MMSS 707 Media, Human Rights and Crisis Management
MIDLANDSSTATEUNIVERSITY
FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCE
MEDIA AND SOCIETY
STUDIES
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
MMSS 707 Media, Human Rights and crisis Management
This module seeks to equip students with the importance of the media in upholding and bolstering human rights issues. However, the role of the media in communicating socio-cultural and humanitarian crises, especially within African context will be discussed. History, origins, characteristics and branches of human rights instruments from 17th Century and 18th century will be analyzed and discussed at large.The mechanism of enforcing and monitoring human rights in Africa will be critical discussed. Again the aspect of relativism and universality will be assessed across the globe. The role of media in the creation and construction or fueling of crisis will be discussed. Furthermore, the module will discuss how media set the agenda for specific crisis and ignoring others affected areas for both business and political expediency will be dealt with. Principles and practices of crisis communication and how the media have or ought to operate will be assessed. Human rights theories from the west and originating from Africa will be studied.
COURSE OUTLINE
SECTION A
a) Definition of Human rights
b) Characteristic of human rights
c) Branches of human rights
d) Historical background of human rights
e) Internationalization of human rights
f) Critique of relativity and universality of human rights across the globe
g) Effects of Human rights ( Women, Children, media practitioners and ordinary citizens)
h) International and regional human rights monitoring and enforcement mechanisms
SECTION B
a) The Media and Human rights (Representation of women, children etc)
b) Definition of Media
c) Press freedom
d) Brief background of media in Africa and Zimbabwe
e) The role of media in human rights issues (look at Private media vs Public media in Zimbabwe)
f) The media as watchdog (watching the judiciary, executive and legislature in Zimbabwe and Africa) Case studies based in Africa and specially attention given to SADC countries
g) The relationship between the media and citizenship
h) Children’s Rights and journalism practice in Africa and Zimbabwe.
i) The Media and Development issues in Africa and SADC region
SECTION C
a) Definition of the term crisis
b) How is crisis managed through the media?Case studies of Zimbabwe, Kenya, Sudan, and Ethiopia. Assess the role played by media in curbing the crisis and etc
e) Discuss whether media in Africa and Zimbabwe is playing a vital role in enhancing and defending the infringements of human rights.
SECTION D: CONCEPTS AND SYSTEM OF GOVERNANCE
a) Concepts and system of governance
b) Constitutionalism
c) What is constitution? (relate it to Zimbabwean constitution)
d) Definition of democracy and theories associated with it and it’s relevant to human rights issues
e) Democracy and the rule of law in Zimbabwe and in Africa
g) Governance and the media
SECTION E
a) AFRICAN CONVENTIONS AND DECLARARTIONS ON HUMAN RIGHTS
Zimbabwe constitution section 20 (1,2) and international provision on freedom of expressions and freedom of the press.
b) African (Banjul) charter on human rights and peoples’ rights (1981)
c) Windhoek Declaration on promoting an independent and pluralistic African Press (1991)
d) The African Charter on broadcastings (2001)
e) People’s communication Charter (1999)
SECTION F (MEDIA LAWS IN ZIMBABWE)
a) Zimbabwe Constitution (The Bill of Rights in Section 20)
b) Analysis of Zimbabwe laws and how they affect effective reportage of human rights issues.
c)Analysis of Public Order and Security Act (POSA) (vs) LOMA in enabling the media to cover human rights issues.
d) An analysis of Access to information and protection of privacy Act (AIPPA) and its implication in human rights coverage.
e) The broadcasting Service Act and its effects in fair coverage of human rights cases
f) Official Secret Act (OSA)
g) What is defamation and criminal defamation? Its impact in crisis coverage of human rights cases.
SECTION G
Discussion on priorities for Africa and the UN Millennium eg (Nations-State; Human Rights and Democratization in Africa)
TEXTBOOKS
(JC57 HUM) Davies P (1998) Human Rights. London and New York. Routledge.
(JC578USI) Using the International Human Rights System to combat racial discrimination. A HANDBOOK. Amnesty International
(KS5304 GIF) Gifford C (2008) The torture reporting Handbook. Human rights Centre, University of Essex
Curran J and Gurevitch (1997) Mass Media and Society Second Edition. London. Arnold.
Chiweshe et al (2003) Human Rights and the media. A Handbook. (SAHRIT), Harare, Zimbabwe.
Feltoe. G (1993) A Guide to Press Laws in Zimbabwe. Legal Resources Foundation.
