Bearing Witness: The ethics and practice of conflict reporting in South Sudan

Journalism in situations of conflict is both difficult to undertake successfully and a morally ambivalent form of work. What justifies professionally recording and retelling the stories of others’ suffering?

South Sudan has been in a state of conflict that is estimated to have killed over 380,000 people since 2013, yet the country barely makes international news. Working in an incredibly difficult context, journalists working in South Sudan perform difficult work of bearing witness to some of the worst consequences of this violence.

Conflict journalism can be dangerous, emotionally difficult, and ethically challenging. What does it mean to try to tell stories of others suffering? To whom ought they to be told? And what justifies the journalist’s work in situations of humanitarian emergency and ongoing violence?

In this exhibition, you will get a sense of why reporting on the conflict in South Sudan is hard for both foreign and South Sudanese journalists, how they go about it in practice and their views on what justifies the work that they do.

Just economics and politics? Think again.  While LSE does not teach arts or music, there is a vibrant cultural side to the School - from weekly free music concerts in the Shaw Library, and an LSE orchestra and choir with their own professional conductors, various film, art and photographic student societies, the annual LSE photo prize competition, the LSE Festival and artist-in-residence projects. For more information please view the LSE Arts website.