conflict & communication online, Vol. 18, No. 1, 2019
www.cco.regener-online.de
ISSN 1618-0747

Saumava Mitra
Safety culture changing visual representations of wars? The case of Afghanistan

In international conflict correspondence safety mechanisms are unequally employed to protect local news-staffs in contrast to international staffs. Arguably, this has had the greatest impact on image production from war zones, exposing local photojournalists to increased dangers. But it also raises the possibility that local photographers from conflict-torn countries may represent conflicts to international audiences differently than do international photographers. This possibility is explored in this study using the case of Afghanistan. Based on photojournalists’ perceptions and comparisons of international and locally produced images, we explore potential effects of the shifting reliance on local rather than international photojournalists on how distant wars come to be pictured to international audiences. This study advances an argument for giving increased protection to local photojournalists in conflict zones.

The author:
Saumava Mitra is currently a post-doctoral fellow engaged in research and pedagogy on the relationships of Media, Peace and Conflict at the United Nations mandated University for Peace in Costa Rica. Mitra's research interests are in conflict correspondence with a special focus on war photojournalism and imagery of war in news media. Mitra also focuses on the role of local news-staff within international newsgathering processes and issues regarding the journalists’ safety in fragile and conflict-affected countries. Mitra had worked in international journalism and communications in Asia, Europe and Africa, before completing his doctorate in media studies in Canada.
eMail: smitra@upeace.org or mitrasaumava@gmail.com