conflict & communication online, Vol. 9, No. 2, 2010
www.cco.regener-online.de
ISSN 1618-0747

Jairo Ordóñez
The possibilities of journalism as peace building on the periphery: The Colombian case

This article analyzes the way the Colombian conflict is represented in Colombian and international qualitative independent opinion articles and their influence on readers' understanding of the conflict.
In Colombia there are independent journalists, but according to this research, they are victims of polarization and for this reason support the war, although without a conscious intention to do so. Nevertheless, with the help of international qualitative media it would be possible to reorient Colombian journalism to journalism pro peace.
This research suggests that Colombian journalism must and can be reoriented to a more proactive approach. The results of this experiment are encouraging, and perhaps if they were introduced into praxis, they would provide an opportunity for a country that desperately needs peace.

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On the author:
Dr. Jairo Ordóñez earned a PhD in Psychology at the University of Constance in Germany. He is a member of the German Peace Psychology Association and a professor at the University of Ibagué (Colombia).

Address: Calle 23 H No. 107 A – 23. Bogotá, Colombia.
eMail: Jairo_e_2000@yahoo.com