Cross-cultural Journalism ― Communicating Strategically About Diversity

The goal of this intro textbook is to provide a practical guide for budding journalists and other communication professionals about how to write about and communicate with people of cultures that may be different than their own. Relying on the Missouri Method, the book provides students with real world journalistic, advertising, and PR examples of how to go about creating news stories, print ads, or PR campaigns that take culture into account. Specifically, the book will address:

• how to engage with difference and identify the way bias can creep into work

• the concept of fault lines and the need to approach sources and audiences with respect

• how to interpret census data categories and how to work with census data to tell stories

• the importance of examining assumptions about class, gender, sexual orientation, religion, disability, and more

Accompanied by a companion website with additional case studies, links to further resources, and examples of best practice,Cross-Cultural Journalism will give students the conceptual framework they need to report and communicate effectively about difference.

Earnest L. Perry is an associate professor and chair of the journalism studies emphasis area at the Missouri School of Journalism.

Maria Len-Rios is an associate professor of strategic communications at the Missouri School of Journalism.