By David Robie
Media freedom means journalism can “shape and spread values, defuse tensions, and counter hate-speech”. Through its capacity to investigate, challenge, and question competing views and opinions with facts and balanced reason, journalism can contribute to positive and sustainable notions of peace.
However, advocating for positive peace in the news media is not just about reducing or eliminating violence or conflict narratives, it is also about offering alternative narratives of hope and action toward peace.
In this case study about West Papua, human rights and peace narratives, the author examines changing strategies over more than half a century by the Melanesian Papuan people to achieve a just, positive, and sustainable peace in the Pacific.
Book Chapter: Robie D. (2021) Media Freedom: A West Papuan Human Rights Journalism Case Study. In: Standish K., Devere H., Suazo A., Rafferty R. (eds), The Palgrave Handbook of Positive Peace. Palgrave Macmillan, Singapore.
