Afghanistan IKM Leipzig

The Afghanistan Special Collection is part of the programme on the Media System and Public Spheres of Afghanistan. The Centre for Development Communication (C4DC) at the Institute for Communication and Media Studies (IKM) at Leipzig University (Germany) has been running this programme since 2022. The Center engages in research, teaching, and knowledge transfer and aims to develop sound insights and practical approaches for a more equitable and sustainable society. This Special Collection is especially strong on the analysis of the Afghan media ecosystem, safety threats to journalists, and foreign media assistance. The collection is curated by Hazrat Bahar and Kefa Hamidi.

Filter

197

Sort by:

Direction:

Download (14)

Afghanistan 2001-2021: Gewaltideologien und ein Hauch von offener Gesellschaft

Abbas Poya (ed.)

Bielefeld: transcript Verlag (2024), 209 pp.

"Welchen Einfluss haben Gesinnungen der Gewalt auf die gesellschaftlichen Entwicklungen in Afghanistan? Die internationalen Beiträger*innen richten ihren Blick auf linke, dschihadistische sowie talibanistische Ideologien und Praktiken in der jüngeren afghanischen Geschichte. Multiperspektivisch ze ... more

External Link (61)

Challenges and choices: Afghan women's media use and preferences amidst restrictions

London: BBC Media Action (2024), 2 pp.

"While most adult Afghans have access to some form of media platform, only around one in three have access to internet, with less than half of mobile users owning a smartphone. Men exhibit higher usage of radio and internet compared to women (52% male vs 43% female for radio and 36% vs 29% for inter ... more

External Link (67)

Google Scholar (59)

WorldCat (59)

Visual Framing of Afghan Refugees in Global News Media

Shugofa Dastgeer, Desiree N. Hill

Visual Communication Quarterly, volume 31, issue 2 (2024), pp. 83-98

"This study content analyzed visual frames of Afghan refugees during the first six months of the Taliban’s second regime (from August 15, 2021, to February 15, 2022). A total of N = 1,948 images from the Associated Press were quantitatively analyzed for focal point, topic, tone, depiction, gender, ... more

External Link (74)

Unpacking Affective Polarization in Afghanistan: Ethnic Politics, Elite Competition, and Online Divisive Content

Mohammad Qasim Wafayezada

Tokyo: Toda Peace Institute (2024), 25 pp.

"Affective polarization has been a persistent feature of Afghanistan’s society and politics in the past decades. However, with the instantaneous collapse of the republic’s government and the return of the Taliban, the country has witnessed heightened affective polarization along ethnic and ideol ... more

Download (12)

Restaging Afghanistan: Trapped in the Cycle of Conflict Photographies

Simon Popple

Journal of War & Culture Studies, volume 17, issue 1 (2024), pp. 50-69

"Western, especially British interventions in Afghanistan, parallel the long history of photography. This article examines the resulting archive and considers its ongoing influence on the traditions of conflict photography through the concept of the ‘Feedback Loop’ coined by photographer Tim Het ... more

External Link (57)

Länderkurzinformation Afghanistan: Informationslage

Nürnberg: Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge (2024), 6 pp.

"Die beschriebene Quellenlage stellt auch für die Länderanalyse eine Herausforderung dar. Afghanische Medien geben einen guten Überblick darüber, wie die Taliban sich präsentieren möchten. Auch neue Verordnungen und Erlasse der Zentralregierung sind so nachvollziehbar. Dies gilt jedoch nicht f ... more

External Link (57)

Understanding and Addressing Mis-/Disinformation in the Afghan Media Ecosystem

Internews (2024), 21 pp.

