Rashad Mammadov started teaching journalism courses at UFV last year, and has big plans in mind for journalism at UFV. Next fall, Mammadov will start running an investigative journalism course as part of the communications department’s initiative to offer a journalism minor. Development for the minor is still in progress but will be progressing to a “university-wide discussion in the coming months,” according to Mammadov.
Tell us about yourself and some of the things you have done in the past.
I am originally from Azerbaijan. I started as a journalist in the late 1990s in my hometown, Baku. A big part of my work was related to the early steps of formation of the school of investigative journalism in my country; it was always one of my main areas of interest.
I started my teaching career in my alma mater, Baku State University in the early 2000s. After a few years my research career path took me to the United States. I started teaching in the U.S., mostly journalism and visual communication-related courses. In 2017 we moved to Boston, and I started a tenure track position at one of the universities in Massachusetts. Last year, I accepted the position of assistant professor in the communications department here at UFV.
What made you decide to come to UFV?
UFV’s premise of student-oriented curriculum is close to my heart. I enjoy academic research, and I am currently working on two projects that look at how Western-oriented mass communications theories function in non-Western societies. However, my true passion in academia has always been teaching students skills and knowledge that would prepare them for the workplace realities and hopefully give them a head start in their careers. UFV’s focus on quality, experiential learning, and community engagement is what I was looking for a long time. When I was offered a position, it was an easy choice.
What made you decide to get into journalism, and why is it important in your opinion?
Journalism is often called “the fourth estate,” one of the pillars of democracy. Journalists hold those in power accountable for their actions. It adds another, very important player into the system of checks and balances and ensures that even if all others go corrupt, there will be someone with the ability, responsibility, and the calling to maintain a functioning democracy.
I come from a country with very specific journalism realities, not commonly observed in Western societies. All of the benefits of free speech that Canadians take for granted we had to struggle for. I started my career in the times when journalism in Azerbaijan was still trying to understand its role in a changing, post-Soviet political and economic system, but it was already helping build a better life for people. So, at the time it felt like the right path.
Are there any personal projects you are working on, either now or in the near future?
I am always sort of in the field. I believe you cannot effectively teach journalism unless you remain attached [to] the newsroom for a long time. I am working with a team of journalists who report on issues of interest in my hometown and occasionally write editorials, mostly on the international politics in the Middle East and former Soviet states. [The] current big project that takes most of my time these days is a textbook on visual communications.
What else would you like to do or see at UFV?
UFV has great potential to create a competitive journalism program. The communications department has a solid foundation of efficient journalism courses. British Columbia experiences a significant shortage of journalists in the newsrooms, but it is a part of a bigger problem of the changing business models in the industry. Newsrooms increasingly rely on freelancers instead of staff reporters. However, no other program in the province helps students specialize in that particular work routine. With slight adaptation of the existing courses, using the journalism minor as a framework, we are in a unique position to fill that gap.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
The best part about being here at UFV is how welcome people around here make you feel. Everyone in the communications department and the university had been nothing but helpful and friendly, which made my transition as smooth as possible. You don’t know what to expect when you start in a new institution, students can be different from what you are used to, but I was impressed by students’ positive attitude, preparedness, and high motivation. UFV, overall, exceeds all my expectations.
Responses were over email, and have been edited for length and clarity.
Photo: Rashad Mammadov
