From 12 – 14 December 2016, AKE will be attending and participating in the ‘Media, Conflict and Democratisation’ (Mecodem) conference in Cape Town, South Africa.
The three-year Mecodem project has received funding from the European Union’s Framework Seven Programme (grant agreement 613370). The project investigated and analysed the various roles played by both traditional media and ICTs in conflicts that accompany and follow transitions from authoritarian rule to more democratic forms of government, including elections, protest movements and transitional justice.
The case study countries span Egypt, Kenya, Serbia and South Africa, which have all experienced severe conflicts in recent history, and differ widely in terms of their political, social, economic and cultural make-up. Through extensive qualitative and quantitative research, together with engagement with a wide range of relevant stakeholders, from policymakers to journalists, communities, political activists and international organisations, the project outlines solutions to these complex and contested issues.
These include proposals for conflict sensitive journalistic practices and ethics; development of skills on the effective use of communication technologies as tools for conflict prevention and management; and communications strategies with governments, international organisations and civil society actors.
