Ethics and Evil in the Public Sphere: Media, Universal Values and Global Development

The authors in this book share three convictions. First, whatever religious or humanistic foundation we start from, the end result of our communictive efforts should reflect a genuine love for humankind. Second, all human beings, and the social and cultural creations of their hands, reflect values for both good and ill. Those reflecting the best must be encouraged and legitimized, while those that reflect the unfortunate tendencies of people to castigate and condemn the other must be discouraged. What people say matters. What they do as journalists, broadcasters, filmakers, advertisers, and teachers, matter even more because professional communicators have access to information and audiences who can be encouraged to do either - ethical behavior or evil. The authors have all been inspired by Clifford Christians and his efforts in creating an environment in communication scholarship where ethical reflections could thrive