread fake information or news by posting old material and linking it to current situations.
Cyber Security in Digitized E-Governance: Evaluating Indian IT Act 2000 (As Amended in2008) in Context
Digital technology and Cyber-based database management system in Indian e-governance has brought about dramatic changes in the mode of operations in all governmental business transactions in India. Government organizations and Government professionals need to depend upon the electronic media and computer-generated e-records for e - governance. Information Technology poses new and complex ethical, legal and extra- legal threats to e-governance. This e-governance inter alia involves the question of security against abuses and misuses of Information Technology The situation demands a fresh look into the problem of Cyber Security in e-governance . Information stored in electronic form is cheaper, faster and easier to store, retrieve and to access than traditional paper –based government records. But the question remains: How far these electronic e-governance records are maintainable in Indian court of law under IT Act 2000 (as amended in 2008)? Government is aware of the advantages of e-records but is reluctant to conduct or conclude business transactions in the electronic form due to lack of legal framework in India. Globalized technological changes have created a new global economy powered by technology, fuelled by information and driven by the concept of e-governance of the ‘government’. The present paper will analyze the challenge of digitized government and will seek answer to the question mentioned above related to Cyber Security in IT- enabled environment of digitized government of India. IT Act 2000 (as amended in 2008) will be critically analyzed and evaluated to find out its efficacy and limitations in ensuring security of e-governance of India.
Brand Journalism Approach in Corporate Communication of Educational Organization
Nowadays we see the principal fast changes in the Internet space. We live in media world and this factor make strong effect on all aspects of our life. Educational organizations are also the part of this new world and they have to change not only within the media space but also, according to changes in the social life. Social communication and new generations in social space asks about new methods, technologies and tools of communication between educational organization and its stakeholders. Brand journalism as rather new approach lets to find new technologies and tools in corporate communication of educational organization. Such tools as using the webtools of educators and their personal public for creating the positive media image for example gives additional opportunities for educational organizations. This is confirmed by the research. Also, the increasing of competition makes educational organizations to react on new circumstances in the market. Considering all of the above brand journalism can be new opportunity to form effective communication for educational organizations and as a result the increasing of their competition attractiveness. The tools and technologies of brand journalism work to create a positive media image and build brand awareness. Brand journalism allows a modern educational organization to use its own corporate media more efficiently. As well as such tools of brand journalism as the formation of a community of graduates, strengthening the news agenda of an educational organization, the use of teachers and students in video content allows you to create and strengthen a positive media image.
Understanding Morphology for Mass Communication: A Pragmatic Approach to English Language Teaching
Mass Communication has become an essential phenomenon for global business transaction in recent times. Side by side, the English language has also become a global lingua franca for day -to-day use in all sorts of business transactions and socio-economic protocals of Mass Communication. The present paper is an humble effort to review the application of Morphology in English language and its implication in Mass Communication which inter alia requires focussed Vocabulary and Grammar in different global varieties of English language. The present article has also considered pidginized and creolized variety of English language in its application for Business communication that has become an integral part of global networking of Mass Communication through print media and Electronic media as well.
The Increased Impact of Mass Mediated Visual Imagery on Christian Oratory
This report conveys speculations having to do with the increased emphasis on visual imagery over aural messages and the subsequent impact on Christian oratory as it relates to evangelism. As we move to being a more visually oriented society, via web based and new communication technologies, aural forms of communication that generally have more emphasis on critical thinking are being displaced by the visual domain that stresses more imaginary associations. A central finding is that the visual dominates at the expense of the aural and the imagination presides over critical thinking.
Regional Mineral Beneficiation Policy Interventions in the SADC: Stakeholder Perspectives
The Importance of Mineral Beneficiation: Mining is a significant economic activity in most Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries, and mineral beneficiation has been identified and controversially discussed as one of the possibilities for industrialisation. The purpose of this article is to study mineral beneficiation policies and practices in the SADC countries with regard to the regional developmental agenda. Methodology and Interventions: With many member countries being economically too small to muster the human and financial resources, the recently adopted Regional Mining Vision (RMV) envisages interventions at a regional level. This study followed a qualitative approach with semi-structured interviews across the region mainly in English and seldom in French. Principal Results: Twenty-five semi-structured interviews were conducted with experts from SADC member countries during the 2019 Mining Indaba. Participants were divided on whether beneficiation should be carried out nationally or in the SADC region. While beneficiation could support value-keeping, key challenges named were infrastructure development (i.e. energy, water), scarce skills, access to technology and related cost, but also lack of free trade and movement. Conclusion: We submit that a more integrated beneficiation strategy for the SADC region, as was being developed through the RMV, would indeed be relevant in the future.