Saumava Mitra

Dr.

Contact Details


GLA: CA1110
T:Ext. 5448

E:Saumava.Mitra@dcu.ie





Assistant Professor
GLA C1110
T:Ext. 5448

E:Saumava.Mitra@dcu.ie

Assistant Professor

C1110
Henry Grattan Building
DCU Glasnevin Campus

T:+353 1 7005448

E:saumava.mitra@dcu.ie
W:https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8622-7091




Profile Photo

Saumava Mitra investigates how production processes and narratives in conflict and crises visuals influence each other. His most recent research focused on the working conditions of women photographers from conflict-affected contexts in the Global South. His previous research was on the working conditions and images of Afghan photographers who work for international organisations. Prior to joining DCU, Saumava lived and worked in academia, journalism and in communications in South Asia, East Africa, North and Central Americas and Europe. 

Book Chapter

Year Publication
2020 Saumava Mitra (2020) 'Real-ising rape' In: Hold your Story: Reflections on News of Sexual Violence in India. United Kingdom : Centre for the Study of Conflict, Emotion & Social Justice, Bournemouth University.
2021 Mitra, S.; Creta, S.; McDonald, S. (2021) 'How our rage is represented: Acts of resistance among women photographers of the Global South' In: Insights on Peace and Conflict Reporting. [Link] [DOI]
2022 Saumava Mitra (2022) 'Relational Labour or Digital Resistance: Social Media Practices of Non-Western Women Photographers' In: Social Media Images and Conflicts. London : Routledge. [Link] https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003176923
2023 Saumava Mitra; Brenda Witherspoon (2023) 'De-Westernizing Photojournalism: From photojournalism of the global south to photojournalism in the global south' In: The Routledge Companion to Journalism in the Global South. Oxford : Routledge. [Link] [DOI]

Edited Book

Year Publication
2021 Saumava Mitra and Chris Paterson (Ed.). (2021) Reporting Global while being Local: Local Producers of News for Distant Audiences. London: Routledge, [Link]

Peer Reviewed Journal

Year Publication
2021 Mitra, S.; Høiby, M.; Garrido, M. (2021) 'Medium-Specific Threats for Journalists: Examples from Philippines, Afghanistan and Venezuela'. JOURNALISM PRACTICE, 15 . [Link] [DOI]
2020 Saumava Mitra (2020) 'Picturing Afghan Women for Western audiences: The Afghan perspective'. Journalism, 21 (6):800-820. https://doi.org/10.1177/1464884919849359
2019 Saumava Mitra; Chris Paterson; (2019) 'Reporting Global While Being Local: Local Sources of News for Distant Audiences'. Journalism Studies, . [DOI]
2019 Saumava Mitra; (2019) 'Safety culture changing visual representations of wars? The case of Afghanistan'. .
2018 Mitra, S.; (2018) 'Socio-cultural contexts and peace journalism: A case for meso-level comparative sociological investigation of journalistic cultures'. Journalism, . [DOI]
2017 Mitra, Saumava; (2017) 'Adoptability and acceptability of peace journalism among Afghan photojournalists: Lessons for peace journalism training in conflict-affected countries'. .
2017 Mitra, Saumava; (2017) 'Local-Global Tensions: Professional Experience, Role Perceptions and Image Production of Afghan Photojournalists Working for a Global Audience'. .
2016 Saumava Mitra; (2016) 'Display-through-foregrounding by photojournalists as self-reflexivity in photojournalism: Two case studies of Accidental Peace Photojournalism'. .
2015 Saumava Mitra; (2015) 'Communication and peace: Understanding the nature of texts as a way to resolve conceptual differences in the emerging field'. Global Media and Communication, . [DOI]
2014 Saumava Mitra; (2014) 'Re-thinking visuals: Understanding discursive reformulation of visuals to inform Peace Journalism'. .
2021 Mitra, Saumava; Witherspoon, Brenda; Creta, Sara (2021) 'Invisible in This Visual World? Work and Working Conditions of Female Photographers in the Global South'. Journalism Studies, . [Link] https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/1461670X.2021.2007163
2023 Isaac Blacksin; Saumava Mitra (2023) 'Straddlers not Spiralists: Critical Questions for Research on Fixers, Local-Foreign News Work, and Cross-Border Journalism'. JOURNALISM: THEORY, PRACTICE & CRITICISM, Online First . [Link] [DOI]
2024 Mitra, S.; Palmer L.; Seo, S. (2024) 'What Am I Doing Here? Self-Reflexivity in Cross-Border Journalism Research'. International Journal of Press/Politics, . [Link] https://doi.org/10.1177/19401612241279174

