Western conceptualisation of journalism as a profession and an academic discipline fundamentally represents systemic challenges to how journalism could be theorised, researched, and practised in ways that address and reflect the specificities of non-Western contexts such as Africa. It is in this context that calls for recognition of locally relevant epistemologies of journalism have generated vigorous debates among journalists, journalism educators, and communication academics. The authors argue that, in a rapidly changing world that recognises diverse perspectives, communities, cultures, national differences, and various ways of doing things, journalism education and practice should no longer be viewed through the linear and dominant lens of Western theoretical and practical ways of knowing. The comparative analysis presented in this paper provides critical insights into new approaches to theoretical and methodological developments that inform the discipline, with the aim to inspire and encourage wider debate in international communication field across cultures.

Commentary: In a global context of national security anxiety, governments across the world are passing an increasing number of laws in response to terror-related threats. Often, national security laws undermine media freedom and infringe on democratic principles and basic human rights. Threats to media freedom and abuse of journalists are also increasing in Melanesia. This commentary argues that in a regional context of repetitive political coups, failures in governance, high levels of corruption, insurrections, or even media crises, the tensions between national security legislation and media freedom need to be examined cautiously. The authors suggest that strong methodological and theoretical frameworks that allow for serious consideration of cultural practices and protocols will be necessary to conduct research examining these tensions in Melanesia.