The Ethics of Engagement

Book excerpt: What role should the media play in conflicts that arise during transitions to democracy? What makes the role of the media in Africa different from those in other parts of the world? What ethical responsibilities and obligations do the media have towards societies mired in conflict and characterized by social and economic inequality, ethnic and racial polarization and histories of oppression and violence? The Ethics of Engagement sets out to answer these questions by considering various examples of conflicts in African democracies and proposes an "ethics of listening" as a normative framework for the media.