Mary I Dundon

Relationship between journalists and politiciansI took sabbatical leave in the AY 20162017 to start my research the relationship between journalists and politicians in three countries - Italy, the UK and Ireland between 2012 and 2017.The aim of this research is to do a PhD by publication of a number of journal articles on this topic that will be submitted to City University in London by 2021.During my sabbatical leave I worked in the Department of Politics at the University of Bologna in Italy carrying out research for my first journal article - the relationship between Italian journalists and politicians between 2012 and 2017.I am currently writing up this journal article and I will present my findings at the European Communications Research and Education Association (ECREA) conference in Lugano, Switzeraland in 2018.Following my presentation of these findings at the ECREA conference I will submit a journal article on the same topic to the journal: Journalism: Theory, Practice and Criticism, edited by Howard Thumber, City University, London, UKand Ann Barbie Zelizer, University of Pennsylvania, USA ( Sage).In 2018, I will research the second journal article on the same research question this time focusing on the relationship between journalists and politicians in the UK. In 2019, I will research a third journal article on the same research question focusing on the relationship between journalists and politicians in Ireland. In 2020, I intend to publish a fourth journal article entitled: Political Correspondents and Compromise: A Comparative Study, Ireland and the UK 2012- 2017.   In 2021, I propose to research a fifth journal article on the same topic, entitled: Political Correspondents and Compromise: A Comparative Study, Ireland and Italy 2012. 2017.All these journal articles will be submitted to the journal: Journalism: Theory, Practice and Criticism, edited by Howard Thumber, City University, London, UK and Anne Barbie Zelizer, University of Pennsylvania, USA, ( Sage). I will also submit the comparative study on the relationship between journalists and politicians in Ireland and Italy to the Irish Communications Review, Dublin Institute of Technology.  

andlt;andlt; My main teaching interests are News Reporting and Investigative Journalism. Every journalism student needs a good grounding in news reporting skills to become a professional journalist.The students have developed the basic news writing skills in one semester to produce a newspaper for disadvantaged communities living areas designated for regeneration.I also teach the students the specialised skills needed to report from courts and public body meetings, like local councils and the Dail. The students are assessed on their ability to report from local courts and council meetings within a set deadline.The investigative journalism module that I teach develops the students critical thinking and research skills in the use of public documents and the Freedom of Information Act.I also teach the Current Issues in Irish Media module where I bring leading editors from the Irish print, broadcasting and online media to UL to talk to the students about the topical current affairs issue of the day. This is also a good networking opportunity for the students to meet editors and pitch their stories and explore future employment prospects.