Research Articles by Philip Effiom Ephraim
GAU Journal of Social and Applied Sciences 8 (1), 2016
Till date, Charlie Chaplin"s films remain strong references for understanding the history of cine... more Till date, Charlie Chaplin"s films remain strong references for understanding the history of cinema and film, and indeed several significant socio-political and cultural developments currently experienced in the world. Improving representations of women in film and other media is just one of them. Relying on two feminist film theories, this study qualitatively evaluates representations of the female protagonist in Modern times. In the film, Chaplin departs from his earlier stereotypical representations of women as either vamps, suffragettes or in domestic roles. Chaplin"s portrayal of the gamin as a strong, industrious and resilient character who contributes immensely in making the hero, gives Modern Times strong pro-feminist pulses. The study argues that Modern Times can be viewed beyond the popular critical perspective of being a social commentary on the exploitation of human labor and the futility of pursuing happiness. Modern Times can also be referenced as a fine example of early feminist cinema.
Quarantined Across Borders Media Rise Texas A & M University, USA, 2020
Nigerians are employing social media channels to call out the government’s corrupt practices, par... more Nigerians are employing social media channels to call out the government’s corrupt practices, particularly, the unequal distribution of monetary assistance meant for minimizing severe hardships caused by COVID-19 lockdowns.
Proceedings of the 5th World Conference on Media and Mass Communication, Vol. 5, 2019, pp. 49-57 , 2019
For almost two decades, The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been on a mission to boost its culture... more For almost two decades, The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been on a mission to boost its culture sector through projects that promote cultural enrichment, openness and tolerance, a move from previously conservative notions. The UAE's interest and commitment to developing its culture sector is anchored on its Cultural Mandate, a document highlighting the country's cultural vision for the next thirty years-the Abu Dhabi Vision 2030 Master plan. This new cultural movement has witnessed the birth of several new museums of which Louvre Abu Dhabi stands out as a museum that celebrates global cultures. In the wake of attractive new media technologies and new online audiences, museums are challenged to market themselves with new technologies in order to be attractive and remain relevant in contemporary society. A mixed analysis of data revealed Louvre Abu Dhabi's strategic use of social media to market its activities as well as promote the UAE. The study observed the use of only four social media including, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram. Louvre Abu Dhabi applied the marketing technique of corporate foresight in media selection and strategic messaging through images, questions and creating audience anticipation. This study argues that through social media, Louvre Abu Dhabi is able to market its activities and events and promote the UAE to global audiences online. By providing digital platforms for attracting audiences and gaining feedback, social media helps Louvre Abu Dhabi to fulfill its cultural function of propagating intercultural understanding and tolerance in the UAE.
Ethics and Information Technology
With rising numbers of Facebook, Twitter and
MXit users, Africa is increasingly gaining prominenc... more With rising numbers of Facebook, Twitter and
MXit users, Africa is increasingly gaining prominence in
the sphere of social networking. Social media is increasingly
becoming main stream; serving as important tools for
facilitating interpersonal communication, business and
educational activities. Qualitative analyses of relevant
secondary data show that children and youths aged
between 13 and 30 constitute Africa’s heaviest users of
social media. Media reports have revealed cases of abuse
on social media by youths. Social networks have severally
been used as tools for perpetuating crimes such as; cyberbullying
and violence against girls and women. This
study proposes a ‘Culture-centered Approach’ to the use of
social media in a bid to minimize these cybercrimes and
encourage the responsible use of social media amongst
African youths. The Culture-centered Approach, which
incorporates the tenets of Information Ethics, stresses the
need for the respect of the dignity and rights of other online
users as well the application of good cultural values and
ethical behavior while on social media platforms.
