The mental well-being of journalists is shaped by the complex interplay of professional demands, exposure to safety risks, and the ongoing need for resilience in high-pressure environments. Despite increasing scholarly attention to this issue (e.g., Belair-Gagnon et al., 2024; Bradley & Heywood, 2024; Shah et al., 2024; Storm, 2024), awareness and understanding of journalists’ mental well-being remain limited (Deuze, 2025; Ogunyemi & Price, 2023; Pearson & Seglins, 2022). Academic and industry discussions on the subject are still developing, with research primarily emerging from psychology (MacDonald et al., 2024) and focusing mainly on the Global North. While journalists in the Global South often align with Western journalistic values and practices (Shah et al., 2024), they operate in contexts defined by violence, authoritarian governance, and resource constraints—factors that heighten stress, trauma, and ethical dilemmas while shaping their professional realities. These challenges highlight the need for more regionally inclusive research and targeted support to better address the mental health burdens unique to these environments. Despite these concerns, mental well-being remains largely overlooked in journalism education globally, with many educators lacking the necessary training to tackle this critical issue. As a result, journalists enter the field unprepared for its psychological demands. This gap is particularly noticeable in the Global South, where increased risks, systemic challenges, and limited institutional support worsen mental health issues. Addressing these disparities is crucial for fostering resilience and equipping journalists with the tools to navigate their work effectively. This edited volume aims to broaden the discourse on journalists’ mental well-being by incorporating interdisciplinary perspectives and amplifying voices from the Global South. It seeks to contribute to theory-building and practical solutions tailored to the unique challenges that journalists in the Global South face, ensuring that mental well-being becomes an integral part of discussions on journalism practice, policy, and education.
Call for proposals: IAMCR Pre-Conference: Emotions and Journalism in Today's Dynamic Communication Landscape
IAMCR Pre-Conference: Emotions and Journalism in Today’s Dynamic Communication Landscape Aligned with the forthcoming Handbook of Journalism and Emotions: Theory,...