Decolonial Journalism: New Notes on Ubuntu and the Public Interest

Abstract

ABSTRACT In this article, we make the case for public interest journalism that advances decolonial societies through the application of the quintessential African moral philosophy of ubuntu. In doing so, we discuss how ubuntu combats colonialism and apartheid to enable individuals to become the most that they can be. In this regard, we see decolonial journalism advancing freedom of expression under conditions that enable truth in the public good to emerge, thus challenging the widely purveyed view that freedom of expression or dissent is alien to the African cultural fabric. Indeed, while holding that decolonial journalism is part of the co-creation of communicative spheres that are marked by freedom, justice and dignity, we acknowledge that a decolonial African journalism is capacious enough to express contending perspectives and to serve goals that empower individuals and communities with truths that enable them to meet their needs in ever-changing circumstances.