Everette E. Dennis has long been a leading figure in circles where journalism education and institution building intersect in America. Now his constituents in the Middle East are finding out what it is that explains Mr. Dennis's unusual — even legendary — status. It is entirely possible that the educator will turn his focus next to India, perhaps collaborating with already established journalism institutions.
Four years ago, he created the 140-year-old Northwestern University's first overseas campus in the Qatari capital of Doha; the Illinois-based university whose specialties include a journalism institution, offers communications and journalism with supporting liberal arts work. The programme is for undergraduates at the moment, but aspires to graduate courses as well as executive and mid-career education, and research.
You might think that such a programme, typical at many U.S. universities, would be viewed as being not suitable in the Middle East. While more and more countries in this region of 365 million people — spread over 23 countries — are inviting prestigious American and British institutions of learning to open outposts, somehow journalism has not been a priority; these Middle East countries seem to yearn more for business and management programmes. Why? Because journalism is not perceived as a career that would be financially enriching.
Enter Everette Dennis. As founding director of the erstwhile Gannett Center for Media Studies, the first institute of advanced study of media and technological change in the world — based at Columbia University in New York City — the Centre drew important players from the media world; they produced problem-solving projects, books, and media experiments under Mr. Dennis's stewardship. Some 150 of the U.S. and world's top media scholars and professionals were in residence at Columbia during his 12-year tenure.
Mr. Dennis felt that such journalistic research and training might be extended to the Middle East, where newspapers were lively but coverage was generally subject to strict State scrutiny. Moreover, journalism education was virtually non-existent. Perhaps this lack reflected a cultural perception that journalism was less attractive as a profession than business, or the law, or medicine.
“The opportunity to become part of Qatar Education City came to Northwestern about time the university decided to develop its Middle Eastern studies programmes and in the midst of enthusiasm about globalisation,” Mr. Dennis told me in an interview during a brief visit to Dubai the other day.
The first graduating class will receive its bachelor's degree in a couple of months. At the moment, Northwestern's school is housed in the Carnegie Mellon building; its own 350,000 sq. ft. structure is under construct. And who are the students? About 40 per cent are Qataris; others are from some 25 countries in the Middle East, South Asia, Africa, and Europe, even China.
The contact email address for prospective applicants is e-dennis@northwestern.edu.
Mr. Dennis is author of 45 books including some texts and technical work on media law, for example. He has also produced some 200 academic articles and scores of monographs including reports on the media of Latin American, East Central Europe and East Asia. His focus has always been on connecting the systematic work of the academy with the rich experience of media industries and related fields with special affection for journalism.
The idea of a new digital and global media school, respectful of traditions and values and benefitting for the best of world knowledge, but with an Arabic accent and purpose — this is the model that Everette Dennis is seeking to create in the Middle East.
“This is a chance for great collaboration and innovation virtually unknown in the West. And seeing that our goal is more than to train journalists, which itself is noble and worthy, but to contribute to the talent bench for Qatar, the region and the global community. And add to this the full expectation that such a talent bench will soon help shape a leadership cadre. There is a passion, purpose and the will to achieve so much here in Doha. What some might see as a dramatic transition, I see as the adventure of a lifetime,” Mr. Dennis said.
Next stop: India and the rest of South Asia. And, of course, Dubai.
The writer is author of the bestselling Dubai: The Making of a Megapolis (Penguin-Viking).
He can be reached at pranaygupte@gmail.com
