This paper examines how socio-cultural dynamics shape the everyday practice of journalism in Myanmar's Rakhine State during a period of profound political, social, and economic upheaval between 2011 and 2021. Drawing on qualitative, semi-structured in-depth interviews conducted with ten journalists working in and on Rakhine State in the first quarter of 2019, the paper adopts a process- and practice-oriented approach informed by Moore (1987), Roudakova (2012), and Spradley (1980). Rather than approaching journalism through institutional or system-centred frameworks, the focus shifts towards journalistic practice as a relational, situated, and continuously negotiated form of action embedded within overlapping socio-cultural dynamics. Three interrelated findings are presented. First, journalists operate within fragile information environments marked by pervasive distrust – not only between ethnic and religious communities, but also between journalists, sources, and state authorities. Second, journalists are not primarily perceived as members of a profession but as members of specific ethnic, religious, or political communities, generating competing expectations of loyalty that stand in tension with professional norms. Third, contested language and naming practices constitute a key site of political and social conflict, requiring journalists to continuously navigate sensitive linguistic choices. The paper contributes to journalism studies by demonstrating that socio-cultural dynamics are not merely contextual background but active structuring forces of journalistic practice in conflict-affected settings.

Authors:
Mandy Fox, University of Passau, Germany

About the Presenter(s)
Mandy Fox, Research Associate and doctoral candidate, University of Passau. Interests: journalistic practice, media freedom, Southeast Asia. Current project: journalism in Myanmar's Rakhine State, 2011–2021.

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