"This report summarizes Internews’ six-month social media monitoring research conducted in 2023 that aimed to better understand the online mis- and disinformation environment in Afghanistan. [...] The first phase of the study revealed key aspects of Afghanistan's digital information landscape. The ... research found four common narratives around mis- and disinformation including the Taliban/Taliban de facto authorities’ threat to human and minority rights, loss of self-rule, the Taliban de facto authorities’ legitimacy as a governing body, and opposition to their governance. Most of the associated mis- and disinformation associated with these narratives originated from the Afghan diaspora. The research also found a gender imbalance in the digital discourse, with male-dominated discussions and limited female participation. Gender narratives on social media are mostly driven by men, often portraying women passively, and include disinformation tactics by the Taliban de facto authorities, such as falsely showing women's support for oppressive policies. Anti-Taliban sentiments included former government figures who significantly shape digital discourse and contribute to spreading disinformation including exaggerations or fabrications of the authorities’ actions. However, alongside anti-Taliban sentiments, there was a notable pro-Taliban commentary endorsing their governance and presenting them in favourable ways. Our findings for the second phase reveal several troubling trends. Many news stories feature clickbait or misleading headlines that don't align with the actual content. A significant problem is the presentation of unverified information as fact, which fosters public mistrust. Approximately 40% of false news stories lack sources, and over half rely on just a single source, affecting the depth and reliability of reporting. Additionally, there is a tendency to use sensational headlines and emotionally charged content to increase engagement, often sacrificing factual accuracy. The rapid spread of misinformation is also facilitated by exploiting audience behaviours on social media. Afghan media, particularly those dependent on donor funding, struggle to balance accurate reporting with the need for high audience engagement. Complex reporting dynamics in Afghanistan include protecting sources, relying on second-hand information, and the difficulty of verifying claims made on social media. While some media outlets endeavour to use diverse sources, the challenges of fact verification and maintaining reporting integrity persist. The report recommends establishing fact-checking initiatives, promoting digital literacy, and ethical journalism practices. For media outlets, transparency, audience engagement, and balance are key. Meanwhile, donors should prioritize funding for independent media, invest in technology, and support capacity building and collaborative reporting initiatives." (Executive summary, page 3) more

External Link (55)

A survey of media consumption in Afghanistan

Mahdi Zaki, Zaher Modaqeq, Shahira Torab, Fiona Howie, Manju Gautham, Ibrahim Jabarkhail

London: BBC Media Action (2023), 34 pp.

"This report summarizes research that aimed to better understand Afghans' access to and preference for different media content and platforms, their trust in media, how people use and share mis- and disinformation and ways to counter these." (Publisher description)

Download (6)

Professional Situation and Needs of Afghan Journalists in Exile: An Exploratory Study

Berlin: JX Fund (2023), 38 pp.

"Findings indicate that Afghan exiled journalists worldwide struggle to continue practicing their profession. Even among the few who still work in media, the vast majority depend on additional sources of income. This demonstrates a clear need for support, especially since many respondents aspire to ... more

Download (7)

Impacts of Social Media on Public Policy Development in pre-Taliban Afghanistan

Hazrat Bahar

Global Media Journal - German Edition, volume 13, issue 2 (2023), 19 pp.

"The impacts of media, mainly social media, have attracted greater scholarly attention. However, their effects on public policy development and the decision-making procedure of a government have not been examined so far. Thus, this study examines such effects in pre-Taliban Afghanistan before August ... more

Download (7)

Why intervention in Afghan media failed to provide support for peace talks

Jake Lynch, Matt Freear

Frontiers in Communication, volume 8, issue 1118776 (2023), 11 pp.

"This article presents and discusses data from two research methods on journalism in Afghanistan before the Taliban takeover of power in August 2021. News reports from the time of the intra-Afghan peace talks in September 2020 were analyzed using the Peace Journalism model. These were found to be pr ... more

Download (6)

Media Capture Strategies in an Islamic Authoritarian Context: The Case of the Taliban

Faisal Karimi

Human Rights Institute (2023), 43 pp.

"This paper explores the Taliban government's media capture strategies since retaking the country on August 15, 2021, and how journalists and media outlets have responded to these strategies. In particular, it focuses on the Taliban government's approach to the media, given the recent political tran ... more

Download (7)

Between Shadows and Stories: Navigating the Journey of Afghan Journalists, from Aug. 15, 2021 to Aug. 15, 2023

Afghanistan's National Journalists Union (2023), 17 pp.

