THE UNDOING OF THE LIBERAL ECONOMIC ORDER AND ITS RESILIENCE
We are at a decisive moment in history. We
are confronted with a regressive uncertainty: the
more we know, the more uncertainty grows. A
system suddenly hit by unpredictable events is
moving away from equilibrium. Institutions
which brought stability in the past are ill-suited
today; once a system has crossed some threshold,
every new impulse tends to shift it further from
the old equilibrium. This is the usual reaction to
uncertainties. We proceed to the evaluation of
the post-turbulent situation but that doesn’t
change the effects. In fact, modern societies are
more concerned with how to handle risks than
the distribution of power and wealth. A lot of
unplanned results of processes developed in
modern societies backfire and change becomes
the norm itself. We witness a process of dissolving
norms and changing power structures.
The multilateralist approach and its institutions
exist precisely to adapt the world and prevent
critical thresholds or the spiralling down which
could severely damage it and eventually lead to
profound disorder. We have to cope with the
shocks and blows and help us to defend economic
freedom and eventually reconstruct the traditional
liberal economic order. We have to bet on the long
haul. For now, the reconstruction is a forecast not
a reality. The relevant questions are more
important, as well as the way we communicate
them. Being confronted with a potential crisis of
dissolution of the global institutions, the answer
could be to reverse the present mantra: not the
individuals through the society, but the society
through the individuals. This could be a mantra
of the renewal of liberalism.
ASSIGNMENT OF THE AUTHORS’ RIGHTS OF JOURNALISTS – COMPARATIVE LAW ISSUES
Abstract
The opportunity and the possibility of reusing or
secondary exploitation (reprography, databases, online
distribution, etc.) of journalistic works have apparently
generated new uncertainties or difficulties regarding the
recognition and protection of the author’s rights of the
journalists. While the latter, claiming full respect for the
author’s right, especially for patrimonial rights, want the
payment of additional remuneration for these reuses,
publishers or employers, in order not to have to pay these
amounts, tend not to recognize any of the author’s rights.
It is true that they succeeded in taking advantage of the
various legislative ambiguities and inconsistencies existent
and they sometimes found the support of the jurisprudence
and of the doctrine. However, the principles, if not the
legislative texts, seem quite clear and indisputable, even if
the exercise or management of these rights may still present
some practical difficulties. To evoke this theme of the
author’s right of the journalists, we will refer in this study
to France and Romania regarding the issue of the author’s
right ownership and the exploitation of journalistic works.
Keywords: assignment of the author’s right, journalistic
works, author-employee, press institution, publisher/editor.
HEALTH AND SOCIAL IMPACTS OF OPEN DEFECATION ON RURAL COMMUNITIES IN FCT, ABUJA NIGERIA: THE OPTION OF SOCIAL AND BEHAVIOUR CHANGE COMMUNICATION (SBCC)
Abstract
The practice of open defecation is a global development
and health issue facing developing nations. The purpose
of the study is to highlight the health and social impacts
of open defecation on rural communities in FCT Abuja,
Nigeria. Consequently, it is the contention of the researcher
that Social and Behaviour Change Communication has
pivotal roles to play in curbing the menace of open
defecation in the Federal Capital Territory Abuja.
Keywords: Health, Social, Impacts, Open defecation,
Abuja.
RETHINKING INTERNAL COMMUNICATION AND EMPLOYEE OUTPUT IN THE TRANSPORT SECTOR IN CAMEROON: A CASE STUDY OF AMOUR MEZAM COMPANY LTD, BAMENDA
Abstract
Verbal and non-verbal communication is omnipresent
in all areas of human interaction. Considered the capacity
to enable the exchange of information from one continuum
to another, communication is seen to be vital and can either
foster or hinder the effective day-to-day functioning of
every organisation. Using Amour Mezam Company
(Bamenda), this paper looks at internal communication
within a transportation company. Specifically, the study
examines the communication systems available in Amour
Mezam Company Limited and measures employee
performance as a result of effective communication. A
sample of 50 respondents was randomly selected and
interviews were used to collect the data. The mean and
correlation statistical methods were used in the analysis.
From the results, a combination of various communication
systems such as top-down, horizontal, and bottom-up, is
frequently used with face-to-face interactions emerging as
the most exploited channel. From the study, it is
recommended that, employee performance can also be
enhanced if bottlenecks in the communication systems are
either removed or kept at their least. Particularly,
information distortions caused by omissions and
exaggerations must be addressed both by management
and employees in order to improve communication clarity
as this leads to improved output.