Anderson E.W (1997) Press Freedom and Democracy in Zimbabwe, Norway, Stranberg Printers
Simon, M (2002) TrialsCenters on role of press during Rwanda Massacre, New York Times
Kean J (1991) Media and Democracy, London, Polity Press
McNair B (1998) The Sociology of Journalism, LondonArnold
Archie Mafeje (2002) Democratic Governance and New Democracy in Africa: Agenda for the future, Kenya, Nairobi
Hondora T. Media laws in Zimbabwe German. Konrad Adenauer Foundation
Tomaselli K And Hopeton D (2004) Media, Democracy and Renewal in Southern Africa. South Africa Content Solution.
Hayes et al (2007) Children’s rights and Journalism practice-A Right-Based Perspective. UNICEF-Dublin Institute of technology.
Mawanza S . Human Rights reporting: challenges for the media.
Henkin, L (1991) Rights Here and there, Vol.81, Columbia Law review 1582
Donnelley, J (1995) what are Human Rights? Introduction to Human rights. Sage Publication
M’baye AA (1999) Priorities for Africa and the UN Millennium Assembly:Nations, State or nation-States: human rights and democratization in African.
Convention for Protection of Human Rights and Fundamentals Freedom. European Court of Human rights June 2010.
African Watch (1991) Academic Freedom and Human Rights abuses in Africa, New York: Human Rights Watch.
Human Rights Watch/Africa, Human rights Watch Children’s Rights Project. NewYork. London. Washington. Brussels.
Guidelines for Journalists and MediaProfessionals,International Federation of Journalists, European Commission. website
Reporting on Investing in the Sudan. January 31, 2006
Congressional Research Service. Zimbabwe Lauren Ploch. April 1, 2009
htpp:// Accessed Nov2008
PRESENTATION TOPICS FOR STUDENTS (2010)
1. Discuss the historical, origins, characteristics and branches of human rights (17th, 18th Century, French Declaration, William Wilberforce Anti-Slavery Trade 1826-1824 etc.
2. Assess the International coverage on Civil and Political human rights (UN Charter 1945, 1948, 6 categories e.g. civil, culture, political, social, women and children).
3. Discuss the characteristics and branches of Human Rights? (Universal, inalienable, indivisible, inhere and non-discrimin.ation), (1st generation i.e. civil and political rights, 2nd generations i.e. economic, social and cultural rights, 3rd generation rights i.e. solidarity or group rights)
4. Outline and assess with clear examples mechanisms of enforcing and monitoring Human Rights. (Human Rights Committee, Committee of the elimination against violation and human torture, NGO’s roles in exposing and fighting against human abuse like in (Chile)
5. Critical assess the relativity and universality of Human Rights with relevant examples drawn across the globe?
6. Critical discuss the African declarations and Conventions of enforcing human Rights. How effective have they been in solving African problems, and are African regimes have respect for such conventions ( Windhoek Declaration 1991, People’s Communication Charter 1999,African Charter on Broadcastings, 2001, Banjul Charter, Casablanca Charter – Nkrumah OAU 1963, Massacre of Hutus show the neutrality of OAU-Abuse of African leader e.g. Zimbabwe, Kenya, DRC, Darfur etc).
7. Critical discuss the role of the media and relevance with Human Rights issues. Are we doing enough to enforce the rights of the ordinary citizenships?( Media and conflict resolution-Guides on how media should operate in conflict issues-Press freedom Kofi Annan (1999)-ANZ issue-Daily News closure, Knowledge through the media about Windhoek and Banjul charter etc.
-Journalist must work in a free and fair environment-Media related law should be related to international Standards. Need to open forum between journalist and those in power to discuss issues of importance and implementation of policies.
-Importance of MISA, MMPZ, Kubatana and others stake holders like ZUJ, Media Commission, FAMWZ in reinforcing Human rights issues. e.g. South Africa xenophobia issues. What did the media do about the issue?
-Issues of hate, inflammatory language
-Iraq embedded journalist-DRC coverage when our economy was dwindling. Press card cleared by CIA and the focus of the camera is done selectively.
8. Analyse and discuss the role played by the media and how crisis is managed by the following countries to resolve exacerbating conflict.
a)Kenya
b)Zimbabwe
9. Critical discuss how regional, continental and international human rights conventions and declaration are respected by African regimes.
10. Discuss how democracy and the rule law are related to human rights concept. Assess how developing and developed countries respect the mentioned above two concepts with clear examples cited across the world.
11. Discuss the importance of Nation-State in human rights and democratization in Africa with clearly cited examples.
ASSIGNMENT
- Critical discuss how Zimbabwean media should do to manage exacerbating conflict in the Global Political Agreement among Zimbabwean main political parties. Are human rights issues given prominent space to protect the ordinary citizens from violation of their rights?
- Discuss the view that only robust, pluralistic and diverse media system can offer effective protection against Human Rights violations by those with power in society