Keywords: Social networking, Cyberbullying
Cyber violence, Culture-centered approach
The strongest global brands can suffer loss or even ruin in the event of crisis. The effective ma... more The strongest global brands can suffer loss or even ruin in the event of crisis. The effective management of communications during crisis is essential to ensuring that trust is rebuilt and dented brand image is quickly repaired. This study qualitatively evaluated how communication strategies were employed by Volkswagen and Mitsubishi to recent corporate cases.Guided by Coombs and Benoit’s crisis management theories, the study compares both strategies in terms of: timeliness of response, media selection and rhetoric of messages. Analyses of primary and secondary data show that both Volkswagen and Mitsubishi breached corporate values and were not transparent to stakeholders worldwide. The study argues that Volkswagen ignored early warnings, thus resorting to post-crisis communications using varieties of media with a mixture of apology and sales marketing activities. Mitsubishi’s response strategies were timelier and voluntary. Mitsubishi employed fewer media and maintained rhetoric with a strong appeal to pathos
New media are increasingly providing spaces and opportunities for
media houses and activist group... more New media are increasingly providing spaces and opportunities for
media houses and activist groups engaged in socio-political reform
in Africa. In Nigeria, social media are becoming platforms for
communicating messages of resistance against oppressive
political and exploitative economic power structures. This study
analyzed Ogas at the top (OATT), an online puppetry series by
Buni TV, as a way of examining new platforms and message
content in Nigeria’s rapidly changing media sphere. Relying on
semiotics and critical discourse analysis perspectives, the study
analyzed select episodes of the series, to gauge how producers
constructed powerful visual and linguistic messages to boldly
satirize social injustices perpetrated by Nigeria’s political elites.
Currents in African Literature and the English Language, 2011
A TOEFL score is often a basic requirement for Nigerians applying for admissions, scholarships, j... more A TOEFL score is often a basic requirement for Nigerians applying for admissions, scholarships, jobs, and training overseas. TOEFL — the test of English as a foreign language; measures the English language proficiency of non-native speakers at undergraduate and graduate levels. In Nigeria, the Internet Based Test (IBT) is currently the only method of taking TOEFL. Being academically demanding and highly digitized; TOEFL tests also require oral and written proficiency in the United States variety of English, access to and knowledge of the use of computers and related ICTs amongst other socio-economic conditions. As shown in this research, these requirements often pose challenges to Nigerians. From data gathered through participant observation and oral interviews with 3 administrators and 37 candidates at three major test centers in Nigeria; this research identifies technological, financial, linguistic, socio-cultural, and proximity constraints which impede the process of administering and taking TOEFL in Nigeria. From the findings, this research also gathers that these constraints adversely affect the candidates' overall performance directly and indirectly. Recommendations are made to test administrators, prospective candidates as well as the Nigerian government towards the improvement of the whole process of TOEFL in Nigeria.
Book Chapters by Philip Effiom Ephraim
Fake News Is Bad News - Hoaxes, Half-truths and the Nature of Today’s Journalism, 2020
Radio remains an important mass medium in Nigeria and across Africa. Issues of
power availability... more Radio remains an important mass medium in Nigeria and across Africa. Issues of
power availability, internet connectivity, and media costs, make radio a highly sort
after medium for public information. However, the potentials of radio in efforts to
combat misinformation about COVID-19 are yet to be fully exploited in Nigeria.
Extant efforts have mostly focused on live press briefings, TV programming, SMS,
and social media messaging. Media sources show that the spread of misinformation
about the pandemic in the country is rife. This chapter critically evaluates the
state of radio in Nigeria and proposes various strategies for utilizing its resources
in efforts to debunk and minimize the spread of misinformation, with wider
implications for Africa.
Keywords: radio, misinformation, COVID-19, Nigeria, Africa
Roots Reloaded: Culture, Identity and Social Development in the Digital Age, 2016
Book Critiques by Philip Effiom Ephraim
Public Relations Inquiry, 2023
Public relations – the management of persuasive communications between individuals or organizatio... more Public relations – the management of persuasive communications between individuals or organizations and their various publics, has had an interesting history. Public relations developed from traditional forms in various cultures, through press agentry, up until World Wars I and II, when it was combined with various mass media to create propaganda, further peace efforts, and promote contemporary globalization (Ephraim, 2014).In Public Relations History: Theory, Practice, and Profession, Cayce Myers, Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Studies in the Department of Communication, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, USA, argues that the history of public relations is multi-layered and a bit messy. It is full of good and bad deeds of people who sought to leverage public relations for self-serving purposes.
International Journal of Communication, 2023
Communication is the vehicle through which knowledge is gained and disseminated, hence, its stron... more Communication is the vehicle through which knowledge is gained and disseminated, hence, its strong connection with philosophy-the love of knowledge. To philosophize, one must communicate. To understand communication, we must subject it to philosophical inquiry (Muhammad, 2016). In Communication: A House Seen From Everywhere, Igor E. Klyukanov, professor of global and intercultural communications at Eastern Washington University, presents a philosophical and contemplative analysis of the nature of communication studies. The author examines the origins, meanings, and functions of communication as a philosophy and as a science. Through the chapters, the author provides an expansive conceptualization of communication, describing it as a natural, social, cultural, and rational science, in what is modeled as a semiotic square in chapter six.
