Development journalism out of date?

The mass media occupy a central position within the processes of social change in Africa. Since successful journalism education can be formative for the further development of the African communication sector, the authors investigate the borderland of theoretical systematisation and empirical research of journalism. This is carried out via the following steps: (1) Firstly, the theoretical and practical basis of the phenomenon of development journalism is exposed and it is referred to its connection to journalism education in Africa. (2) Through the evaluation of African journalism education on the basis of training locations and programmes, the authors are able to pursue the question, which position development journalism takes in current journalism education. (3) The preliminary results show an expansion and differentiation in journalism education in Africa. In principle, this is a positive process, which, however, does not take place to a high extent

The Subject in Times of Media and Social Change. The Analytic Potential of the Mediatization Approach Using the Case of Retro Gaming

The study focuses on the question of the mediatized constitution of subject and subjectivity, which, surprisingly, has received little attention so far. The analytical reference to the mediatization approach enables a holistic understanding of subject, communication and media. Using the empirical example of the media (sub)culture of retro games, this article empirically examines the extent to which computer gamers are influenced by the spaces of experiences of games, not only in the moment of playing them, but also in the long term, with regard to their personal development and social community. The findings illustrate two dimensions of subjectivation processes: on the one hand, the reflective handling of computer games and thus subjectivation through games and game contexts, on the other hand, the nostalgic recollection of specific games and game contexts, which can be clearly separated analytically from the first dimension

Youth media repertoires: age ranges, context factors and privacy management

The overall aim of the study is to trace the interaction between the composition of the media repertoire and the everyday world of adolescents, also looking at privacy management in the course of acquiring digital communication media as part of the media repertoire. In order to do justice to this complexity, young people were not considered as a uniform demographic group, but were divided into three stages. Through this differentiation, a recursive process is to be worked out that makes it possible to also include contextual influencing factors such as peer group, family environment etc. and to expand previous findings on the media repertoire of young people. As a result of this approach, a multi-stage development process was elaborated as well as the privacy management of digital communication media of young people

Games without Frontiers: A Framework for Analyzing Digital Game Cultures Comparatively

Currently in game studies there is a gap in frameworks for comparatively researching game cultures. This is a serious shortcoming as it ignores the transcultural and transnational aspects of games, play and their cultures. Based on Hepp’s (2009) transcultural framework, and Du Gay, Hall, Janes, Mackay and Negus’s (1997) circuit of culture, this article proposes a structure to comparatively analyze game cultures. This procedural method comprises several steps determining specific contexts of game culture and their categories for comparison. Each step is illustrated with a case example. Finally, we recommend placing game cultures on a transnational spectrum, which helps in suggesting that many digital games express both local and international characteristics

Methodological reflections on capturing augmented space: insights from an augmented reality field study

The growing popularity of augmented reality has led to an increased overlaying of physical, offline space with digital, augmented space. This is particularly evident in the public space of big cities, which already feature a multitude of holographic content that can be experienced via augmented reality devices. But how can we methodically capture the interrelation between physical and augmented space? In this augmented reality field study, a historical building was holographically reconstructed in its original size on a public city square. The test people were then able to move around and view the hologram from different angles via high-tech augmented reality glasses. Due to its explorative character and constantly changing field conditions, including, among other things, the Covid-19 pandemic, we had to critically reflect and adapt our methods to take into account technical, environmental, social, operationalisation, and recruitment issues. After evaluating our solutions to these issues, this article aims to illustrate the methodological challenges and opportunities of augmented reality field studies and to provide an overview of best practices for capturing the interrelationship of physical and augmented space

Mediating media usage in times of migration

The use and regulation of mobile media devices of children and adolescents in refugee families is largely unexplored. Our qualitative approach utilizes in-depth guided interviews with parents and children in Arabic speaking refugee families in Germany. All interviewed families have resided in Germany from one to four years. The sample consists of both couples and single parents, while most children are in their final year of kindergarten, in primary school, or secondary school. The study explores the selection and usage of mobile media devices and content in their social context, such as the use of social media platforms and apps at home and for school. Our research highlights changes in mobile media usage after the interviewees’ arrival in Germany due to the different socio-cultural environment and a changed media agency. The amount of change greatly depends on the age of the children, for example, the younger they were when arriving in Germany, the less likely they are to use mobile media to stay in touch with their former friends. Additionally, most children and adolescents tend to consume German media content more often than Arabic content. In the rare cases they do consume Arabic media content, it is in the presence of their parents, who state that they do so to bring their children closer to their roots.Die Nutzung und Regulierung mobiler Medien von Kindern und Jugendlichen in Flüchtlingsfamilien ist weitgehend unerforscht. Einem qualitativen Ansatz folgend führten wir Leitfadeninterviews mit Eltern und Kindern in Arabisch bzw. Deutsch. Alle befragten Familien leben seit ein bis vier Jahren in Deutschland. Die Stichprobe besteht aus Paaren und Alleinerziehenden, wobei sich die meisten Kinder im letzten Jahr des Kindergartens, in der Grundschule oder der Sekundarschule befinden. Die Studie untersucht die Auswahl und Verwendung mobiler Mediengeräte, insbesondere Smartphones und Tablets, und deren Inhalte im sozialen Kontext, beispielsweise die Verwendung von Social-Media-Plattformen und Apps zu Hause und für die Schule. Unsere Studie verdeutlicht Veränderungen in der Nutzung mobiler Medien nach der Ankunft der Befragten in Deutschland, was auf das veränderte sozio-kulturelle Umfeld und mediale Handlungsfähigkeiten zurückzuführen ist. Das Ausmass des Wandels hängt stark vom Alter der Kinder ab. Ein Beispiel: Je jünger die Kinder waren, als sie nach Deutschland kamen, desto weniger wahrscheinlich nutzen sie mobile Medien, um mit ihren ehemaligen Freund*innen in Kontakt zu bleiben. Ausserdem konsumieren die meisten Kinder und Jugendlichen häufiger deutschsprachige Medieninhalte als arabische. In den seltenen Fällen der Rezeption arabischer Medieninhalte geschieht dies in Anwesenheit der Eltern, die wiederum angeben, dies zu tun, um den Kindern ihre Wurzeln näher zu bringen