Dr Levi Obijiofor
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Background:
Levi Obijiofor’s research activities focus on the impact of new technologies on journalistic practices across cultures, International news flow and news coverage, Journalism education and practice, as well as media representations of ethnic minorities and less privileged people. He is currently a member of the editorial board of Ecquid Novi: African Journalism Studies.
Levi has taught postgraduate and undergraduate classes across a range of journalism and communication courses and has successfully supervised PhD, Masters and Honours students.
He has published in a range of peer-reviewed journalism and communication journals. His latest co-authored book – Journalism Across Cultures: An Introduction (with Dr Folker Hanusch) – was published in September 2011 by Palgrave MacMillan (UK).
Qualifications:
- Graduate Certificate in Education (Higher Education), The University of Queensland, Brisbane (2000).
- PhD (Communication), Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane (1995).
- MBus (Communication), Queensland Institute of Technology (now Queensland University of Technology), Brisbane (1988).
- MSc (Mass Communication), University of Lagos, Nigeria (1985).
- BSC, FIRST CLASS Hons. (Mass Communication), University of Lagos, Nigeria (1982).
Research Interests:
- Impact of new technologies on journalistic practices across cultures
- International news flow and news coverage
- Journalism education and practice
- Media representations of ethnic minorities, refugees and less privileged people.
Interested in studying for your PhD or MPhil?
Dr Obijiofor is currently taking expressions of interest from potential RHD candidates. Contact him here to register your interest.
Methodological Expertise:
- Ethnographic research (personal interviews, personal observations, historical document analysis)
- Content analysis, including textual analysis
- Survey
Research Higher Degree Supervision
Current RHD Supervisions
- Annie Ahad Dayani Abdullah: Mobile phone use among Bruneian teenagers; Principal Advisor – Dr Levi Obijiofor; Associate Advisor – Dr Nic Carah.
- Seamogano Mosanako: Television in Botswana: Development and Policy Perspectives; Principal Advisor -- Dr Levi Obijiofor; Associate Advisor – Associate Professor Eric Louw.
- Thi Hoa Tran: Role of the media in the social and cultural transformation of Vietnam; Principal Advisor -- Dr Levi Obijiofor; Associate Advisor – Associate Professor Eric Louw.
- Shailendra Singh: Using Media for Peace-building and Integration in Fiji: Developing a Conceptual Framework for Intervention; Principal Advisor -- Dr Levi Obijiofor; Associate Advisor – Associate Professor Pradip Thomas.
- Fouad Boges: Understanding the cultural influence on Saudi Arabian people’s representation in social networking sites and their communication behaviour pattern; Principal Advisor – Dr Levi Obijiofor; Associate Advisor – Dr Nic Carah.
- Elizabeth Jane Fynes-Clinton: News breakers and shapers: An investigation into the relationships between journalists and government media officers and their ramifications; Principal Advisor – Dr Levi Obijiofor; Associate Advisor – Dr Nic Carah.
- Martin Hadlow: A political and social history of radio broadcasting in Solomon Islands, South West Pacific; Principal Advisor – Professor Clive Moore; Associate Advisor -- Dr Levi Obijiofor.
- Ala'a Bakur Ali Alshaikh: The effect of the process of Saudaisation (Nitaqat) on interpersonal communication between expatriates and local employees in Saudi workplaces; Principal Advisor – Dr Levi Obijiofor; Associate Advisor – TBA.
Completed RHD Supervisions
- Stephen Lamble: Computer-Assisted Reporting in English speaking countries other than the United States; Principal Advisor – Dr Levi Obijiofor.
- Folker Hanusch: The coverage of death in the foreign news of German and Australian quality newspapers; Principal Advisor – Dr Levi Obijiofor; Associate Advisor – Professor Jan Servaes.
- Nerawi Sedu: An analysis of Islamic conceptualisations of press freedom in Malaysia; Principal Advisor -- Dr Levi Obijiofor; Associate Advisor – Associate Professor Pradip Thomas.