London School of Economics and Political Science Book Reviews, 2016
In Muted Modernists: The Struggle Over Divine Politics in Saudi Arabia , Madawi Al-Rasheed challe... more In Muted Modernists: The Struggle Over Divine Politics in Saudi Arabia , Madawi Al-Rasheed challenges
monolithic understandings of official and opposition divine politics in Saudi Arabia by examining how activists,
intellectuals and religious scholars are attempting to construct a new form of politics through reinterpretation of key
Islamic texts and civil society activism. This is an important and insightful read that contributes to scholarship on
changing socio-political and cultural dynamics within the Middle East and the influence of media and communication
technologies on political participation, writes Philip Effiom Ephraim.
Muted Modernists: The Struggle over Divine Politics in Saudi Arabia . Madawi Al-Rasheed. Hurst. 2015.
Journal of Marketing Communications, 2023
In Advertising Management in a Digital Environment: Text and Cases, by Larry D. Kelley, Professor... more In Advertising Management in a Digital Environment: Text and Cases, by Larry D. Kelley, Professor of Advertising at the Jack J. Valenti School of Communication at the University of Houston, and Kim Bartel Sheehan, Professor, and Director of the master’s in Advertising and Brand Responsibility at the University of Oregon, provide knowledge to help readers navigate the complex and sensitive digital marketing space. The book addresses historical and contemporary issues in advertising management. The authors stress the importance of the case study method in analyzing real-life and realistic business challenges in the digital world. Through case study analyses, the reader can learn how these challenges were effectively surmounted or poorly managed.
Journalism and Mass Communication Quarterly, 2020
In view of the sensitivity and negative effects of cyberbullying, government lawmak-ers and schoo... more In view of the sensitivity and negative effects of cyberbullying, government lawmak-ers and school authorities often enact laws to deal quickly and harshly with cyber bullies in the interests of victims. There are arguments that these anti-cyberbullying laws are often hastily enacted due to a strong desire to quickly help victims and stop the activities of the bullies. In Sympathy for the Cyberbully, Arthur Hayes, associate professor of Communications and Media Studies at Fordham University, calls for a review of anti-cyberbullying laws. He argues that not all the accused are truly cyber bullies. He describes this group as acid-tongued disparagers and youthful and adult sexters. Due to the attendant outpouring of strong emotions, Hayes calls for serious care in judging cases of cyberbullying. In light of the freedom of expression, he argues for a thorough examination of the motives and intentions behind each online message presented in judgment as evidence of cyberbullying. Hayes accuses the media of creating moral panic about cyberbullying. He argues that through negative framing of content, media create negative narratives about people holding contrary viewpoints and those expressing biting criticism of dominant narratives and perspectives. Media often hastily label these people as cyber bullies. The author argues further that moral panic could be blamed for the actions of governments of countries such as the United States and Canada. These governments have enacted cyber laws to track down and punish people suspected to be engaging in cyberbullying with little or no regard for legal protections provided them by the constitution. Examples include the Megan Meier suicide case in 2006 that leads to the enactment of the Megan Meier Law of 2008 in the State of Missouri, and the Rebecca Sedwick case of 2013. Sedwick was believed to have committed suicide due to shame from nasty Facebook comments. The case led to the enactment of Bill C 13 to protect Canadians from cyberbullying. Follow-up investigations after each case revealed that the offensive online comments used as key evidence in court were only a very small part of long troubled relations between the two parties and not the main cause of death. Hayes notes that even though cyberbullying was not the main cause of death, cyber-bullying is however not justifiable under any circumstance.
