"The antisemitism landscape, including Holocaust denial and distortion, had shifted so drastically since October 7 that previous assumptions and understands now demand re-examination. In the run up to Holocaust Memorial Day 2024, this research compilation by members of the Coalition to Counter Onlin
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e Antisemitism offers a vital contemporary examination of the current and emergent issues facing Holocaust denial and distortion online. As unique forms of antisemitism, denial and distortion are a tool of historical revisionism which specifically targets Jews, eroding Jewish experience and threatening democracy. Across different geographies and knowledge fields, this compilation unites experts around the central and sustained proliferation of Holocaust denial and distortion on social media." (https://www.isdglobal.org)
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"The goal of this study was to examine the efficacy of art therapy in the treatment of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and the propensity to quit journalism among Nigerian journalists covering banditry attacks. The researchers utilized a quasi-experiment as the design for the study and sampled
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327 journalists. The result of the study showed that at baseline, journalists reported high PTSD symptoms and a propensity to quit journalism, but after the intervention, journalists who received the art therapy intervention reported a significant drop in their PTSD symptoms and the propensity to quit the pen profession. This suggests that art therapy is a cost-effective way of treating PTSD among journalists covering dangerous assignments and reducing high labour turnover in the profession." (Abstract)
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"The West German novel, radio play, and television series, Through the Night (Am grünen Strand der Spree, 1955-1960), which depicts the mass shootings of Jews in the occupied Soviet Union during World War II, has been gradually regaining popularity in recent years. Originally circulated in post-war
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West Germany, the cultural memories of the holocaust embedded within this multi-medium construction present different forms of historical conceptualization. Using numerous archival sources, Microhistories of Memory brings forward three comprehensive case studies on the impact, actors, and materiality of accounts surrounding questions of circulation of cultural memory, audience reception, production, and popularity of Through the Night in its different mediums since its first appearance." (Publisher description)
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"This report provides an overview of how Russian state and pro-Kremlin propaganda undermining international support for Ukraine has evolved over the two years since the beginning of the full-scale invasion on 24 February 2022. It outlines a range of semi-covert tactics through which Russian state an
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d pro-Kremlin outlets continue to reach substantial audiences despite European Union sanctions. Finally, this report highlights four key areas of vulnerability of the Western alliance that Russian state and pro-Kremlin actors are likely to exploit over the coming year." (About this report)
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"Amid increasing threats and assaults against journalists across the globe, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province in northwest Pakistan remains one of the most dangerous places in the world for journalists. Whereas online harassment is increasingly affecting journalists, experiences of online harassment
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of KP journalists have not been previously examined. This study explored the experiences of online harassment of regional KP journalists, the psychological ramifications of their exposure, and the association between online harassment and their ability to effectively perform their jobs in digital news environments. Of the recruited 299 journalists, nearly two-thirds reported experiencing online harassment. The experiences were generally infrequent, and were associated with depression, anxiety, stress, and occupational dysfunction. This study underscores the importance of understanding online harassment of journalists in conflicts zones, and how it may impact their ability to perform their professional duties, and proposes possible solutions and directions for future research and interventions." (Abstract)
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"By preserving independence, Syrian media is trusted to promote dialogue, providing a platform for diverse voices and fosters a culture of critical thinking and public debate, the media acts as a catalyst for inclusive recovery and sustainable development. It lays the groundwork for a resilient, dem
