[Commlist] Workshop - Toward Flourishing: A Theoretical Reset for Journalism Ethics

Toward Flourishing: A Theoretical Reset for Journalism Ethics

Interdisciplinary workshop

The Public Communication Department of the Universidad de Navarra and 
the Western Michigan University Center for the Study of Ethics in 
Society invite abstracts for an interdisciplinary workshop on journalism 
ethics theory to be held June 6-7, 2024, in Pamplona, Spain.

The workshop, “Toward Flourishing: A Theoretical Reset for Journalism 
Ethics,” will gather a community of scholars interested in philosophical 
approaches to theory at the nexus of journalism, ethics and politics. In 
particular, we are interested in proposals for repairing, restoring, 
redefining and even inventing basic concepts in journalism ethics going 
forward; for example, different meanings and uses of the term “public” 
in phrases such as the “public sphere” and the “public interest,” among 
other concepts. The aim is to make a space for seeing things differently 
so theory can better inform the practice of journalism -- particularly 
its political function -- in the context of systematic disinformation, 
news avoidance, and political polarization in contemporary democracies.



Partly motivated by growing interest in new approaches to virtue ethics, 
this project is grounded in a broadly Aristotelian philosophical 
framework understood in contemporary terms and authors. We seek to 
reframe and reinterpret journalism ethics theory as it relates to a 
politics of the common good. From this perspective, concepts in 
journalism ethics are “thick concepts” that are intelligible within 
specific social, political and historical contexts. This perspective 
entails a focus on concrete, existing roles, relationships and 
activities, rather than on ideal types. It also means that our concepts 
must change when social life changes. The standard for rethinking moral 
concepts, in neo-Aristotelian thought, is flourishing. So, in a way, we 
are proposing an exercise in backward design guided by these questions:

·   Do we have the journalism we need to live well as individuals and 
members of political communities?

·    Does journalism have the contexts it needs to flourish as a practice?

·  What ethical concepts and theoretical approaches can journalism 
define to create an adequate ethos for practitioners, allowing them to 
accomplish their mission in the current historical context?



We seek proposals from scholars from diverse geographic, political, 
cultural and disciplinary orientations who are using a similar approach 
to study journalism and politics. From a neo- Aristotelian perspective, 
we understand journalism to be a practice whose moral excellence 
consists of helping individuals and communities to know well in their 
roles as citizens and polities. Politics, in this framework, goes beyond 
political parties and procedural fairness. Rather, it is conceived as a 
kind of practical knowledge that we can act on ethically by jointly 
pursuing the common good so all can flourish. We are also interested in 
proposals addressing adjacent topics, such as: communication 
technologies, media systems, political cultures, sociology of knowledge, 
political philosophy, philosophy of language, and democratic processes. 
We welcome non-Aristotelian approaches that can inform and stimulate 
critique and discussion relevant to broader themes in neo-Aristotelian 
thought, including flourishing, virtue, traditions, exemplars, the 
common good, practical reasoning, public deliberation, and human or 
social development.

Scholars will present their works in progress for feedback to refine 
their ideas. The workshop will also include keynote speakers (to be 
announced) who will contextualize the project and set the tone for the 
workshop discussions.


Possible topics for proposals include, but are not limited, to:

·     Specification of key journalism ethics concepts in relation to 
political cultures, media systems, professionalism, digitalization, 
economic arrangements, and other important “thickening” agents in 
specific democratic contexts.

·      Comparative works that look at the variety of ways in which 
journalism can promote (or obstruct) flourishing in democracies in 
different historical eras, cultures and media systems.

·   Proposals to systematically interrogate, clarify, and critique 
existing concepts in journalism ethics using flourishing as the standard.

·     Proposals to systematically repair, expand, recover, appropriate 
or invent journalism ethics concepts using flourishing as the standard.

A goal of the workshop is to identify and gather authors who want to 
discuss philosophical and theoretical approaches to journalism’s ethical 
mission in the current context and may want to submit completed papers 
for possible publication in a special journal issue and/or edited 
academic volume.

The workshop will run from June 6, 2024, to June 7, 2024, in the Central 
Building at the Pamplona campus of the Universidad de Navarra (Spain).

Abstracts of 200-350 words should clearly and concisely summarize a 
theoretical argument related to the nexus of journalism, ethics and 
politics. You can send your submissions through this online form: 
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc-qOrXw8RBMAMgOKv2llpcrQzfV__bAo63-Pq7eTfTojZx0A/viewform

Submission deadline: February 15, 2024

Applicants will be notified by March 15, 2024. Registration fee: 70 euros


For more information, contact (mcodina /at/ unav.es)



Mónica Codina, director of the Department of Public Communication, 
Universidad de Navarra. (mcodina /at/ unav.es)

Sandra L. Borden, director of the Center for the Study of Ethics in 
Society, Western Michigan University. (sandra.borden /at/ wmich.ed)
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