“Are We There Yet? Journalism Education
During the Social Media Age in Asia”
Social Media have brought a paradigm shift in journalism and journalism education is in transition in this ever-changing media landscape in the Global South. The process of news has been getting complex and challenging as the journalists have to adapt with the social media tools from gathering to disseminating news.
As a continent, Asia is unique with 60% of world population and one third of area in the globe. The history and civilization of this region date back to thousands of years and Asia is the birthplace of major religions. Journalism education was not started in Asia but this region is known for its pioneering and thought-provoking educational initiatives starting from ancient Babylonian civilization to modern day’s leading role in STEM.
Journalism in Asia has been developed based on both the North American and European models as many countries of this region were colonized by either a North American or a European, mostly British, ruler. Likewise, journalism education has been modeled by both North American and European pedagogies.
With the advancement of digital media, Asian journalism educational institutions have been trying to adopt new pedagogy, redesign curricular alongside utmost struggle to adapt with the new and changing scenario.
The process of news has been ever evolving as social media provides unlimited opportunities to get information from the digital sphere. In addition, the traditional model of getting information from the mainstream media is withering away and the economic existence of journalism is in jeopardy. The access to the sources has become much easier and journalists could reach new audiences and increase the visibility of news. On the other hand, the social media landscape also has been putting pressure on journalists to keep up with the pace of breaking the news.
Given the ever-evolving Asian journalism education landscape, this book aims to address the following questions: Are Asian journalism educational institutions ready and equipped to train journalists in the social media age? What are the challenges of journalism education and how should those challenges be addressed?
In this book, the authors from the Asian countries will highlight the challenges and opportunities of journalism education in the digital and social media age in Asia.
The book aims to house scholars from various backgrounds who have experience in journalism education in all Asian countries. It tends to cover the scenario of journalism education in various Asian countries of diverse socio-political backgrounds and cultures. The book aims to cover the issue in the methodological and theoretical discussion and challenges regarding the reciprocal engagement between journalism educational institutions and journalists from both local and regional perspective.
Notes on editors
Neelam Sharma (Ph.D.) is an Associate Professor of Journalism and Media Studies and the Director of Graduate Program in the
Department of Communication, Media and Persuasion at
Idaho State University, USA. Dr.
Sharma earned her Ph.D. in Public Communication and Technology from
Colorado State University, Fort Collins. She also received her M.A. from
Panjab University, India. Dr.
Sharma teaches courses in Media Writing, Business Journalism, Social Media, and Research Methods. Her research interests include social media, journalism, and the South Asian news and entertainment media. Her research appears in journals including the
International Journal of Communication, Psychology of Popular Media, Journal of Communication Inquiry, Global Media and Communication, and
Atlantic Journal of Communication, among others. She is currently working on her sole-author book project,
Online Abuse, hatred and women journalists in India. Dr.
Sharma served as the PF&R chair of the
International Communication Division (ICD), AEJMC. Before starting her doctoral studies in the US, Dr. Sharma worked as a journalist with the two-leading media,
The Times of India and
The Indian Express, in India.
Delaware Arif (Ph.D.) is a digital journalism Associate Professor and Graduate Program Director in the
Department of Communication at the
University of South Alabama, USA. He teaches Digital Writing & Production, Multimedia Storytelling, Social Media, and Ethics and Social Responsibility. Dr.
Arif also taught mass communication courses at the
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. He was an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication and Journalism at the
University of Chittagong in Bangladesh. He also served as Chairman of the department until coming to the U.S. to pursue his Ph.D. Before joining teaching in 2002, Dr.
Arif worked for Reuters,
Bangladesh National News Agency (BSS) and an international NGO, the Hunger Project. He earned his Ph.D. in Mass Communication and Media Arts at
Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIUC) focusing on the patterns of usage of social media among the South Asian diaspora group in the U.S. He also received his M.A. in media theory & research from
SIUC. Dr.
Arif completed the Training for Trainers course at the
International Institute for Journalism (IIJ) in Germany. He received his B.A. and M.A. in Mass Communication and Journalism from the
University of Dhaka in Bangladesh. His teaching and research areas revolve around social media, new media, political communication, international communication, journalism studies, race and media, and mass media ethics.
Important Deadlines
- Abstract submission: December 31, 2023
- Final manuscript: March 31, 2024
- Tentative Publication: August 2024
Potential publishers:
Please send your abstract:
Contact Information
Contact Email: darif@southalabama.edu
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