Université Mohamed I, Oujda,

Maroc
Faculté des lettres et des sciences humaines

 
Call for papers / Appel à contribution
Research Group on Identity and Difference and the professional BA ‘médias et communication interactive’ announce a study day on the Moroccan press on the 3rd of May 2011.
The press is a major force for empowerment and change. Journalists play an important role in explaining the world. They document society and inform the public about significant events by offering truthful and diverse reportages on them. The flow of information also has an important impact on the democratic process. The press can function as a watchdog against governance. However, lack of freedom endangers the role of the press. Journalism is a critical aspect of Moroccan society.

The barriers to producing independent, high quality journalism are numerous. Morocco desperately needs a strong, free and independent press in order to prosper socially, economically and politically. Moroccan journalists have to report, inform and analyse in full freedom and with a genuine respect for ethical issues. With the new means of information offered by the web, the audience no longer uncritically accepts everything journalists tell them. Researchers and journalists are invited to rethink the role of the press in Morocco and discuss the conditions needed for the press to play a constructive role. Areas of interest for this study day include, but are not limited to, the following topics:

● the freedom of the press in Morocco

● freedom of expression and the development process

● the relationship between the press, the government and businesses

● political journalism

● censorship

● Moroccan press and breaches in ethical behaviour/ the code of ethics
●

the flaws of Moroccan newspapers

● lack of competition in the Moroccan newspaper industry

● schools of journalism in Morocco

● investigative journalism

● the press and caricature
●

construction of reality by the press
● strategies used to frame the news

● web journalism

● new media and youth

● photojournalism
●

gender and the press
Submissions of abstracts of approximately 300 words and a short biography are to be done by e-mail to chourouq1@hotmail.com by March 30th. Please note that the reading time is strictly limited to 20 minutes per paper.
Please fell free to contact Dr Chourouq Nasri, member of the Research Group on Identity and Difference and coordinator of ‘médias et communication interactive’ if you have any questions/concerns.
Email: chourouq1@hotmail.com