Conference Contribution

Year Publication
2021 Saumava Mitra (2021) International Communication Association Virtual Conference 2021 Chaired session entitled 'Views of the Virus: Representing and Responding to a Global Pandemic' Virtual Conference Platform, 27/05/2021-30/05/2021.
2021 Saumava Mitra (2021) Ireland India Institute Annual South Asia Conference Chaired session entitled British Empire and the famines in Bengal Dublin City University, 29/04/2021-29/04/2021.
2021 Saumava Mitra (2021) Ireland India Institute Annual South Asia Conference Chaired session entitled New Media, Cyberspace: the cultural and the political Dublin City University, 28/04/2021-28/04/2021.
2020 Saumava Mitra (2020) 6th Conference on Safety of Journalists ‘C'est un combat’: Risks and resilience among female photographers from the Global South Department of Journalism and Media, Oslo Metropolitan University, 02/11/2020-04/11/2020.
2020 Saumava Mitra; (2020) International Communication Association Virtual Conference 2020 Chaired session entitled 'Hate Media: Global Cases of Marginalization and Resistance' for Global Communication & Social Change Division Virtual Conference Platform, .
2020 Saumava Mitra; (2020) International Communication Association Virtual Conference 2020 Presented paper entitled ‘Visible in the visual world: Understanding NGO-led empowerment of women photographers in the Global South’ at international panel entitled ‘The growing role of philanthropy, NGO and state funding in international reporting from the global South’ Virtual Conference Platform, .
2019 Saumava Mitra; (2019) International Association for Media and Communications Research Conference 2020 Organized panel entitled ‘Biased or Beneficial? Cross-border lessons on journalists’ safety’ Complutense University, Madrid, Spain, .
2022 Declan Tuite; Saumava Mitra (2022) ECREA 2022 Examining Irish CVR-based humanitarian communications: Towards a trans-disciplinary analytical framework Aarhus, Denmark, 19/10/2022-22/10/2022.
2022 Saumava Mitra (2022) 8th Conference on the Safety of Journalists. Oslo Metropolitan University It gets in the back of your head: Building Solidarity for the safety of a Global Fourth Estate 8th Conference on the safety of journalists. Oslo Metropolitan University, Norway, .
2023 Saumava Mitra; Lindsay Palmer; Soomin Seo (2023) https://www.warandmedia.org/reimagining-the-field-of-media-war-and-conflict-deadline-31st-jan/ Decolonizing conflict journalism: Why (and how) empirical research matters Toronto, 25/05/2023-25/06/2023.
2022 Saumava Mitra; Brenda Witherspoon (2022) Media, Communication and Cultural Studies Association Annual Conference (In)Visibility and Visual resistance: Towards understanding social media practices of non-Western women photographers Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK, 07/09/2022-09/09/2022.
2024 (2024) ICA 2024 Annual Conference Questioning the researcher: Reflecting on the researcher-researched relationships in fieldwork in marginalized spaces Gold Coast, Australia, .