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ocratic, and prosperous future. Donors, partners and Syrian media must prioritise developing and protecting independent media to ensure its role as a pillar of Syria’s recovery and transformation.This policy paper aims to guide stakeholders in leveraging the independent media's potential to significantly impact Syria's early recovery phase, advocating for a strategic, long-term investment in media infrastructure and capabilities." (Executive summary)
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"Seit dem 7. Oktober 2023 ist die Anzahl antisemitisch motivierter Straftaten in Deutschland drastisch gestiegen. Aber auch schon zuvor erlebten Jüdinnen und Juden hierzulande wie weltweit Anfeindung, Ausgrenzung und Gewalt. Die theoretische Auseinandersetzung mit Antisemitismus sowie seine politis
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che und gesellschaftliche Bekämpfung sind daher unabdingbar. Gleichzeitig ist in der wissenschaftlichen und der öffentlichen Diskussion hochgradig umstritten, welche Äußerungen, Denk- und Handlungsweisen der Begriff des Antisemitismus genau umfasst. Insbesondere Konzepte wie sekundärer, muslimischer, israelbezogener oder postkolonialer Antisemitismus lösen regelmäßig kontroverse Positionierungen aus. Zudem sind sie mit zahlreichen weiteren gesellschaftlichen Debattenfeldern verknüpft, etwa jenen um den Nahostkonflikt, die Erinnerungskultur oder das Verhältnis von Antisemitismus und Rassismus. Das Handbuch versammelt Beiträge von Antisemitismusforscherinnen und -forschern, die auf zugängliche Weise Grundbegriffe, Problemfelder und Positionen innerhalb der Forschung ausleuchten. Die Autorinnen und Autoren verweisen dabei immer wieder auf die Umstrittenheit der Konzepte und die Notwendigkeit von Pluralität. Ein abschließender Teil widmet sich der erkenntnistheoretischen Reflexion über Probleme der Begriffsbildung und Definition in der Antisemitismusforschung." (Verlagsbeschreibung)
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"Sustainable Independent Media Activity (SIMA) partners the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) and the Global Centre for Pluralism (the Centre) have developed this toolkit to support media actors in South Sudan. The purpose of this toolkit is to provide media actors with a set of analytical concepts, practic
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al tools and frameworks to support their role in promoting a more inclusive and peaceful society. By applying pluralism concepts and tools to their work, journalists can promote respect for diversity by facilitating dialogue and understanding and by contributing to social cohesion in fragile and post-conflict contexts, such as South Sudan. This toolkit aims to empower media practitioners in their important role in supporting peacebuilding. The toolkit covers comprehensive content to support media practitioners with the necessary knowledge and tools to identify and discuss issues of inclusion and exclusion in a conflict-sensitive approach. The curriculum will help media actors, including the Association for Media Development in South Sudan (AMDISS) and other SIMA partners, to adopt long-term practices to integrate pluralism into their day-to-day work to support unbiased, accurate and fair content development while reducing discriminatory and divisive narratives that contribute to exclusionary attitudes." (Introduction)
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"Reporting on cases of genocide presents distinct complexities and challenges for journalists, who must negotiate practical, professional, and emotional experiences that challenge traditional expectations of their role. Previous research has provided strident critiques of this reporting, arguing Wes
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tern reporting of genocide in Rwanda and Srebrenica was reductionist and biased and contributed to the lack of Western intervention. Drawing on 22 interviews with print journalists who reported on genocides in Rwanda and Srebrenica, this article challenges this dominant critique by foregrounding the voices of journalists and their experience of reporting. Themes of inaccessibility, the moral imperative to report on these events, and the intersection with emotional labour on emotional effects of this reporting crucially demonstrates and acknowledges the challenges of conflict reporting. This adds to contemporary debates around how emotion, attachment and morality intertwine in journalism practice and the importance of this consideration when assessing the impact of reporting." (Abstract)
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"How are Western journalists who are killed in the course of their work remembered? Using the biographies of journalists killed covering conflict, this article investigates the discursive repertoires through which the memorialization of journalists killed while reporting conflict is accomplished. Th
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e authors argue that such journalists are consistently constructed as humanitarian, cosmopolitan witnesses engaged in supererogatory moral projects involving justice and voice for those outside of these journalists’ geopolitical home communities. This particular articulation appears to herald a recent shift in the memorialization of the journalistic dead, although it is continuous with longer discourses in fields such as photojournalism and its idea of the ‘concerned photographer’. We speculate that this shift is consistent with material changes in the field – in particular, the precaritization of conflict reporting driving journalists into the material and social world of professional humanitarianism, whose discourses around the moral worth and cosmopolitan nature of the work have colonized the subfield of conflict reporting." (Abstract)