International Journal of Communication
International Journal of Communication, 2013
Globalization is not a new phenomenon. Some scholars tend to view globalization as a product of e... more Globalization is not a new phenomenon. Some scholars tend to view globalization as a product of early 20th-century advancements in industrialization and the development of modern transportation and communication technologies. Although international travel, and especially new media technologies, have played huge roles in expanding and accelerating the globalization process, several other subtle and often ignored factors remain powerful globalizing forces. Interconnection and exchange between peoples for purposes of diplomacy, trade, technological advancement, culture, and so on goes back practically to
Books by Philip Effiom Ephraim
Music Theory in Practice for Schools and Colleges Book 1 ISBN:978-37540-4-1, 2020
Music Theory in Practice for Schools & Colleges Book 1 is for students beginning a journey in mus... more Music Theory in Practice for Schools & Colleges Book 1 is for students beginning a journey in music in school or in college. It is a product of the author’s over two decades of successful music teaching to diverse students in Africa, Europe, and The Middle East. The book contains concise lessons in rudimentary music theory, history, and literature to build a solid foundation for the total beginner and to enhance the understanding of older learners. There are lessons in sight-reading and singing. Finger charts and lessons for recorder are also included. The language and style used in the book are simple and straight to the point. Appropriate examples, activity prompts, and fun exercises and are also included to enhance understanding and encourage practice. It is advised that students be guided by an experienced music teacher to fully benefit from this book. However, an independent study is possible. All fun exercises should be done in a music manuscript.
This book is an important study material for preparing students for the Junior Secondary Certificate Examination (JSCE) and also for laying a solid foundation for the Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE) and Joint Admission Matriculation Board Examination (JAMB). For students seeking international certifications, this book covers all the requirements for the beginner grades (Preliminary, Grades 1 & 2) of The Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) UK, Trinity College of Music London, Musical Society of Nigeria (MUSON) and The Masters Music Academy, Nigeria. It is hoped that Music Theory in Practice for Schools & Colleges Book 1 will greatly benefit students and teachers in Nigeria and beyond.
Academic Blogs by Philip Effiom Ephraim
Jobs.ac.uk Blog, 2016
Response questions are an important part of interviews for faculty and research positions. Many c... more Response questions are an important part of interviews for faculty and research positions. Many candidates are often dumbstruck when asked if they have a question for the recruitment team. This short piece provides tips for applicants seeking academic positions in the UK and globally.
The Coversation, 2018
Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, also known as Bobi Wine, is a Ugandan politician whose arrest and inc... more Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, also known as Bobi Wine, is a Ugandan politician whose arrest and incarceration has sparked widespread protests in Uganda and elsewhere in the East African region. A great deal of this can be attributed to social media, which quickly spread his story. The Conversation Africa spoke to Philip Ephraim about social media and the impact it can have on politics.
Uploads
Research Articles by Philip Effiom Ephraim
MXit users, Africa is increasingly gaining prominence in
the sphere of social networking. Social media is increasingly
becoming main stream; serving as important tools for
facilitating interpersonal communication, business and
educational activities. Qualitative analyses of relevant
secondary data show that children and youths aged
between 13 and 30 constitute Africa’s heaviest users of
social media. Media reports have revealed cases of abuse
on social media by youths. Social networks have severally
been used as tools for perpetuating crimes such as; cyberbullying
and violence against girls and women. This
study proposes a ‘Culture-centered Approach’ to the use of
social media in a bid to minimize these cybercrimes and
encourage the responsible use of social media amongst
African youths. The Culture-centered Approach, which
incorporates the tenets of Information Ethics, stresses the
need for the respect of the dignity and rights of other online
users as well the application of good cultural values and
ethical behavior while on social media platforms.
Keywords: Social networking, Cyberbullying
Cyber violence, Culture-centered approach
media houses and activist groups engaged in socio-political reform
in Africa. In Nigeria, social media are becoming platforms for
communicating messages of resistance against oppressive
political and exploitative economic power structures. This study
analyzed Ogas at the top (OATT), an online puppetry series by
Buni TV, as a way of examining new platforms and message
content in Nigeria’s rapidly changing media sphere. Relying on
semiotics and critical discourse analysis perspectives, the study
analyzed select episodes of the series, to gauge how producers
constructed powerful visual and linguistic messages to boldly
satirize social injustices perpetrated by Nigeria’s political elites.
Book Chapters by Philip Effiom Ephraim
power availability, internet connectivity, and media costs, make radio a highly sort
after medium for public information. However, the potentials of radio in efforts to
combat misinformation about COVID-19 are yet to be fully exploited in Nigeria.
Extant efforts have mostly focused on live press briefings, TV programming, SMS,
and social media messaging. Media sources show that the spread of misinformation
about the pandemic in the country is rife. This chapter critically evaluates the
state of radio in Nigeria and proposes various strategies for utilizing its resources
in efforts to debunk and minimize the spread of misinformation, with wider
implications for Africa.
