The Institutional Role of Journalism in Post-Conflict Societies: The Case of Kosovo
Session
Journalism, Media and Communication
Description
This study asserts that the traditional professional values underpinning journalism are becoming increasingly ambiguous, while established normative frameworks have diminished in their descriptive influence. Drawing on Hanitzsch’s (2011) typology of journalistic cultures, the research analyzes responses from a structured survey of 46 media professionals. Through the application of the Priority Model, the study explores how these professional role orientations intersect with neo-Gramscian perspectives on hegemony, particularly in shaping journalists’ priorities during the production and dissemination of news. The research investigates the institutional roles of journalistic cultures within Kosovo, with a specific focus on their evolving engagement in broader societal responsibilities in the aftermath of the conflict with Serbia. In these transitional societies, where political and media landscapes are undergoing democratization, journalism operates amid persistent tensions between professional norms and partisan interests. Although traditionally defined by institutionalized practices, normative values, and a distinct professional identity—serving as a buffer against forces such as commercialization—the conceptualization and enactment of journalistic 'professionalism' among Kosovar Albanian journalists necessitate critical re-evaluation. Grounded in contemporary scholarship, this study redefines professionalism as a dynamic and discursively constructed notion, frequently mobilized in moments of institutional fragmentation and legitimacy decline.
Keywords:
Journalistic professionalism, normative frameworks, media culture, Kosovo, postconflict societies
ISBN
978-9951-982-41-2
Location
UBT Lipjan, Kosovo
Start Date
25-10-2025 9:00 AM
End Date
26-10-2025 6:00 PM
DOI
10.33107/ubt-ic.2025.221
Recommended Citation
Selimi, Ferid, "The Institutional Role of Journalism in Post-Conflict Societies: The Case of Kosovo" (2025). UBT International Conference. 1.
https://knowledgecenter.ubt-uni.net/conference/2025UBTIC/JMC/1
The Institutional Role of Journalism in Post-Conflict Societies: The Case of Kosovo
UBT Lipjan, Kosovo
This study asserts that the traditional professional values underpinning journalism are becoming increasingly ambiguous, while established normative frameworks have diminished in their descriptive influence. Drawing on Hanitzsch’s (2011) typology of journalistic cultures, the research analyzes responses from a structured survey of 46 media professionals. Through the application of the Priority Model, the study explores how these professional role orientations intersect with neo-Gramscian perspectives on hegemony, particularly in shaping journalists’ priorities during the production and dissemination of news. The research investigates the institutional roles of journalistic cultures within Kosovo, with a specific focus on their evolving engagement in broader societal responsibilities in the aftermath of the conflict with Serbia. In these transitional societies, where political and media landscapes are undergoing democratization, journalism operates amid persistent tensions between professional norms and partisan interests. Although traditionally defined by institutionalized practices, normative values, and a distinct professional identity—serving as a buffer against forces such as commercialization—the conceptualization and enactment of journalistic 'professionalism' among Kosovar Albanian journalists necessitate critical re-evaluation. Grounded in contemporary scholarship, this study redefines professionalism as a dynamic and discursively constructed notion, frequently mobilized in moments of institutional fragmentation and legitimacy decline.