Book Review

Year Publication
2019 Saumava Mitra; (2019) Book review: Katherine Brown, Your Country, Our War: The Press and Diplomacy in Afghanistan. BREV [DOI]

Online Article

Year Publication
2019 Saumava Mitra; (2019) The many things wrong with the visual representation of rape. Bournemouth University; UNESCO New Delhi: ELEA [Link]
2019 Saumava Mitra; (2019) Making rape ‘real’. Bournemouth University and UNESCO New Delhi: ELEA [Link]

Review Articles

Year Publication
2018 (2018) Book Review: Lindsay Palmer (2018). Becoming the Story: War Correspondents since 9/11. Urbana, Illinois: University of Illinois Press. REV

Conference Publication

Year Publication
2023 Isaac Blacksin; Saumava Mitra (2023) ICA 2023 Annual Conference Straddlers not Spiralists: Critical Questions for Research on Fixers, Local-Foreign News Work, and Cross-Border Journalism 26/05/2023- 29/05/2023
Certain data included herein are derived from the © Web of Science (2024) of Clarivate. All rights reserved.

Professional Associations

Association Function From / To
International Communication Association Member 16/10/2020 -
International Association of Media and Communication Research Member -

Committees

Committee Function From / To
Visual Communication Division, International Communication Association 01/06/2021 -
Afghanistan Photographers' Association -
Editorial Board of Media, War and Conflict Journal -

Employment

Employer Position From / To
UTVi Bloomberg India Bureau Correspondent 01/10/2007 - 31/03/2008
Dublin City University Assistant Professor 01/08/2019 -
University for Peace Research Assistant 01/10/2012 - 31/05/2013
Twaweza Communication Consultant 01/12/2011 - 31/05/2012
Media Express Tanzania Chief Editor 01/07/2010 - 30/11/2011
Radio Nederland Wereldomroep Freelance Correspondent 01/10/2010 - 30/04/2012
University for Peace Post-Doctoral Fellow 07/01/2018 - 31/12/2018
University for Peace Coordinator 01/01/2019 - 31/07/2019
University for Peace Visiting Lecturer 09/01/2017 - 27/01/2017
Associated Press Television News Ltd Assistant Producer 01/03/2007 - 30/09/2007
University for Peace Post-Doctoral Fellow 07/01/2018 - 31/12/2018
Radio Nederland Wereldomroep Freelance Correspondent 01/10/2010 - 30/04/2012
University for Peace Coordinator 01/01/2019 - 31/07/2019
University for Peace Visiting Lecturer 09/01/2017 - 27/01/2017
UTVi Bloomberg India Bureau Correspondent 01/10/2007 - 31/03/2008
Dublin City University Assistant Professor 01/08/2019 -
Twaweza Communication Consultant 01/12/2011 - 31/05/2012
Associated Press Television News Ltd Assistant Producer 01/03/2007 - 30/09/2007
Media Express Tanzania Chief Editor 01/07/2010 - 30/11/2011
University for Peace Research Assistant 01/10/2012 - 31/05/2013

Education

Start date Institution Qualification Subject
Jadavpur University Bachelor in Arts (Honours)
Indian Institute of Mass Communications Post Graduate Diploma in Radio and TV Journalism
Swansea University, Aarhus University, University of Amsterdam Erasmus Mundus MA in Journalism and Media within Globalization
University of Western Ontario PhD in Media Studies

Languages

Language Reading Writing Speaking
English Fluent Fluent Fluent
Bengali Fluent Fluent Fluent
Swahili Basic Basic Basic
Spanish Functional Basic Basic
Hindi Fluent Functional Fluent

Reviews

Journal Role
JOURNALISM: THEORY, PRACTICE & CRITICISM Reviewer
Global Media and Communication Reviewer
Media, War and Conflict Reviewer
Journalism Studies Reviewer
INFORMATION, COMMUNICATION & SOCIETY Reviewer
Visual Communication Quarterly Reviewer

Enterprise Engagement

Year Engagement Type Client Description
2021 Consultancy Afghanistan Photographers' Association Research support and advice for national survey of Afghan photographers and photojournalists.

