School of Communication Studies

This manual is aimed at practicing editors and journalists working in conflict-affected and post-conflict West African countries. It focusses on promoting the core values and practice of peace journalism in the sub-region and draws on experiences and knowledge of the strong connection between media and peacebuilding from the perspective of practitioners and academics in the field.  The chapters of this e-book offer a sound basis for journalists to transcend the dichotomies that characterize reports on conflict by prioritizing the virtues of balance, equity, accuracy and constructive conflict transformation in telling the “whole story” at all times.

This essay introduces the Special Issue. The authors briefly survey the contemporary and complex relationship between aid and journalism and the role of foreign aid/development assistance in shaping African media systems. A call is made for greater research into the aid and journalism relationship and the impact these processes have on fostering independent national media sectors in Africa.

Lockdown measures have been introduced worldwide to contain the transmission of COVID-19. This paper defines the term lockdown and describes the design, timing and implementation of lockdown in nine countries in Sub Saharan Africa: Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. It also discusses the manner in which lockdown is enforced, the need to mitigate the harms of lockdown, and the association between lockdown and the reported number of COVID-19 cases and deaths. While there are some commonalities in the implementation of lockdown, a more notable finding is the variation in the design, timing and implementation of lockdown measures across the nine countries. We found that the number of reported cases is heavily dependent on the number of tests done, and that testing rates ranged from 9 to 21,261 per million population. The reported number of COVID-19 deaths per million population also varies, but is generally low when compared to coun...

Lockdown measures have been introduced worldwide to contain the transmission of COVID-19. However, the term ‘lockdown’ is not well-defined. Indeed, WHO’s reference to ‘so-called lockdown measures’ indicates the absence of a clear and universally accepted definition of the term ‘lockdown’. We propose a definition of ‘lockdown’ based on a two-by-two matrix that categorises different communicable disease measures based on whether they are compulsory or voluntary; and whether they are targeted at identifiable individuals or facilities, or whether they are applied indiscriminately to a general population or area. Using this definition, we describe the design, timing and implementation of lockdown measures in nine countries in sub-Saharan Africa: Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. While there were some commonalities in the implementation of lockdown across these countries, a more notable finding was the variation in the design, timing...

Election 2000 represents a crucial aspect of Ghana’s prolonged transition to multi-party democratic rule which began in 1992 and ushered in the Fourth Republic on January 3, 1993. It marks the final phase of that transition and the beginning of the post-Rawlings era in Ghanaian politics. Not surprisingly, Election 2000 has proved to be one of the most competitive elections in the post-independence period. That is a reflection of the high stakes attached to the election. But it is also a reflection of the relative evenness of the electoral playing field in the current election period and the growing maturity of the democratic experiment of the Fourth Republic.

Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to contribute to discussions about engagement in social and environmental accounting, drawing on dialogic theory and philosophy. A dialogic approach, building on existing critical inquiries, is introduced to derive principles to inform "on the ground" engagements. Applying dialogic thinking to social and environmental accounting encourages the development of dialogic forms of accountability, more authentic engagements and is more likely to contribute to sustainable social and environmental change. Design/methodology/approach -Contains a synthesis of literature from within and beyond social and environmental accounting to shed light on the issues addressed by the special issue. Findings -Research engagements in social and environmental accounting need not be taken in a haphazard manner uninformed by theory. In particular, the "learning turn" in social sciences has generated a large body of theorizing (informed by concrete engagement activities) that can be used to shape, guide and support engagement. Practical implications -The principles developed can be used to inform future research design, with the aim of increasing the likelihood that such engagements will yield outcomes of "value" usually defined as emancipatory changes. Originality/value -This paper develops a new (to accounting) theoretical perspective.

CSCL research is often closely connected to dialogic theories of learning and human cognition with an emphasis on shared meaning making. Without neglecting this viewpoint we give reasons for an alternative framework. We call this alternative a "trialogical" approach; it emphasizes joint and organized work with artefacts and practices as a basis for collaborative learning. The paper explains the use of this notion and clarifies theoretical backgrounds for the approach in line with the knowledge creation metaphor of learning, and relates it especially to knowledge building and socio-cultural and cultural-historical theories of human cognition. Various theories concerning mediation are briefly analyzed. The paper also explains how dialogues and trialogues are close to each other if, for example, the role of common ground is analyzed further. Lastly, design principles of the trialogical approach are concisely described.

The discussion about the beginnings of an "enablement theory" of social representing led to a number of basic new developments in our thinking. The general meta-scientific goal of any elaboration of a theory of social representing is to transcend the fragmentation of psychological theories (Bertacco's concern about social psychology), and advance a new look at empirical methods that is consistent with theoretical constructions (Wagner's concern). The latter is accomplished through making the study of individual cases (subjects) the epistemic norm for the social sciences. That is necessary due to the recent proof of non-isomorphism between inter-individual and intra-individual variation. In the case of open-systemic phenomena (organisms, persons, communities, societies) variability is the name of the game-especially in its intra-individual form. The resulting idiographic science is both social and individual at the same time (an answer to Nebe's critique) and becomes applicable to issues of politics as complex social phenomena that are possible only because of personal participation that takes place on different sides of barricades (Magioglou's focus). The theory of enablement is expected to facilitate further development of the theoretical rigor of any theory of social representing, as well as psychological theories as a whole.

