Legal culture constitutes the cornerstone for building a society that respects rights and duties and understands its legal boundaries in individual and institutional dealings. Although law is considered a binding system, its effectiveness increases proportionally with the citizen’s awareness of its contents. Herein lies the crucial role of media and education as two pivotal tools in spreading legal awareness and instilling a culture of adherence to the law—not out of fear of punishment, but out of conscious awareness and belonging to the public interest. This article explores the impact of media and education in consolidating legal culture, while analyzing the challenges and opportunities inherent in this field.
Legal culture refers to individuals’ knowledge of the basic legal rules that govern their daily affairs. It includes understanding constitutional rights and duties, familiarity with fundamental principles of civil, criminal, labor, and personal status laws, and awareness of judicial and justice mechanisms. Its importance lies in building an aware citizen who is not legally exploited, strengthening the relationship between the citizen and state institutions, and promoting social peace through respect for the law.
The role of education in spreading legal culture is carried out through schools and universities by instilling legal principles from early stages, which enhances respect for order and civil discipline. This occurs through teaching subjects such as “Civic Education” or “Rights and Duties,” which reinforce awareness of legal citizenship. Additionally, non-specialized legal education involves introducing simplified legal concepts into non-legal curricula (such as economics or sociology), organizing workshops and training programs for various social groups, and promoting continuous education that raises awareness among employees, youth, women, and the elderly about their newly acquired legal rights.
However, there are challenges hindering this impact, such as weak integration of legal culture into curricula, the predominance of abstract theoretical approaches without connecting them to daily life, and a lack of specialized competencies to simplify the law for the general public free of charge.
The media’s role in enhancing legal culture takes place through several means, including traditional media (television, radio, newspapers) by offering legal programs, interviews with legal experts, and legal coverage of public events. It also involves digital media and social media platforms through the spread of educational legal pages, awareness videos, and legal podcasts, ensuring rapid and broad access, especially for youth. Legal drama and cinema also contribute by presenting law in an attractive and impactful way, simplifying legal concepts.
Nevertheless, these efforts face challenges such as superficial or sometimes misleading presentation of legal concepts, whether intentionally or unintentionally due to lack of legal expertise and poor quality of information, coupled with a desire for visibility on social media. Media may also be used to mislead public opinion legally, particularly in controversial political or criminal cases, and there is a lack of coordination between official legal entities and media outlets.
There can be synergy between media and education in spreading legal culture, based on the premise that education establishes theoretical understanding while media enhances practical application and public awareness. Cooperation between the ministries of justice, education, and media can produce comprehensive national programs for legal education, supported by investing in educational legal media through interactive platforms and digital visual materials.
Examples of pioneering models include France’s experience of incorporating legal principles into basic education curricula since the 1980s, and Morocco and Tunisia’s weekly radio and television programs explaining new laws to citizens in simplified language. Civil society organizations also play a significant role by organizing seminars, media campaigns, and distributing legal booklets in local communities to achieve this goal.
In conclusion, media and education form the wings of legal awareness in any society striving for good governance and effective citizenship. Without understanding the law, citizens become vulnerable to exploitation and violation, and the legal system loses its ability to achieve actual justice. Therefore, state investment in media and legal education is not a luxury option but a strategic necessity to build a cohesive, stable society based on the rule of law.
Dr. Jumana Jassim Al-Asadi, Member of Al-Naba’a Forum for Dialogue, Lecturer at the University of Karbala
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