Rasha El-Ibiary

My research have tackled journalists safety in the Arab world during Covid-19, Arab women journalists' safety, Egyptian women journalists in particular. As a member in the Journalistic Role Performance research project, I have collected data and surveyed journalists in the Arab region during 2020-2021. The research produced out of this project is currently under publication. I have also interviewed journalists from Egypt and Tunisia, as a part of the Global Risk Journalism Hub, where I am a regional lead and participant, and I have a research under publication and a collaborative book chapter. Also, as a member of the ICA's Media Activism and Social Justice interest group, I am contributing research on blocked media websites in Egypt. I am also a member and a regional co-lead in the Journalism Safety Research Network. My research interests include Journalists’ Utilization of Media, Risk Journalism, Journalists' Safety, Media Freedom, Journalistic Role Performance, Media Activism, Political Communication, Media Activism, Media, Politics and Gender, Cultural Geography, and Geopolitics; Mediated Imagery and Memory; Politics of Fear; Political Communication; Media, Conflict and Human Rights Violations; Public Opinion and Propaganda; Media Policies and Censorship Measures; New Media and Public Diplomacy.

Definition of journalists' safety

Journalists safety is endangered with the lack of democracy, when they are subject to being imprisoned and tortured, when their websites are blocked and social media pages are closed. Journalists are also endanged with the lack of job safety and security in crisis time, especially women journalists, as happened during Covid-19. They are also endanged when there is no government like journalists in Syrian opposition area who may be targeted and killed by anyone and they no place to complain to or protect them. Journalists freedom is endangered with the government ownership control of all the mainstream media and the financial dangers they face if they turn to freelancing to keep a minimal level of freedom, reporting to websites.

Future plans for research on journalists' safety

As a part of the Global Risk Journalism Hub, I will focus on the dangers facing journalists reporting on Climate change. I am currently working on several collaborative research related to Journalists Role Performance during Covid-19 I belive the risks and dangers facing journalists in conflict and crisis zones in the Arab region, such as reporting earthquake in Syria/Turkey, currently reporting the war in Sudan, reporting the Israeli Palestinian crisis, are lacking a lot of attention and need to be prioritized.