Kohima: A two-day international conference on “Media, Populism and Democracy” commenced at Nagaland University on Thursday.
Organised by the Department of Political Science in collaboration with the Centre for Southeast Asian Studies, Vice-Chancellor Prof. Jagadish K. Patnaik graced the event as the Chief Guest.
The inaugural session was chaired by Prof. John H. Sema from the Department of Political Science, with the welcome address delivered by Dr. Shasanka Sekhar Pati, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science. Dr. Pati highlighted the importance of public oversight in ensuring independent media operate responsibly in a democratic society.
In his keynote address, Prof. Shashi Shekhar Singh from the University of Delhi’s Department of Political Science explored the theme of media, populism, and democracy.
He emphasised that while democracy is a system of governance and populism is a political approach addressing the people directly, media plays a crucial role in shaping both. He classified media into three categories: state-controlled, corporate-controlled, and people-controlled.
While most countries have corporate-controlled media, he pointed out the growing nexus between the state and corporate entities. Stressing the importance of an informed electorate, he said media must extract and present the truth to the public. He also warned that misinformation distorts democratic processes, citing historical and contemporary examples to support his argument.
Vice-Chancellor Prof. Jagadish K. Patnaik, in his address, spoke on the evolution of media and its impact on society. He asserted that a thriving democracy requires a strong civil society, responsible political leadership, and independent media.
The session concluded with a vote of thanks from Dr. G. Chandra Sekaran, Assistant Professor at the Centre for Southeast Asian Studies, Nagaland University. The program was attended by university deans, heads of departments, officers, staff, research scholars, and postgraduate students. Dr. Neizhanuo Golmei, Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, compered the event.
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