There is power in the pen — and that’s a power that everyone with a platform must learn to wield responsibly. In regions where the radio is still the main media format, grassroots journalism becomes a force to be reckoned with. Moved one way, it can instigate conflict and inflame a region to war. But used correctly, ethical journalism can become a powerful force for peace, a bulwark against misinformation, polarization, and othering.

In this episode of From Research to Impact, host Ann-Elisabeth Samson talks with Dr. William Tayeebwa. Dr. Tayeebwa’s research draws on the body of work written by giants of peace journalism — Johan Galtung, Jake Lynch, Annabel McGoldrick, and Ross Howard — to create courses that promote ethical journalism within war-torn regions of Africa. Far from being an academic locked away in a university, he performs fieldwork that has reduced violence while elevating the standards of media giants in the country.