Methods and Research in Communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Methods and Research in Communication - Essay Example ar (2003) sought to explore the dynamics and challenges of the Middle East conflict and the role of the media in either contributing to the conflict or determining its course. One central question that is raised by the study involves the nature of contribution by the media in a cultural conflict. The study also questions the possibility of the existence of the element of bias in media coverage of conflict in the Middle East. Another important question raised by the study involves the capacity of the media to provide avenues that might be used for successful resolution of conflicts. Shinar (2003) adopted an explorative case study design with particular focus on the Palestinian-Israel conflict. The main hypothesis of the study was that the media involvement in conflict basically seeks ways of resolution. The study explored various models of conflict resolution in terms of their respective levels of efficacy to the Israel-Palestinian situation. Some of the historical incidents of the conflict were matched with the models with the objective of determining the patterns of the situation with the view of predicting possible scenarios for the future. The results of the study showed that the media involvement in conflict takes multiple forms and objectives. The media does not always engage in conflicts with the purpose of resolving the conflict. Sometimes the media basically seeks to transform the nature of conflict to match its own peculiar objectives. The study conducted by Melone, Terzis & Beleli (2005) focussed on the different roles that the media plays in a conflict situation. The hypothesis of the study was that the shape of any particular conflict is essentially determined by the manner in which the media participates in the conflict. The major assumption of the study is that responsible and ethical journalism will always produce positive results for the media whereas unethical journalistic practices have the capacity to escalate tensions and conflicts. The