Assist. Prof. Dr.
Huri Yontucu
Assist. Prof. Dr. Huri Yontucu was born in 1990 in Nicosia. After completing her undergraduate and master’s degrees in psychology, she earned her PhD in Communication and Media Studies in 2022 with a dissertation titled “The Role of Social Psychological Barriers of Journalists for Enhancing Sustainable Peace in Cyprus”. This study was awarded the “Academic Work that Contributed to Journalism” by the Turkish Cypriot Journalists Association in 2022.
In 2023, she completed her postdoctoral research at the University of Limerick, Ireland, investigating how the socio-psychological processes of Catholic and Protestant journalists in Northern Ireland influence their peace journalism attitudes. In July–August 2024, she participated in the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) on “Countering Disinformation Through Fact-Checking” during an educational visit to the United States.
In the same year, she served as project coordinator for “Combating Disinformation by Raising Awareness of Media Literacy among Individuals Residing in the northern part of Cyprus,” initiated by the Turkish Cypriot Journalists Association. She also worked as a project assistant in the EU-supported initiative “Research for Developing Common Ideas on Constitutional Issues in Cyprus.”
Her research interests include peace journalism, media literacy, disinformation, social psychology, and media and public perception. She has published SSCI-indexed journal articles, book chapters, and conference papers, integrating peace journalism with media literacy in her academic work.
Yontucu teaches courses such as media literacy, media psychology, social psychology, creative and critical thinking, game design psychology, innovative approaches in communication, investigative journalism, media skills, and writing techniques. Her teaching emphasises critical thinking, ethical media engagement, and peace-oriented communication within an interdisciplinary and participatory framework.
She is also actively engaged as a peace activist and academic in civil society initiatives focusing on reconciliation, peacebuilding, and reunification in Cyprus.