Journalism in a Global Context

The African-European project “Journalism in a Global Context” aims at connecting journalism students, scientists and media representatives in Africa and Europe, thus promoting the quality of migration reporting of Europe and Africa in a crucial time of development for both continents.

The project started in 2015 with a conference in Dortmund, which was followed by international conferences in Addis Ababa (2015), Nairobi (2016) and the "Media and Migration Spring School" in Dakar. In Senegal, 27 journalists from 20 African and European countries developed ideas for sustainable and inventive reporting on migration. 

Previously, students from both continents worked together on stories that aim to show the realities of African refugees in Europe and mention alternatives to flee. Communication studies and journalism institutes from Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda participated in this exchange.

Moreover, the project takes a closer look on the role of the media in the refugee crisis: How do African media report – and frame – the current massive exodus of fellow countrymen? How do media across Europe live up to the challenge of covering the dramatic events at home and in the Mediterranean Sea – as well as the political and economic situation in the migrants’ home countries? The research findings have been published online. 

The project is sponsored by the Robert Bosch Foundation and was previously sponsored by the German Foreign Office. It was implemented by the Erich-Brost Institute for international Journalism and Africa Positive, a non-profit association based in Dortmund, Germany. The African Media Initiative (AMI) connects the project to news outlets across Africa. 

Movies edited and filmed by: Gordon Wüllner

Media and Migration Spring School Aftermovie:

Third JiGC conference in Nairobi: