Enhancing Media and Information Literacy for Peace and Global Understanding Through Scientific Research: Deciphering the Relationship between News Agenda, Political Agenda and Public Opinion
Abstract
The promotion of Media and Information Literacy (MIL) has become a fundamental imperative for 21st-Century education. In a globalized landscape where information flows are increasingly complex, equipping university students with technical skills is no longer sufficient; there is an urgent need to anchor their learning in a robust theoretical and research-driven framework. This approach is not merely pedagogical but also serves as a prerequisite for fostering inclusive peace and knowledge societies. The aim of this article is two-fold: to present the evolving concepts of MIL in the digital age and to introduce an enhanced theory-based level of MIL. Taking the “War on Terror” as a case study, this qualitative analysis revisits the Agenda-Setting Theory in its relation to the political agenda and public opinion. A systematic alignment is found between the political and news agendas, confirming the high efficiency of the latter in shaping public perception during the Iraq War. The findings demonstrate that the news agenda was largely subordinated to government narratives, creating a “top-down” information flow where the media adopted political terminology, including the “War on Terror” itself, to transform a political construct into a perceived social reality. This process was reinforced by the use of binary framing, which reduced complex geopolitical issues to simplified “us versus them” dichotomies, thereby heightening public anxiety and normalizing military interventions as the primary response to conflict. Furthermore, the study identifies a significant pattern of “agenda-cutting,” where the deliberate omission of contexts and voices reinforced cross-cultural illiteracy. By prioritizing fear over accuracy and cultural understanding, the media failed to provide the necessary public sphere for deliberation, ultimately proving that without the integration of Media and Information Literacy strategies, the synergy between political and media agendas will continue to marginalise peaceful alternatives and reinforce global political polarization.
Keywords
Media and Information Literacy, inclusive peace, global understanding, critical news literacy, agenda-setting theoryReferences
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