Media and Peace: The Situation

The Media and Peace: A Complex Relationship

Protesters make the peace sign during a vigil at Union Square Park in New York. According to the United for Peace and Justice, who organized the event, the vigil is for those who have died or will die as a result war. (AP Photo/Joe Kohen)

There has been much attention in the history of communication scholarship to the media’s role in war, but a surprising lack of attention to roles of media in relation to peace. This quarter the students of COM495/SIS490 are investigating the complex relationships among the media, journalistic practice, and public understanding and pursuit of peace. This first issue explores the current situation, including topics such as media coverage of peace activism, the growing peace journalism movement, and organizations that utilize media as tools for peace. We hope you enjoy our work.

Did you know...

Peace symbol

Behind the Peace Symbol
By Sarah Kane

Invented fifty years ago by designer and member of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND), Gerald Holtom, the peace sign was designed for use in the very first anti-nuclear march. The design is the use of the semaphoric symbols (N) and (D), representing nuclear disarmament and according to Holtom “represents a human in despair.” It was soon adopted during the anti-war movement and has rapidly become the international symbol for peace and non-violence.