ACCCORD senior researcher, Dr. Martha Mutisi, has delivered a paper on the role of the media in democratisation and peacebuilding at the International Studies Association’s (ISA) Annual Convention on “Power, Principles and Participation in the Global Information Age.” An influential and highly respected organisation, the ISA is at the forefront of bringing together scholarly thought on international affairs, and ACCORD’s involvement in this platform further enhances our drive towards influencing debate and policy development on global peace, security and development issues.
The ISA’s Convention was held in San Diego, California, USA from 1-4 April, under the headline “Power, Principles and Participation in the Global Information Age.” Mutisi’s paper, entitled: “Digital Democracy: The Role of the Electronic Media in Democratisation and Peace building. The Case of Social Movements in Zimbabwe.” sought to promote ACCORD’s Knowledge Production Department’s 2012 research theme, focussing on democracy, governance and elections. This theme is highly relevant, given the emerging trend towards the use of new media in peace building and democratisation processes globally. During the convention, Dr. Mutisi also had the opportunity to chair a session entitled, “Trafficking and Migrant Labour: Feminist Approaches.”
The ISA (founded in 1959) is a non-profit organization, and is open to all individuals and institutions interested in international affairs. Their mission is to promote research and education in international affairs, as well as to bring together people with a scholarly and professional interest in this field. The ISA has over 5,000 members worldwide, and is the most respected and widely known scholarly association in this field. It is the premier professional association for international studies scholars and practitioners, hosts international conferences, and publishes top journals in the field. The ISA Annual Convention is a celebrated annual event that is designed to showcase research initiatives by scholars from a variety of disciplines including peace studies, international relations, global development, and political economy, among others.
As a leading thinktank on peace and security in Africa, ACCORD’s participation in the ISA convention further enhanced the organisation’s presence in international forums where global issues are discussed. By making use of platforms such as the ISA Convention, ACCORD continues to contribute towards scholarship and policy dialogue on peace, security and development issues.
