Fatima El-Issawi

Fatima El-Issawi is a Reader in journalism and media studies at the University of Essex, Department of Literature, Film and Theatre Studies. She is an active researcher focusing on media, politics, and conflict in transitional contexts to democracy in North Africa.

Her primary research interests include:

• Journalism in conflict zones
• Media and political change
• Transitions to democracy in North Africa
• Arab media landscape

Dr. El-Issawi has been leading empirical comparative research projects since 2012 on the interplay between media and political change across Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, Libya and Algeria. Her work examines how journalistic practices communicate conflicts during periods of political transition, particularly focusing on the Arab Spring.

She serves as the principal investigator for the research project 'Media and Transitions to Democracy: Journalistic Practices in Communicating Conflicts: The Arab Spring', funded by the British Academy's Sustainable Development Programme.

Before her academic career, Dr. El-Issawi gained extensive practical experience with over fifteen years as an international correspondent in conflict zones throughout the Middle East and North Africa region.