An Investigation of the Press and Political Processes in Contemporary Iraqi Kurdistan
- KurdishMedia.com
- 16/08/2009 00:00:00
An Investigation of the Press and Political Processes in Contemporary Iraqi Kurdistan
In an international comparative and collaborative research project, scholars from the UK and USA, led by Dr John Hogan and Professor John Trumpbour, are conducting an investigation into the dynamics of the print media environment in Iraqi Kurdistan. We are pleased to say that the KRG, in keeping with its transparency strategy, has signalled cooperation with this study. The main aims of this study are:
1. To investigate the performance of the Press and its relationship with other actors within the political process responsible for the dissemination and processing of information and debate and to evaluate the implications of these practices for government performance, accountability and civic responsibility in contemporary Iraqi Kurdistan.
2. To investigate how the role and performance of the press in contemporary Iraqi Kurdistan is understood by the main stake holders within society and polity.
3. To compare the practices, development and understandings of the press environment in Iraqi Kurdistan with environments within different national settings.
4. To provide:
a) Robust research evidence about the quality of press coverage and its contribution to democratic discourse in contemporary Iraqi Kurdistan.
b) An action plan based on good practice for the benefit of the Kurdistan Regional Government, policy makers, educators and Press representatives to strengthen the democratic role of the Press in Iraqi Kurdistan.
c) Suggestions, where and if appropriate, for reforms and initiatives in the fields of public policy, law and regulation to strengthen the role of the Press in promoting democracy in Iraqi Kurdistan.
5. To be a catalyst for an ongoing public debate about the role of the print media in society and the limits and possibilities of legitimate journalism for the functioning of the nation and democratic representation in Iraqi Kurdistan.
The research team request, through interview and correspondence, the views and insights of the following actors and agencies within the media environment pertaining to and within Iraqi Kurdistan:
• The Press (editors and staff, along with occasional contributors to the press).
• Government Ministers.
• Parliamentarians and the political parties of Iraqi Kurdistan
• Lawyers and Judges who specialize in or who have considered cases pertaining to press freedom.
• Kurdistan Union of Journalists and other media bodies dealing with media regulations and freedom of speech
The Research Team would very much welcome the collaboration of relevant actors. We would like to hear from interested parties and engage in a productive dialogue through both electronic communication and face to face interview. Anyone who considers that their views and experience can enrich this project should contact Dr Hogan and Professor Trumpbour at the following email address: kurdishresearchproject@ googlemail.com (Please note that this account is dedicated to this research project. In the event of experiencing communication problems, please contact Dr Hogan at j.Hogan@mdx.ac.uk ).
Notes on the Lead Researchers
Dr Hogan is Senior Research Fellow at the Business and Law Faculty at the University of Middlesex. His first degree is in Government from the University of Essex, which was followed by an M.A. and PhD from University of Leeds. His primary area of research focuses upon the implications of new media for the politics and processes of organization. He has been a plenary and invited speaker, as well as refereed conference paper provider, at a number of international conferences, including events at the Institute of Advanced Studies, the Universities of Cambridge, Cornell, Harvard and Montreal, along with the World Congress of Sociology in Stockholm. His work is published and cited within the fields of industrial relations, organization theory, geography, political science and sociology. He has acted as a reviewer for Leverhulme and British Academy grant applications and has been appointed by the ESRC to be the lead Rapporteur to assess major end of award reports. Dr Hogan has and continues to act as reviewer, editor of special issues and member of a number of leading international academic journals. In September 2008 Dr Hogan took up a Visiting Fellowship at Harvard Law School, Harvard University.
Professor Trumpbour is located at Harvard University Law School, where he is Research Director for the Labor & Worklife Program. As a historian, trained first at Stanford University and then Harvard University, where he gained his doctorate, Professor Trumpbour is recognized as a world class prize-winning scholar with a global reach. He has published critically acclaimed work on the USA, China, India, France, Germany, southern Europe, south Asia, Australia and the Islamic world. Trumpbour’s expertise ranges across a number of issues, such as US foreign policy and global media culture, the banking and pharmaceutical industries of India and China, the politics and society of France and Germany, globalization, technologies of innovation, theories of communication, migration, governance, labor, and the politics and social structure of southern Europe. In addition to the various awards conferred and membership of prestigious Harvard committees and Journal editorial boards, recognition of Trumpbour’s standing is also highlighted by his work at the US Congress and long-standing membership in the Science and Engineering Workforce Project (SEWP) at the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) in the USA. Finally, he is a frequent contributor to public debate, authoring and contributing to articles that appear in prestigious national and international news periodicals, including Frontline: India’s National Magazine, The Nation, and New York Times.
- KurdishMedia.com
- 16/08/2009 00:00:00