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"This study sheds light on the unprecedented complexities of the Israel–Gaza war, offering insights into the challenges that journalists face in this conflict zone. It employs the Hierarchy of Influences Model to analyze the factors influencing conflict reporting within the dynamic landscape of co
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ntemporary war journalism." (Abstract)
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"The safety of journalists in conflict zones remains a critical concern, with myriad risks stemming from both physical and digital threats. This study aims to explore the legal strategies that can effectively protect journalists in these environments, focusing on understanding the existing legal fra
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meworks, the challenges journalists face, and the protective strategies they employ. This qualitative study utilized semi-structured interviews with 25 journalists from diverse global regions to gather in-depth insights into the challenges and strategies related to their legal protection. Theoretical saturation was achieved, ensuring comprehensive coverage of the topic. Data was analyzed using NVivo software to facilitate thematic analysis, allowing for the systematic identification of themes and concepts within the data. Three main themes were identified: Legal Frameworks, Risks and Challenges, and Protective Strategies. Legal Frameworks revealed gaps in the enforcement of international and national laws. Risks and Challenges highlighted the physical, digital, legal, psychological, and informational threats journalists encounter. Protective Strategies emphasized the importance of safety training, legal safeguards, support networks, and advanced technology to mitigate risks. The study concludes that while various legal frameworks and protective measures exist, significant gaps in enforcement and practical application continue to leave journalists vulnerable in conflict zones. Enhanced legal provisions, combined with comprehensive safety training and technological support, are essential to ensure the safety and freedom of journalists reporting from high-risk areas." (Abstract)
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"Am 18. Februar 1943 hielt Reichspropagandaminister Joseph Goebbels eine Rede im Berliner Sportpalast, die heute als eine der bekanntesten politischen Reden der deutschen Geschichte und zugleich als warnendes Beispiel für den manipulativen Erfolg nationalsozialistischer Propaganda gilt. Die Rede ku
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lminierte in zehn rhetorischen Fragen, die der Redner an sein Publikum richtete. Auf die Frage "Wollt ihr den totalen Krieg?" reagierten die Anwesenden mit markantem Getöse und Applaus, was sich ins kollektive Gedächtnis Deutschlands eingebrannt hat. Der Historiker Peter Longerich beleuchtet die weniger bekannte Vor- sowie Nachgeschichte der Rede. Er zeigt auf, dass ihr bereits ein länger währendes Bemühen des Propagandaministers vorausging, seinen Einfluss auf die deutsche Kriegsführung zu erweitern und seine Strategie eines "totalen Krieges" gegen abweichende Vorstellungen in der nationalsozialistischen Führung durchzusetzen. Auf offene Ohren bei Hitler traf er damit jedoch erst nach der verlorenen Schlacht von Stalingrad und weiteren verheerenden Kriegsniederlagen. Zwar deutete Goebbels seine Rede als propagandistischen Erfolg, aber die zeitgenössischen Kommentatoren im In- und Ausland teilten, wie Longerich darlegt, diese Auffassung keineswegs einhellig." (Verlagsbeschreibung)
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"This article examines Russia’s practice of the ban introduced by the so-called ‘fake news laws’ during the war against Ukraine. It blends doctrinal legal with discourse analysis to study how and why Russian courts have applied the laws, which epistemology of knowledge they have constructed wh
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ile limiting fake news about the war and what implications this has for freedom of expression and public debate of the war within Russia. The dataset covers 446 Russian court decisions from 2022 to 2023. A historical approach is utilised to discuss the results in connection to the Soviet Communist ideology. The article argues that Russian courts have used the laws to make truth in Russia conditional and loyalty unconditional, actualising the Soviet principles of ‘partyness’, ‘objectivity’ and ‘scientificalness’. It demonstrates how courts construct a mythologised reality about the ‘imaginary’ ‘military operation’ to help the government monopolise the public debate and misrepresent the war against Ukraine within Russia." (Abstract)
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