Keywords: radio, misinformation, COVID-19, Nigeria, Africa
Book Critiques by Philip Effiom Ephraim
monolithic understandings of official and opposition divine politics in Saudi Arabia by examining how activists,
intellectuals and religious scholars are attempting to construct a new form of politics through reinterpretation of key
Islamic texts and civil society activism. This is an important and insightful read that contributes to scholarship on
changing socio-political and cultural dynamics within the Middle East and the influence of media and communication
technologies on political participation, writes Philip Effiom Ephraim.
Muted Modernists: The Struggle over Divine Politics in Saudi Arabia . Madawi Al-Rasheed. Hurst. 2015.
Books by Philip Effiom Ephraim
This book is an important study material for preparing students for the Junior Secondary Certificate Examination (JSCE) and also for laying a solid foundation for the Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE) and Joint Admission Matriculation Board Examination (JAMB). For students seeking international certifications, this book covers all the requirements for the beginner grades (Preliminary, Grades 1 & 2) of The Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) UK, Trinity College of Music London, Musical Society of Nigeria (MUSON) and The Masters Music Academy, Nigeria. It is hoped that Music Theory in Practice for Schools & Colleges Book 1 will greatly benefit students and teachers in Nigeria and beyond.
Academic Blogs by Philip Effiom Ephraim
MXit users, Africa is increasingly gaining prominence in
the sphere of social networking. Social media is increasingly
becoming main stream; serving as important tools for
facilitating interpersonal communication, business and
educational activities. Qualitative analyses of relevant
secondary data show that children and youths aged
between 13 and 30 constitute Africa’s heaviest users of
social media. Media reports have revealed cases of abuse
on social media by youths. Social networks have severally
been used as tools for perpetuating crimes such as; cyberbullying
and violence against girls and women. This
study proposes a ‘Culture-centered Approach’ to the use of
social media in a bid to minimize these cybercrimes and
encourage the responsible use of social media amongst
African youths. The Culture-centered Approach, which
incorporates the tenets of Information Ethics, stresses the
need for the respect of the dignity and rights of other online
users as well the application of good cultural values and
ethical behavior while on social media platforms.
Keywords: Social networking, Cyberbullying
Cyber violence, Culture-centered approach
media houses and activist groups engaged in socio-political reform
in Africa. In Nigeria, social media are becoming platforms for
communicating messages of resistance against oppressive
political and exploitative economic power structures. This study
analyzed Ogas at the top (OATT), an online puppetry series by
Buni TV, as a way of examining new platforms and message
content in Nigeria’s rapidly changing media sphere. Relying on
semiotics and critical discourse analysis perspectives, the study
analyzed select episodes of the series, to gauge how producers
constructed powerful visual and linguistic messages to boldly
satirize social injustices perpetrated by Nigeria’s political elites.
power availability, internet connectivity, and media costs, make radio a highly sort
after medium for public information. However, the potentials of radio in efforts to
combat misinformation about COVID-19 are yet to be fully exploited in Nigeria.
Extant efforts have mostly focused on live press briefings, TV programming, SMS,
and social media messaging. Media sources show that the spread of misinformation
about the pandemic in the country is rife. This chapter critically evaluates the
state of radio in Nigeria and proposes various strategies for utilizing its resources
in efforts to debunk and minimize the spread of misinformation, with wider
implications for Africa.
Keywords: radio, misinformation, COVID-19, Nigeria, Africa
monolithic understandings of official and opposition divine politics in Saudi Arabia by examining how activists,
intellectuals and religious scholars are attempting to construct a new form of politics through reinterpretation of key
Islamic texts and civil society activism. This is an important and insightful read that contributes to scholarship on
changing socio-political and cultural dynamics within the Middle East and the influence of media and communication
technologies on political participation, writes Philip Effiom Ephraim.
Muted Modernists: The Struggle over Divine Politics in Saudi Arabia . Madawi Al-Rasheed. Hurst. 2015.
This book is an important study material for preparing students for the Junior Secondary Certificate Examination (JSCE) and also for laying a solid foundation for the Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE) and Joint Admission Matriculation Board Examination (JAMB). For students seeking international certifications, this book covers all the requirements for the beginner grades (Preliminary, Grades 1 & 2) of The Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) UK, Trinity College of Music London, Musical Society of Nigeria (MUSON) and The Masters Music Academy, Nigeria. It is hoped that Music Theory in Practice for Schools & Colleges Book 1 will greatly benefit students and teachers in Nigeria and beyond.