- Tokunbo Ojo: Global Information Society for all? International Influence and the formation of African Information Society Initiatives (AISI); Principal Advisor – Dr Levi Obijiofor; Associate Advisor – Professor Jan Servaes.
- Inez Mahony: Constructing Indonesian Islam in the context of the ‘War on Terror’; Principal Advisor -- Dr Levi Obijiofor; Associate Advisor – Associate Professor Eric Louw.
- Usha Manchanda: Pay TV and its impact on news audience; Principal Advisor – Dr Chris Lawe Davies; Associate Advisor -- Dr Levi Obijiofor.
- Peggy Tsai: Sustained competitive advantage of news organisations: Research on the human resource management of Taiwan’s media groups; Principal Advisor – Dr Chris Lawe Davies; Associate Advisor -- Dr Levi Obijiofor.
Selected Publications (refereed):
Books
Obijiofor, Levi and Folker Hanusch (2011) Journalism Across Cultures: An Introduction. Basingstoke, London: Palgrave Macmillan.
Book chapters (refereed)
Obijiofor, Levi (2012) “Death of the gatekeeper: Foreign news reporting and public sphere participation in Africa,” in Judith Clarke and Michael Bromley (eds.) International News in the Digital Age: East-West Perceptions of A New World Order. London: Routledge, pp. 41-59.
Obijiofor, Levi (2011) “New technologies as tools of empowerment: African youth and public sphere participation,” in Herman Wasserman (ed.) Popular Media, Democracy and Development in Africa. London: Routledge, pp. 207-219.
Obijiofor, Levi (2010) “ICTs as tools of empowerment: How Indigenous people in a remote Canadian community are harnessing new technologies,” in Nnamdi T. Ekeanyanwu and Chinedu I.O. Okeke (eds.) Indigenous Societies and Cultural Globalization in the 21st Century: Is the Global Village Truly Real? Saarbrücken, Germany: VDM Publishing, pp. 92-112.
Obijiofor, Levi (2006) “Indigenous knowledge in the age of new technologies: whose knowledge?” in Thomas, Pradip & Jan Servaes (eds.) (2006), Intellectual Property Rights and Communications in Asia: Conflicting Traditions. Sage, New Delhi-ThousandOaks-London, pp. 103-115.
Obijiofor, Levi (2002) “The telephone – Africa’s future in the age of technology,” in Inayatullah, Sohail and Susan Leggett (eds.) Transforming communication: Technology, sustainability, and future generations. Westport, Connecticut: Praeger Publishers, pp. 66-75.
Journal articles (refereed)
Hebbani, Aparna; Obijiofor, Levi and Helen Bristed (in press, 2011) “Acculturation challenges that confront Sudanese former refugees in Australia,” Journal of Intercultural Communication.
Obijiofor, Levi (2010) “Press coverage of HIV/AIDS in Nigeria and the socio-cultural barriers that inhibit media coverage,” China Media Research, 6(4): 24-31.
Hebbani, Aparna; Obijiofor, Levi and Helen Bristed (2010) “Intercultural communication challenges confronting female Sudanese former refugees in Australia,” The Australasian Review of African Studies (ARAS), 31(1): 37-61, June.
Obijiofor, Levi (2009) “Mapping theoretical and practical issues in the relationship between ICTs and Africa’s socioeconomic development,” Telematics and Informatics, 26(1): 32-43.
Obijiofor, Levi (2009) “Journalism in the digital age: The Nigerian press framing of the Niger Delta conflict,” Ecquid Novi: African Journalism Studies, 30(2): 175-203.
Obijiofor, Levi (2009) “Is bad news from Africa good news for Western media?” Journal of Global Mass Communication, 2(3/4): 38-54.
Hanusch, Folker; Obijiofor, Levi and Zala Volcic (2009) “Theoretical and practical issues in team teaching a large undergraduate class,” International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (IJTLHE), 21(1): 66-74.
Hebbani, Aparna; Obijiofor, Levi and Helen Bristed (2009) “Generational differences faced by Sudanese refugee women settling in Australia,” Intercultural Communication Studies, XVIII(1): 66-82.
