9 December 2014
Workshop organised by Research Unit 2
The workshop provided the opportunity to discuss the theses which Jeffrey Alexander had put forward in his Käte Hamburger Lecture on the previous day. Both the lecture and workshop focused on the – alleged or actual - crisis of journalism as the most important means of information in world society. Alexander did admit that we are living in a “phase of great unrest” for journalists, but he could also show that various predictions about journalism have proved wrong: According to him, the utopian belief in the internet and a redeeming “tecno-culture” in which everyone will be a journalist and the “craft” of journalism will be obsolete is just as unfounded as the fear of the market overtaking the media, which is especially wide-spread in Europe. He illustrated the ongoing central relevance of quality journalism with reference to the fact that the Wikileaks revelations became a credible and global issue only through cooperation with journalists. Another argument against cynicism concerning the future of journalism is the persistence with which a young generation of journalists and reporters defends the “ethics” and the “craft” of this all-democratic profession.
The workshop was moderated by Volker Heins, Head of the Research Unit 2.
Time: 10.00–12.30 h
Venue: Centre for Global Cooperation Research, Schifferstr. 44, Duisburg