Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma

Update: Read about this past event: Four Lessons on School Shootings

In the network society, the ripples from an act of extreme violence can extend far beyond the immediate community. But do new media opportunities spawn new forms of violence? This conference will examine the significance of school shootings in the light of terrorism and other public disasters that attract intense media scrutiny and are marked by theatrical display. How do victims, survivors, perpetrators and media commentators understand their role in these violent public dramas? 

Selected Participants

Dave Cullen, 2002 Dart Center Ochberg Fellow, will describe his investigations into the school shooting at Columbine that became the bestselling book.

Klas Backholm, coordinator for the Dart Finnish Network, will chair a panel on the experience of journalists covering these crises.

Marguerite Moritz, director of Covering Columbine, will discuss the impact the web is having on mainstream media coverage. 

A complete list of confirmed speakers can be found at the conference website.

Details

The two-day conference will take place at the University of Helsinki, Finland, Nov. 6 and 7. 

For more information and to register for the conference, see the official website.

Heather Forbes, national manager of staff development for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's news division, will lead a one-hour, online classroom for media professionals who deal with violence and traumatic events. She will cover topics including: strategies to keep your resilience; why distress in the face of tragedy is a normal human response — not a weakness; tips to take care of yourself; why peer support is important; and when to get help.

For those not available at 2 p.m. EST, an archived replay of the session will be available afterwards.

For more information, and to register for the webinar, visit the official website.

The Rory Peck Trust will be holding an award ceremony and annual fundraising gala in benefit of their work in supporting freelance cameramen and women in news and current affairs worldwide.

The awards celebrate the work of freelance journalists in covering important humanitarian issues, and honour their craft skills as well as journalistic ability and integrity.

The Rory Peck Trust exists to support freelance newsgatherers and their families worldwide in times of need and to promote their welfare and safety.

For more information and to purchase tickets see the official website. 

For more information and application details, see the official announcement.

In the aftermath of the school shooting in Winnenden, Germany, in February 2009, therapists, journalists and victims groups have discussed how to set standards in media and society on how to report such tragedies.

As part of a one-day conference at Ruhrfestspielhaus Recklinghausen, representatives of the Dart Centre German Programme, psychological experts on school violence, journalists, criminal experts and family survivors will shine a light on the balancing act between grief, shock and headlines.

Selected participants

Frank Nipkau, Redaktionsleiter Winnender Zeitung
Prof. Dr. Heiko Christians, Autor »Amok. Geschichte einer Ausbreitung«
Wolfgang Wiebold, Macher von Wiebold TV
Dr. Jens Hoffmann, »Amok-Forscher«, TU Darmstadt
Gisela Mayer, Aktionsbündnis Amoklauf Winnenden
Claudia Fischer, Dart Centre German Programme
Prof. Dr. Joachim Kersten, Deutsche Hochschule der Polizei
 

Details

The one day conference will take place in Ruhrfestspielhaus Recklinghausen from 10.30 a.m. until 5.p.m. The panel discussion will take place at 2:30 p.m.

For more information and to register for the conference, see the official website.