It was day five at the 2021 Study of the U.S. Institute on Journalism, Technology, and Democracy hosted by the Walter Cronkite School at Arizona State University, for a cohort of 18 participants from across the world. The thrill of…
How to Launch a Full-Fledged War Against ‘Fake News’ in 18 Countries at Once
The world has never been this way. Everyone has to battle the invisible army of coronavirus while also trying to guard against the darkness of “fake news.” It is difficult and challenging. It is at times like this we should…
Mis- and Disinformation Overload
Today marked the official academic start of the “Study of the US Institute (SUSI-2021) on Journalism, Technology and Democracy program” in its hybrid part. The main theme on the agenda was mis- and disinformation in our current world. The activities…
Last, But Not
When I first met Basil Hamusokwe at Sky Harbor International Airport on June 2, the six-week-long SUSI program seemed never-ending. But today, the end of it, I realized what the words “time flies” really mean… The last day of the…
Packing Up the SUSI Program at VOA and the Newseum
We are packing up our six-week program with these final days in Washington DC, our last days in the US as well. And today, we are packing up our journalism journey with Voice of America and the Newseum. VOA is…
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…
You Fight, to Breathe Again
This is not a simple story. This is an eternal story of life, and of freedom. The story of Rosa Parks, and the story of thousands of fighters. When you witness these stories, you’re not going to be able to…
“One hand against oppression and one hand as a sign of forgiveness”
The stained-glass window that stands in the rear center of 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham is distinct from all the others in that venue. Deep shades of blue encircle a stylized figure of a black crucified Christ, which appears…
Happy Birthday, America!
As I woke up early on the morning of July 4th in Birmingham, I got a Twitter notification that “the Independence Day celebration had been carried out.” I was surprised for a moment, but immediately realized that Nepal time is…
Digital Mind-Reader and Doomed Democracy
Could you imagine a world in which machines and algorithms have become so powerful, smart and precise, that they’re able to predict all your moves, fulfill all your desires, and recognize the slightest changes in your mood? Could it be…