Inaugural Professorial lecture: Yasmin Alibhai-Brown

The 2012-13 series of Inaugural Lectures will showcase the widening breadth and depth of expertise at Middlesex.

Professor Yasmin Alibhai-Brown

Yasmin Alibhai-Brown is a newly appointed Professor in Professional Practice in the School of Media & Performing Arts. As a journalist, she has written for The Guardian, Observer, The New York Times, Time Magazine, Newsweek, The Evening Standard, The Mail and other newspapers and is a regular columnist for The Independent and London’s Evening Standard. She is also a radio and television broadcaster and author of several books, including ‘No Place Like Home’ an autobiographical account of a twice removed immigrant, which was critically acclaimed. From 1996 to 2001 she was a Research Fellow at the Institute for Public Policy Research; she is President of the Institute of Family Therapy and Vice-President of the United Nations Association, UK. In 2003 she returned her MBE for services to journalism in protest against the government’s conduct of the war in Iraq.

Insider Journalism Corrupts: Why a journalist must be an insider /outsider

British Journalism has been forced by the hacking scandal and Leveson to look at itself and at its impact on people and politics. Every sector of society needs such reality checks, periods of profound reflection and serious critical appraisal. For historical reasons, our media has not ever felt it necessary to scrutinise its conduct and principles. Freedom of expression has been used as a fig leaf by the industry until now. Now that wider media ethics and behaviours are being discussed openly, it is a good time to examine the role of individual journalists in a healthy democracy. Why are so many not detached from power but close to it? What does that do to their independence and role? The lecture will also look at the inbuilt prejudices within the industry and additionally, the perils of ‘community journalism’ with journalists avoiding hard stories about black, Asian or working class Britons. Beware of loyalty if you want to be a good and serious media practitioner.

For more information please visit the Middlesex University website or download the event flyer.