Scholarly Foundations and Secondary Trauma
Edited By Kealeboga Aiseng and Chikezie E. Uzuegbunam
Addressing the psychological, emotional, and professional consequences of reporting violence in sub-Saharan Africa, Navigating Trauma in African Journalism, Volume 1: Scholarly Foundations and Secondary Trauma examines how journalists experience and respond to secondary trauma in contexts shaped by conflict, inequality, and political repression. Rather than treating trauma as an individual or incidental issue, the volume foregrounds it as a structural and professional concern, calling for trauma-informed approaches that prioritise care, resilience, and mental health within journalistic practice.
Bringing together empirical research, theoretical perspectives, and case-based analyses, the book lays the groundwork for the emerging field of African journalism trauma studies. It centres African epistemologies of care and lived experiences, offering critical insights into how journalists process psychological burdens while continuing to work under challenging conditions. The volume makes a significant contribution to scholarship on journalism, trauma, and media ethics, while advocating for cultural and institutional shifts within media organisations.
Kealeboga Aiseng is a senior lecturer in the Department of Media Studies at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, and a member of IAMCR.
Chikezie E. Uzuegbunam is Deputy Head of School for Teaching and Research and senior lecturer in Media Studies at Rhodes University, South Africa, and a member of IAMCR.
Title: Navigating Trauma in African Journalism, Volume 1: Scholarly Foundations and Secondary Trauma
Editors: Kealeboga Aiseng; Chikezie E. Uzuegbunam
Published: 2025
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan
Foreword by: Trust Matsilele (Birmingham City University, UK)