Journalism and Trauma: A Professor’s Experience

Visiting Assistant Professor in English and Communication Arts Cheryl Hatch was a featured speaker at the 18th Annual Communication Week April 8-12 at Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio. An international photojournalist, Professor Hatch presented images from her decades covering conflict in the Middle East and Africa for a lecture, “Journalism and Trauma: A War Photographer’s Guide to Covering Stories of Pain and Suffering.”

This year’s Communication Week focused on the awareness of First Amendment rights for journalists. It also narrowed in on the connection between journalism and trauma: how to approach trauma victims, report on times of suffering, and keep emotions under control while maintaining a sense of objectivity.

“I want people to understand that everyone who confronts war and its aftermath pays a high price, including the journalists who serve as the witnesses and storytellers — who listen to the voices and document the faces of those who might otherwise be forgotten,” said Hatch, in an interview with the Xenia Daily Gazette.

She was also a guest on the Miami Valley Journal radio program on WCSU 88.9. Listen to part of the interview here: CherylHatch_CommWk

Professor Hatch’s work can be viewed at www.isisphotos.com.

Source: Academics, Publications & Research