"The Afghan media landscape stands at a crossroads, navigating a landscape rife with challenges and uncertainties in the wake of the Taliban's resurgence. The post-Taliban era, marked by a thriving media sector with 160 television channels, 311 radio stations, 90 print newspapers, and 26 news agenci ... es, has witnessed a drastic transformation. The current media landscape, with 70 television channels, 211 radio stations, 11 print newspapers, and 9 news agencies, reflects a significant decline in numbers and diversity. Under the de facto rule of the Taliban, the media sector has encountered substantial constraints. Censorship and self-censorship have become rampant, with journalists and media outlets navigating the perilous territory of permissible content. Threats, intimidation, and violence against media professionals have created an atmosphere of fear, leading to an exodus of skilled journalists. Investigative journalism, once a cornerstone of accountability, has been stifled, and access to unbiased information has dwindled, leaving citizens ill-informed. The closure of media outlets has far-reaching implications, including restricted information flow, suppressed free speech, and diminished content diversity. The narrative has further fragmented between Kabul and the provinces, where media freedom varies significantly. Female journalists remain conspicuously absent in many regions, underscoring the entrenched gender disparity in the field. International media outlets, under surveillance and restraints, grapple with maintaining their operations and integrity in an increasingly controlled environment. Social media, once a platform for open dialogue, faces censorship and restrictions, hampering the exchange of ideas. As Afghanistan's media landscape evolves, the absence of comprehensive legal frameworks has exacerbated challenges. The suspension of the Mass Media Law and the Access to Information Law during the transitional phase has left media professionals in a legal gray area. The need for inclusive consultations with media stakeholders to shape these laws cannot be overstated. In this complex milieu, it is evident that safeguarding the media's role as a communication bridge between the government and the people is paramount. Collaborative efforts between the Islamic Emirate, the international community, and media support organizations are essential to prevent the collapse of Afghanistan's media landscape." (Conclusion, pages 16-17) more

Download (4)

Decoding Social Media’s Role in the Resurgence of the Taliban: A Literature Review

Nassir Ul Haq Wani

Kabul: Kardan University, Kashmir Research Information System (2023), 22 pp.

"The study assesses the extent to which Taliban 2.0 utilised social media as a political mobilisation strategy and provides a response through discourse analysis and a literature review. The study results indicate that the tactical use of social media was more apparent in 2021 when they were promoti ... more

External Link (54)

The Digital Battlefield: The Taliban’s Case of Co-opting Social Media for Warfare and Governance

Zakira Rasooli

Tokyo: Toda Peace Institute (2023), 20 pp.

"This paper delves into the paramount significance of social media in contemporary warfare, shedding light on the critical need for effective measures to counter online radical narratives and prevent the spread of violent extremism. It explores how autocratic and repressive groups like the Taliban e ... more

Download (6)

Peace Journalism Training for Journalists as a Contribution to PVE in the New Afghanistan

Jake Alexander Lynch, Matt Freear

Journalism and Media, volume 5 (2023), pp. 397-411

"This article presents and discusses results from an exercise in comparative content analysis of news articles about issues of conflict produced by Afghan journalists before and after participating in an internationally sponsored training and mentorship programme in Peace Journalism. The programme w ... more

External Link (53)

Google Scholar (56)

WorldCat (49)

In conflict between leaving and staying: Identifying the challenges of women journalists and the effects on the intention to leave the journalism profession

Abdul Wahab Siddiqi, Haroon Hakimi, Faisal Karimi

Media Asia, volume 50, issue 2 (2023), pp. 157-180

"This study aims to identify the challenges of women journalists in Afghanistan and their impact on the intention to leave the job. To achieve the objectives of this study, a mixed-method (qualitative and quantitative) has been used. In the qualitative section, 15 in-depth interviews were conducted ... more

External Link (56)

Google Scholar (50)

WorldCat (55)

Examining Violence against Journalists in Conflict Areas: Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan

Araz Ramazan Ahmad

Journal of Communication and Media Studies, volume 8, issue 2 (2023), pp. 49-64

"Due to the increasing number of journalists being killed, kidnapped, and imprisoned across the globe, the safety of journalists seems to be deteriorating. The level of violence against journalists varies over time and from area to area, even within the same country. This article analyzes the violen ... more

External Link (61)

A Century of Struggle: Afghanistan's Media Development Under Monarchies

Chen Qiang, Qurban Hussain Pamirzad

Xi' an Jiaotong Unviersity - School of Journalism and New Media (2023), 23 pp.

"This paper has used a series of historical sources, mainly in the Persian language, to explore the one-century history of Afghanistan’s media. The country has 150 years of media history, of which a century has occurred during the monarchy's political system. This study explains the chronological ... more

External Link (54)

Google Scholar (49)

WorldCat (50)

Examining Perceptions Towards War/Peace Journalism: A Survey of Journalists in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan

Shabir Hussain, Araz Ramazan Ahmad

International Communication Gazette, volume 84, issue 3 (2022), pp. 183-205

"Following seminal study on journalistic attitudes towards wars and peace journalism, in this study we investigated the perceptions of conflict reporters in the three most deadly countries in the world including Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. A total of 317 journalists participated in this study. T ... more