Outreach Activities

Year Engagement Type Organisation Description
Presentations/Talks to an external audience Journalism and Media International Centre Research seminar for working Afghan journalists
Presentations/Talks to an external audience The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) “Communicating Effectively for Peace”. Session within workshop entitled “Unpacking the Peacebuilder's Toolbox”. Leadership Training in Peace and Security 2021.
Presentations/Talks to an external audience University of Leeds and Imperial War Museums Invited speaker at The Tim Hetherington collection & conflict imagery research network launch event for public talk entitled 'Revisiting Restrepo: The men and boys outside the wire'.
2020 Other Hub for the Study of Hybrid Communication in Peacebuilding Member of research network hosted and led by Centre for Freedom of the Media (CFOM) at the University of Sheffield, in collaboration with the Humanitarian and Conflict Response Institute (HCRI) at the University of Manchester.
2022 Presentations/Talks to an external audience Violence, Conflict and Gender Research Cluster, University College Cork Invited talk entitled ‘C’est un combat’: Women photographers’ fight against professional invisibility in conflict and crises-affected contexts as hybrid research event for Violence, Conflict, Gender research cluster at University College Cork.
2022 Presentations/Talks to an external audience Oslo Metropolitan University Keynote speech entitled 'It gets in the back of your head': Building solidarity for the safety of a global fourth estate' at the 8th annual conference on the Safety of Journalists: Solidarity and self-learning for improved safety for journalists.
2022 Educational Outreach/Public Engagement Global Media Studies Network Member of worldwide academic network dedicated to de-westernising media and communication studies.

Media

Title Year Type Authors
Female photographers across the Global South reflect on the challenges they face 2021 Newspaper article (online) Brenda Witherspoon, Saumava Mitra
Why we must pay attention to the death of journalists in Kabul 2018 Newspaper article (Print) Saumava Mitra

Research Interests

Conflict Journalism and Photojournalism; Images of Wars and Crises; Foreign Correspondence; International News.

Contract Researchers

Researcher Name Project Funding Body
Rituparna Banerjee National cultures and the ‘good woman’: self and identity in Bengali Indian and Bangladeshi stateswomen’s digital social practices
Tom Burke ‘The Break in Consent: Ethics and Documentary Filmmaking

Current Postgraduate Students

Student Name Degree Supervision
Banerjee ,Rituparna PhD Supervisor
Burke ,Tom PhD Supervisor

Internal Collaborators

Type Name Company Role
Internal Sara Creta The Institute for Future Media Democracy and Society Academic
Internal Declan Tuite Dublin City University Academic

External Collaborators

Type Name Company Role
External Mariateresa Garrido United Nations University for Peace Academic
External Chris Paterson School of Media and Communication, University of Leeds Academic
External Brenda Witherspoon Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication, Iowa State University Academic
External Marte Høiby Norwegian Media Authority (Mediatylsynet) Industry
External Roy Krøvel Oslo Metropolitan University Academic
External Yennué Zárate Universidad Iberoamericana Academic
External Isaac Blacksin Annenberg School for Journalism and Communications Academic
External Lindsay Palmer School of Journalism and Mass Communication. University of Wisconsin-Madison Academic
External Soomin Seo School of Communication, Sogang University, South Korea Academic

Teaching Interests

Media and Communication Studies, Journalism Studies.

Modules Coordinated

Term Title Subject
2022 Photojournalism CM2760
2022 Peace and Conflict Journalism CM3013
2022 Journalism Ethics CM598
2022 CM160
2020 Case Studies in Investigative Journalism CM2002
2023 CM30150
2022 Cultural Studies CM102
2022 Introduction to Communication Studies CM151
2022 Cultural Studies CM157
2020 Media and Communication Skills CM537
2022 CM5032
2022 CM534
2024 CM2800
2024 CM5972