Keywords: Internal communication, effective
communication, employee output, organisation.
A THEORETICAL APPROACH TO THE PUBLIC SPACE CONCEPT EVOLUTION: FROM HABERMAS TO INTERNET, BIG DATA AND SOCIAL MEDIA
Abstract
With the advent of the Internet, scientists and politicians,
but also ordinary citizens have questioned whether the
Internet, as a socio-political entity has a negative or positive
impact on the formation of general public opinion. Some
researchers have seen the Internet as the main force for
decentralizing the communication process, which, in the
context of freedom of expression, could provide citizens
with new niches for public discussion. Other researchers
have been more skeptical of the impact the Internet and
social media could have on the democratic process. The
methodology of this study contains literature reviewing,
using the descriptive research method within the term of
“public space.” The study presents a comparison between
the concept of public space in its classical version and the
modern public space in its digital version. The key question
of this paper is whether the Internet represents a real
public space or not.
Keywords: public space, Habermas, social media, public
opinion, democracy.
DIGITAL ACTIVISM: AN ANTIDOTE TO SOCIAL INJUSTICE IN NIGERIA
Abstract
The socio-economic and political development of the
twenty-first century Nigeria is being hampered by the
enormous problems of social injustice. Lately, kidnapping,
killings, embezzlement of public funds, and other forms of
social injustice are prevalent in the Nigerian society. The
above situation stimulated researchers to explore how
digital activism would serve as a panacea for social injustice
and bad governance in Nigerian society. To thoroughly
explore the subject matter, the researchers adopted a
qualitative research approach using observation and the
integrative literature review design. The findings of the
study unravelled that the advent of social media and other
new media platforms catalyse the rise of digital activism
in the Nigerian society. Furthermore, it was also found that
digital activism has enormously helped in combating
social injustice and bad governance by drawing the
attention of stakeholders and the government to salient
issues of injustice in the Nigerian ambiance. However, it
was found that sentiment, internet access, media illiteracy,
and the dearth of qualified digital activists are among the
factors bedevilling digital activism in Nigeria.
Keywords: Digital Activism, Nigeria, Social Injustice,
Social media, Antidote.
STATE POLICIES AND LOCAL PRACTICES IN THE APPLICATION OF THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL’S MEDIA STANDARDS
Abstract
We consider that the media standards in Romania
(honesty, independence and objectivity, correctness,
diligence and responsibility) represent a desideratum for
the written media, the audiovisual, as well as for the
Romanian public opinion, whose sole purpose is to create
a truly impartial and unbiased media. The Romanian press
has grown organically, with not enough care for durable
development and without any goals for conservation. In
an on-going love-hate relationship with politics, most of
the times financially dependent on it and at other times
with obscure financing, the Romanian press is going
through another period of change, generated by both the
access to technology and by the new economic
circumstances. In the following years, the Romanian
society will have to essentially act in this direction, that of
protecting the sources of information. At present, the trust
in journalism is low, including in Romania. This aspect has
to be taken into account by the entire journalists’ guild.
Keywords: media standards, desideratum, the decisionmaking
sphere, deficiencies of the legal framework, audiovisual.
COPING WITH HARD TIMES THROUGH VIDEO NARRATIVES
Abstract
Creative artistic production is a basic tool for selfexpression
and sharing of personal struggles. As the
accessibility of the equipment used for the creation of
audiovisual narratives in the digital age has increased, and
the internet has begun to play an important role in the
circulation of personal narratives, individuals can be
content producers beyond being viewers. At this point, it
is important to evaluate the narratives in online platforms
as a tool to deal with personal traumas, especially illness
narratives that address the difficult times of various
individuals. It is much more accepted that creating these
narratives can well affect the health status and the quality
of life in general. In the study, different vlogs of different
characters from Turkey like Esra Dankı, Neslican Tay,
Gursel Nur Dag, and Melisa Karagöz on their own personal
traumatic events such as cancer are examined. Thus, it
became possible to assess online storytelling for all actors
of the communication process as a means of therapy,
confronting a trauma and building a new life.
Keywords: Online Storytelling, Video Narrative, Therapy,
Cancer, Vlog.
