Preparing journalism graduates for career trauma exposure: an exploration of perspectives of South African university journalism educators

Simple item page
dc.contributor.advisorJordaan, Mareneten_ZA
dc.contributor.authorChristians, Nadineen_ZA
dc.contributor.otherStellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Journalism.en_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2023-02-17T11:09:21Z
dc.date.accessioned2023-05-18T06:59:26Z
dc.date.available2023-02-17T11:09:21Z
dc.date.available2023-05-18T06:59:26Z
dc.date.issued2023-03
dc.descriptionThesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2023.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractENGLISH ABSTRACT: To focus on the effect of exposure to trauma on the mental wellbeing of journalists has become a topical issue amongst journalism studies scholars. As secondary respondents to violence, war, murder, gender-based violence and protests, and because of interviewing victims and survivors of trauma, journalists are not immune to the effect that covering explicit incidences of trauma can have on their mental health. This study examined trauma exposure and the effect it has on journalists in general and journalism students specifically. It explored the journalism curricula of tertiary education institutions and provided the perspectives of journalism educators within a South African context. The study highlights the importance of journalism students being prepared by journalism educators for on-the-job trauma exposure and the effect it could have on their health. Research for the study started with a thorough literature review to determine the extent to which previous research has been conducted on trauma and journalism and journalism trauma education. This researcher utilised an ethics of care as the theoretical point of departure, and used care, the four elements of care, and relationship between the educator and student as a foundation for the research study. By conducting semi-structured interviews with ten journalism educators from a variety of South African universities, this research study identified themes related to the research problem, including trauma experienced by journalism students; the need to prepare journalism students for trauma exposure; trauma education and awareness in the journalism curriculum; the educator’s duty of care; and the implications of trauma education on the journalism student, higher learning institution and the journalism profession. The research findings indicate that trauma education and training is not formalised within the majority of the South African universities that participated in the study. However, while it may not be formalised, trauma awareness is discussed and informally addressed in the journalism classroom. This researcher would suggest including formal trauma exposure guidelines or formal trauma awareness training within the journalism curriculum to better prepare journalism graduates for on-the-job trauma exposure.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractAFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die impak wat die blootstelling aan trauma op die psigiese welstand van joernaliste het, is tans van wesenlike belang vir joernalistiekstudies-navorsers. As sekondêre respondente van geweld, oorlog, moord, geslagsgebaseerde geweld, betogings en onderhoudvoering met slagoffers en oorlewendes van trauma, is joernaliste nie immuun teen die uitwerking wat die dekking van eksplisiete voorvalle van trauma op hul psigiese gesondheid het nie. Hierdie studie het die blootstelling aan trauma en die effek wat dit op joernaliste in die algemeen en spesifiek joernalistiekstudente het, ondersoek. Daar is ondersoek ingestel na die joernalistiekkurrikulum van tersiêre opvoedkundige instellings en joernalistiekdosente se perspektiewe binne ’n Suid-Afrikaanse konteks. Die studie beklemtoon die noodsaaklikheid daarvan om joernalistiekstudente voor te berei vir traumablootstelling en die effek wat dit op hul gesondheid kan hê. ʼn Literatuuroorsig het die studie ingelei om te bepaal tot watter mate daar reeds navorsing oor trauma in joernalistiek en joernalistieke trauma-opleiding gedoen is. Die navorser het die etiek van versorging as die teoretiese vertrekpunt gebruik en versorging, die vier elemente van versorging, en die verhouding tussen die dosent en student as grondslag vir die studie gebruik. Semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude is met tien joernalistiekdosente aan verskeie Suid-Afrikaanse universiteite gevoer om temas wat verband hou met die navorsingsprobleem te identifiseer, insluitende die behoefte om joernalistiekstudente vir traumablootstelling voor te berei; trauma-opvoeding en -bewustheid in die joernalistiekkurrikulum; die dosent se plig om te versorg; en die implikasies van trauma-opvoeding vir die joernalistiekstudent, hoëronderwysinstellings en professionele joernalistiek. Die navorsing dui daarop dat trauma-opvoeding en -opleiding by die meerderheid van die Suid-Afrikaanse universiteite wat aan hierdie studie deelgeneem het, nie geformaliseer is nie. Alhoewel nie formeel nie, word traumabewustheid egter wel in die joernalistiekklaskamer bespreek en informeel aangespreek. Hierdie navorser stel voor dat formele traumabewustheidsriglyne en opleiding binne die joernalistiekkurrikulum ingesluit moet word om joernalistiekgegradueerdes beter voor te berei vir traumablootstelling in die werkplek.af_ZA
dc.description.versionMastersen_ZA
dc.format.extentv, 87 pages
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/126998
dc.language.isoen_ZAen_ZA
dc.rights.holderStellenbosch Universityen_ZA
dc.subject.lcshJournalism, Educational --South Africaen_ZA
dc.subject.lcshJournalists -- South Africa -- Selection and appointmenten_ZA
dc.subject.lcshJournalists -- Study and teaching -- South Africaen_ZA
dc.subject.lcshJournalism -- Study and teaching -- Evaluationen_ZA
dc.subject.nameUCTD
dc.titlePreparing journalism graduates for career trauma exposure: an exploration of perspectives of South African university journalism educatorsen_ZA
dc.typeThesisen_ZA
Files
Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
christians_preparing_2023.pdf
Size:
1.25 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Download
Collections
Masters Degrees (Journalism)