A few days ago, on June 14th, an overloaded ship capsized in the Mediterranean Sea. On the ship were more than 750 refugees. Only 104 refugees could be saved; 78 bodies were found dead. Around 500 people are still missing…
We Can Do Better Together
Two days left for the SUSI for Scholars 2022 participants to return to their respective countries after five weeks of undergoing various activities at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism of Arizona State University. We started this final week with…
A Borderless World?
“The world is flat.” This statement was made in the early 21st century by Thomas L. Friedman, who argued that globalization makes the world become a level playing field. The “flatteners” he suggested included the collapse of the Berlin Wall…
Understanding and Empathy are the Keys to Coexistence
. Cinema and television are powerful media because they open the doors for us to learn about human experiences, but it is also well established that many times reality is reshaped and distorted by the media. This can be very true…
A Reactionary Wind Is Blowing Almost Everywhere: What is the Role for Media Educators?
This month of June saw events from different national contexts that received international media coverage, and which reflected a step backward toward outdated conservative values. Starting in the United States, where the Supreme Court overturned the historic Roe v. Wade…
Journalism, the Plaintiff and the Gap
The beautiful electric storm that could be seen on the northern horizon on Thursday night presaged the political ruckus that hit the U.S. early on Friday, when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. In that context, the talk with…
In the heat of the night…and day!
As I am writing, tiny drops of rain gently knock on my window. There is a pleasant silence. The monsoon season has just started in Arizona: it brings joy and relief, an escape from the agony of the extreme heat.…
“Be the change you want to see in the world” –Mahatma Gandhi
For anyone visiting the city of Phoenix, You may notice some bus stop advertising there, and the site of homeless people is guaranteed. You can see them on the light rail, sleeping on the bus stop benches, and with their…
Volcanic rumbles
There’s something about Taal Vulcano in Tagaytay, Philippines. Early January last year, after 42 years of being silent, it erupted–which almost canceled my flight from my province to the capital, Manila, en route to the Netherlands for a short course in media…
A Tale of Untold Stories
Journalism is the “first rough draft of history.” Phillip L. Graham This is the beginning of our last week of our SUSI program. Our last Monday together in the US. By now, we should have mastered the art of being…