Submission due date: Sept. 1, 2025
In 2025 the global state of press freedom is in a »difficult situation« – the lowest classification made by the Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Index since its inception in 2002. Tying dire economic and political trends together, the index shows a plummeting of press freedom across the map; financial pressures and newsroom shuts downs lead to news deserts, press concentration and disinformation. In turn, and in parallel, right-wing extremist discourse, actions, and sympathizing have been spreading on digital platforms. in political parties, and news ownership, undermining (internal) press freedom.
Hence our Call for Papers asks: What is needed to preserve, strengthen, and rebuild press freedom in the wake of right-wing extremism rising? What experiences do journalists in different contexts make regarding (the limits) of press freedom currently? Which strategies and solutions have been working? Which research is needed to more deeply understand the material and discursive linkages between press freedom, and those who question and seek to curtail it, and right-wing extremist actors, politics and spaces? In which micro, meso, and macro level ways does fascism currently interfere with press freedom in which global or (trans)national contexts?
We are seeking studies, essays, and commentary for debate. Submission are welcome in English or German. Please see our author guidelines for details and apply our style sheet for formatting: https://journalistik.online/en/information-for-authors/
For sending submissions and questions, please contact us at: redaktion@journalistik.online
Journalism Research/Journalistik – Zeitschrift für Journalismusforschung is a peer-reviewed, open access journal. All articles are published in English and German. More information: https://journalistik.online/en/about-journalistik/
You can download the pdf-version of this call [here].