“Demagogues, Populists, and Rebooting Journalism Ethics” By Dr. Stephen Ward

November 22 at 7:00 pm
Kinsella Auditorium  

In this public talk, media ethicist Stephen Ward argues that extreme populism worldwide undermines democratic culture and requires a reboot of journalism values. In an age of intolerance and global disinformation, Ward recommends an engaged journalism for democracy which is neither neutral nor partisan. He proposes guidelines for covering extreme populists, as part of a “macro-resistance” by society to a toxic public sphere.

Stephen J. A. Ward, PhD, is author, keynote speaker, and media ethicist whose research is on the ethics of global, digital media. He is Distinguished Lecturer on Ethics for the University of British Columbia. A former war reporter, he is founding director of the Center for Journalism Ethics at the University of Wisconsin, co-founder of the UBC School of Journalism in Vancouver, and former director of the Turnbull Center at the University of Oregon. He is author of 10 books on media ethics, including the award-winning Radical Media Ethics and The Invention of Journalism Ethics.

The Canadian Centre for Ethics in Public Affairs (http://ccepa.ca/) provides an arena for critical thinking, public discussion and research into current ethical challenges in our society. The Centre focuses an ethical lens on everyday issues through public programming, supporting research, and in the provision of tools to facilitate ethical decision making at work. Co-founded by the Atlantic School of Theology and Saint Mary’s University in 2002, the Centre exists to ignite the examination of the ethical dimensions of everyday life to help us live and work together more effectively.