Dr Marenet Jordaan, senior lecturer and researcher in the Department of Journalism, recently undertook a four-country European research trip to establish and enhance academic collaborations on behalf of the department.
Jordaan visited Brussels (Belgium), Groningen (Netherlands), Hamburg (Germany) and Kristiansand (Norway) to engage with colleagues and present her insights and ongoing research projects.
“This was one of the most fulfilling and productive academic visits of my career,” said Jordaan. “In-person engagements such as these will always lead to fruitful exchanges and also offer opportunities to better understand international contexts.”
This trip was specifically focused on discussing and developing ideas on the third wave of the Worlds of Journalism Study (WJS3) an academically driven comparative research project on journalistic roles, safety and the precarity of the industry. Jordaan is the South African researcher on this project.
In Brussels, she took part in theWorld Press Freedom Day Academic conference, organised by UNESCO. In collaboration with Prof Terje Skjerdal, Africa coordinator of the WJS, Jordaan presented initial comparative findings on the African data of this study.
While visiting universities and institutes in the other countries, Jordaan presented a talk titled: “The value (and challenges) of collaborative and comparative journalism research: a South African perspective”. This presentation was informed by the South African leg of the WJS3, and each time compared the local data with preliminary findings fromthe respectivecountries.
At the University of Groningen, with whom Stellenbosch University has an institution-wide agreement, Jordaan engaged with Prof Sandra Banjac, Prof David Cheruiyot and other colleagues from the Centre for Journalism and Media Studies. She also attended atalk by visiting scholars from Makerere University in Uganda, about their ethnographic research.
In Hamburg, Jordaan was hosted by Prof Wiebke Loosen from the Leibniz Institute for Media Research | Hans-Bredow-Institut (HBI). Loosen is part of the German team of the WJS3. Other projects led by Loosen, includes the ComAI project on the automation of journalism – a subject Jordaan has also published on. Together they attended the opening of the annual Mediendialog in the Hamburg City Hall.
On the final stop of her trip, Jordaan spent time with Skjerdal at the NLA University College in Kristiansand to plan Africa-focused publications that will flow from the WJS3. Prof Franz Krüger, a South African researcher formerly from Wits University and now at NLA, was also part of some of the engagements.
Jordaan was also lucky enough to experience the 17 May Constitution Day celebrations, which is one of the highlights on the Norwegian calendar.
“I would like to thank the Division for Research Developmentfor their support in making this visit possible,” said Jordaan. “Hopefully we can host some of the colleagues in Stellenbosch next time.”
A descriptive report on the South African data of the WJS3 will be launched during a hybrid event on Wednesday 25 June (11:00-12:30). Interested parties can use the QR code below to register their attendance.
Prof Terje Skjerdal from NLA University College in Norway and Dr Marenet Jordaan presented their findings from the Worlds of Journalism Study at the World Press Freedom Day Academic Conference on the safety of journalists in Brussels.
With the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, there were various exhibitions in Europe, including this presentation of Groningen during the war in a church in this city.
Dr Marenet Jordaan and Prof Wiebke Loosen from the Leibniz Institute for Media Research | Hans-Bredow-Institut (HBI) in Hamburg in front of the Hamburg City Hall.
A view on the room of the Hamburg City Hall in a room that is only opened to the public during events such as the Medialogic opening.
Dr Marenet Jordaan managed to snag a photo next to the children’s parade during the Norwegian Constitution Day celebrations to show the traditional outfits worn by most people on the 17th of May.
Dr Marenet Jordaan visited with Prof Franz Krüger and his wife, Lindy, on the island Flekkerøy where they are living while he is working at the NLS University College in Kristiansand.
