The Role of the Mass Media and Digital Media in Contemporary Armed Conflict

Dear Colleagues,

In 2005, former BBC producer Kenneth Payne characterised the mass media as an instrument of war, not least owing to their need to prime and mobilise different audiences to facilitate installation of the elite’s policy agenda. This has certainly been proven countless times in history, whether that be the Rwandan genocide or the infamous 2003 Iraq War. It is the intention of this Special Issue to focus on the role of mass media in contemporary armed conflict. This does not restrict the focus of submissions to only war journalism—we also welcome articles that focus on the role and potential of peace journalism.

This is an important topic and issue to consider given the increasing deterioration of global stability—owing to the transformation of global order and the role played by extraordinary events such as the Coronavirus pandemic—which drives an ever-increasing level of tension and conflict that can and does spill over into open armed conflict. This can lead to increased motives and opportunities for regular military conflicts. There is also the aspect of increasing challenges by non-state actors to the state’s monopoly on organised violence and mass communications, which is driving the speed and force of irregular conflicts.

Submissions that investigate and analyse all kinds of mass media, including digital media, and all types of contemporary armed conflicts are very welcome, and diverse regional or country cases from non-Western researchers are encouraged. This Special Issue intends to go beyond the mainstream and Western-centric current state of the art research in order to gain a much deeper level of understanding and knowledge of the present opportunities and hazards of the role of mass media in contemporary armed conflict.

Dr. Gregory Simons
Prof. Piers Robinson
Guest Editors

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