Hanusch, Folker and Levi Obijiofor (2008) “Toward a more holistic analysis of international news flows,” Journal of Global Mass Communication, 1(1/2): 9-21, Winter/Spring.
Obijiofor, Levi (2008) “Africa’s socioeconomic development in the age of new technologies: Exploring issues in the debate,” Africa Media Review, 16(2): 1-9.
Obijiofor, Levi (2007) “Mass media, socio-cultural factors and rural development: A study of two Nigerian communities,” Journal of Development Communication, 18(2): 38-57, December.
Servaes, Jan and Levi Obijiofor (2007) “Questions related to Indigenous cultures and diffusion of innovations. Introductory observations,” International Journal of Agricultural Resources, Governance and Ecology, Special Issue -- Indigenous Cultures and Diffusion of Innovations, 6(6): 593-599.
Kwansah-Aidoo, Kwamena and Levi Obijiofor (2006) “Patterns of Internet use among university students in Ghana,” in Ayadi, K.O. (ed.) African Development: What role for business? Proceedings of the International Academy of African Business and Development Conference, Vol. 7. Accra, Ghana (23-27 May 2006): Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration, pp. 359-365.
Selected Presentations
Conference papers (refereed)
Obijiofor, Levi and Folker Hanusch (2010) “Students’ perceptions and use of the Internet as a news channel.” Paper presented at the Second World Journalism Education Congress, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa, 5-7 July 2010.
Obijiofor, Levi (2009) “Perceptions and use of Internet and email technologies by Nigerian university undergraduate students.” Paper presented at the African Council for Communication Education (ACCE) conference – Communication Education and Practice in Africa: A Social Contract for the 21st Century? – University of Ghana, Accra, 11-13 August 2009.
Obijiofor, Levi and Folker Hanusch (2009) “New technologies and foreign news reporting: Marriage of (in)convenience?” Paper submitted for presentation at the international conference -- The Changing World of International News in the 21st Century: The Impact of Digital Technology – Hong Kong Baptist University, 14-16 April 2009.
Hebbani, Aparna; Obijiofor, Levi and Helen Bristed (2009) “Intercultural communication problems and intergenerational issues that confront Sudanese refugees in Australia.” Paper presented at the Australia and New Zealand Communication Association (ANZCA) Conference -- Communication, Creativity and Global Citizenship – Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia, 8-10 July 2009.
Obijiofor, Levi (2008) “ ‘Objectivity’ and ‘Subjectivity’ in the Nigerian press coverage of the Niger Delta conflict,” Conference of the African Council for Communication Education (ACCE), Delta State University, Abraka, Nigeria, August 5-9, 2008.
Kwansah-Aidoo, Kwamena and Levi Obijiofor (2006) “Patterns of Internet use among university students in Ghana,” International Academy of African Business and Development Conference: African Development: What role for business? Accra, Ghana, 23-27 May 2006.
Obijiofor, Levi and Folker Hanusch (2002) “Look who’s talking: International news reporting in the newspapers of developing countries.” Paper presented at the Journalism Education Association (JEA) annual conference -- International news reporting -- 2-6 December 2002, Hong Kong.
Research Grants
2011: Examining refugee employment trajectories and the role of intergenerational communication in enabling settlement. Value of grant: $11,138. Grant scheme: UQ Collaboration and Industry Engagement Fund (CIEF). Investigators: Dr Aparna Hebbani, Dr Levi Obijiofor & Emeritus Professor Cindy Gallois.
2011: Empowering the Sudanese community: A project to improve community relations through a media platform. Value of grant: $6,420.91. Grant scheme: Sudanese Community Association of Queensland, Inc. Investigators: Dr Aparna Hebbani, Dr Kitty van Vuuren & Dr Levi Obijiofor.
2010: Refugees and Employment: Analysis of the experiences of multiple refugee residents in the employment sector. Value of grant: $3,477. Grant scheme: UQ FirstLink Scheme. Investigators: Dr Aparna Hebbani & Dr Levi Obijiofor.
