Sameera Ahmed

The increasing presence of fake news and misinformation in the contemporary digital media landscape is of concern to practitioners, educators, policy makers, and the public alike. Whilst the existence of fake news is not new, audiences are aware that the ‘quality’ of information that poses as being factual has changed significantly and is experienced more often in our digital culture. Using the results of a survey (n = 435) this paper examines how young news consumers in the UAE are applying news literacy knowledge and skills to identify and manage incorrect news and information. By regarding this audience as having digital agency, the results of the study demonstrate how they apply aspects of the 5As of media literacy education to fake news and misinformation. The findings contribute to our understanding of how specific news literacy behaviors (NLBs), such as evaluating sources, verifying news content, and sharing responsibly can minimize exposure to and mitigate the impact of fake news.

Upon admission to university, students are expected to have the foundational academic skills for navigating higher education and succeed in their studies. One fundamental academic skill that is increasingly required is digital literacy. Although attention needs to be paid to students’ digital access, skills, and attitudes, these need to be observed in the context of institutional digital provisions and practices. Institutional settings drive digital teaching and learning practice. This case study analyses data from interviews with faculty and administration staff at a university delivering English-medium instruction (EMI) programs. It identifies why stakeholders need to overcome disparities and facilitate a university-wide digital literacy framework (DLF) that reflects the developmental needs of students, the experience of faculty members, and the provision afforded by the institution itself. The findings show that by using staff’s understanding, experience and practices, a relevant DLF for improving students’ digital literacy skills can be developed in this and other EMI contexts.

Background: Malnutrition in under five children is prevalent in our country. It makes them prone to infections and increases child mortality. This can be controlled by identifying and modifying the predisposing factors. Objective: To assess nutritional status and to analyze the influence of various demographic factors on nutritional status of under five children. Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Shifa Falahi and Community Health center in Islamabad. Children under five years of age were included. Information was collected from mothers on a self-designed questionnaire. Weight and height of children was recorded and classified according to WHO Z score. Data was evaluated on SPSS 20. Univariate analysis was done to determine independent effect of each predictor on outcome. Results: Total of 280 patients were enrolled. 162 (57. 9%) of them were malnourished. Stunting was seen in 24.6% cases, while 26.1% were underweight. Wasting was seen in 19.6% cases. More males were stunted (27.9%) and underweight (27.27%) as compared to females (21.2%) and (24.8%) respectively. Low household income (p value 0.014), poor maternal education (p value 0.018), joint family system (0.002), unboiled drinking water (0.008) and repeated diarrheas (0.02) were found significantly associated with malnutrition. Most of the mothers (>75%) had adequate knowledge of breast feeding, vaccination, seeking medical advice for their babies. Conclusion: All forms of childhood malnutrition are prevalent. Poor socioeconomic status and maternal illiteracy are strong contributors towards malnutrition. Unboiled drinking water and diarrheas are further aggravating the nutritional status of children.

Review of: Graphic Migrations: Precarity and Gender in India and the Diaspora, Kavita Daiya (2020) Philadelphia, PA: Temple University Press, 258 pp., ISBN 978-1-43992-025-1, p/bk, $34.95

A crucial area in which information overload is experienced is news consumption. Ever increasing sources and formats are becoming available through a combination of traditional and new (digital) media, including social media. In such an information and media rich environment, understanding how people access and manage news during a global health epidemic like COVID-19 becomes even more important. The designation of the current situation as an infodemic has raised concerns about the quality, accuracy and impact of information. Instances of misinformation are commonplace due, in part, to the speed and pervasive nature of social media and messaging applications in particular. This paper reports on data collected using media diaries from 15 university students in the United Arab Emirates documenting their news consumption in April 2020. Faced with a potentially infinite amount of information and news, participants demonstrate how they are managing news overload (MNO) using a number of complementary strategies. Results show that while consumption patterns vary, all diaries indicate that users’ ability to navigate the news landscape in a way that fulfils their needs is influenced by news sources; platform reliability and verification; sharing activity; and engagement with news.

(2019). High-tech housewives: Indian IT workers, gendered labor, and transmigration. Ethnic and Racial Studies. Ahead of Print.

(2018). Securitized citizens: Canadian Muslims’ experiences of race relations and identity formation post-9/11. Ethnic and Racial Studies. Ahead of Print.

Debates about Islamic veiling practices often focus on legal aspects of wearing the hijab and niqab and the recent banning, actual and proposed, of the veil in several countries has received substantial media coverage. This ethnographic research paper adds to the discussion by providing insight into the views of women from the Sultanate of Oman, using questionnaire and interview data to examine their understanding of and beliefs about laws relating to veiling practices in Oman and in other countries. The research also explores Omani women’s views on the niqab, which has dominated much of the global media debate. The results indicate that Omani women typically believe that veiling practices should not be mandated by a legal framework but reflect personal choice rooted in Islamic notions of piety and respect and that non-Muslim countries should respect women’s freedom to dress according to their religious beliefs.

(2018). The cultural politics of U.S. immigration: gender, race and media. Ethnic and Racial Studies: Vol. 41, No. 8, pp. 1476-1478.