The views expressed are those of the author and do not represent the views of the SNF Agora Institute or Johns Hopkins University.
In a bitterly polarized society, where citizens live in separate information realities and politicians manipulate the historical narrative for electoral advantage, can media create content that bridges divides and creates a common democratic discourse?
This is a case study about how you can challenge bitter, cross-partisan divides in a society where disputes over history are weaponized by political forces, and where opposing groups live in separate media realities. The study follows a group of journalists and scholars in Ukraine who pioneered a methodology and set of principles for creating media content that offers a way to move beyond these memory wars.
This case is appropriate for:
- College and graduate students
- Civic organizations
- Journalists and other members of the media
By the end of this case study, you should be able to:
- Understand how competing historical narratives and disinformation campaigns are used to sow societal division.
- Understand how to identify meaningful commonalities among polarized groups.
- Create public service–spirited media and other forms of mass communication that can overcome seemingly intractable divides.
- Measure and scale impact of public service–spirited media interventions.