This paper questions General Systems Theory (GST) and reveals its drawbacks adopting a Bakhtinian approach based on dialogism. It also provides the alternative by setting the ground for a new dialogic system theory based on cognition, axiology and emotions. This theory is an extension of Bakhtin's work and embraces other characteristics such as, appreciative inquiry, deconstruction and depreciative inquiry, deliberative dialog, reflexivity, continuous liberation, collaborative learning, toleration, and so forth. Some insights are offered on how this theory can be applied in a globalized world to foster diversity, difference and deep dialogue between different disciplines, mindsets, countries, and systems to ensure better lives for people around the world.

The goal of the study was to develop a framework for public relations practice in the financial services sector. The study was based on four key objectives. In line with the first objective, chapters 2 and 3 reviewed how public relations was conceptualised and practiced by reviewing literature. Three worldviews, the North American, the European and African worldviews, were discussed by looking at their similarities and differences. The literature also reviewed the development of public relations from these three perspectives. Literature revealed that different models influence practices in different cultural settings and that effective PR practice cannot be premised on a single model. Objectives 2, 3 and 4 empirically analysed the conceptualisation and practice of public relations in terms of the purpose (models) and roles (activities). The study employed the one-on-one interview technique to gauge the views of communication managers in the financial services sector. The result of t...

This study explores the place of crisis communication in Ghana's financial sector. It identifies and analyzes the various approaches that practitioners adopted to save the country from the brink of disaster a few years ago. In-depth interviews with eight public relations consultants and evidence from literature show stakeholders' dissatisfaction with the communication strategies implemented by some financial institutions. The combination of reactive/proactive and leadership communication/provocation approaches to managing the crises produced both positive and negative outcomes. Findings also show that if practitioners have the requisite knowledge and training as well as operate from a department wholly dedicated to public relations, crisis communication can produce the desired effect. The effectiveness can increase if the top management of the financial institutions gives the necessary support to the department. Ghana's crisis is proof that not recognizing public relations officers as central role players during a crisis can escalate the crisis rather than lessen it.

This article discusses the criteria that govern the selection of news in the print media (in Ghana). The article focused particularly on the front page news of the Daily Graphic. The study also assesses what informs the choice of certain news items over others and why some news items are presented prominently on the front page over others. Three methods were used in this study: a survey, content analysis and in-depth interviews. Seventy-two editions of the Daily Graphic and in all, 202 news items were content analysed. The study found that although news values are vital in news selectivity, the Daily Graphic does not use news values as the sole criterion for news selection. What is important is whether a particular news story is in the interest of the public and that it has a high range. Thus, the consequence of such a news story affects the majority of Ghanaians. The finding also suggest that news values as criteria for news selection by the media in the West and replicated by African media should be given a second look.

This article discusses the criteria that govern the selection of news in the print media (in Ghana). The article focused particularly on the front page news of the Daily Graphic. The study also assesses what informs the choice of certain news items over others and why some news items are presented prominently on the front page over others. Three methods were used in this study: a survey, content analysis and in-depth interviews. Seventy-two editions of the Daily Graphic and in all, 202 news items were content analysed. The study found that although news values are vital in news selectivity, the Daily Graphic does not use news values as the sole criterion for news selection. What is important is whether a particular news story is in the interest of the public and that it has a high range. Thus, the consequence of such a news story affects the majority of Ghanaians. The finding also suggest that news values as criteria for news selection by the media in the West and replicated by African media should be given a second look.

This article discusses the criteria that govern the selection of news in the print media (in Ghana). The article focused particularly on the front page news of the Daily Graphic. The study also assesses what informs the choice of certain news items over others and why some news items are presented prominently on the front page over others. Three methods were used in this study: a survey, content analysis and in-depth interviews. Seventy-two editions of the Daily Graphic and in all, 202 news items were content analysed. The study found that although news values are vital in news selectivity, the Daily Graphic does not use news values as the sole criterion for news selection. What is important is whether a particular news story is in the interest of the public and that it has a high range. Thus, the consequence of such a news story affects the majority of Ghanaians. The finding also suggest that news values as criteria for news selection by the media in the West and replicated by African media should be given a second look.

Nuclear proliferation has been the cynosure of international debate since it was first tested during the early period of the Cold War. Of major concern is how Asia is gradually becoming a nuclear weapon zone. Many of its populous nations such as China, India, Pakistan, Japan, (and North-Korea) have sought to obtain nuclear weapons for security and status. Interestingly, the more these states seek to concretize their security through nuclear proliferation, the more they create security dilemma which in turn further exacerbates its wanton spread. Giving the geopolitical, geoeconomic and social interests of great and emerging powers in the region, such security threat has incalculable repercussions – balance of power competition; (new) alliance formation; regime survival. The study investigates the wanton desire for nuclear possession among Asian states in the 21st century as means of balancing against both regional and global threats as well as strengthening regimes in power amidst th...