Peter Laufer, School of Journalism and Communication

Portrait of Peter Laufer

Peter Laufer, James N. Wallace Chair of Journalism

Professor
Practice Areas: Conflict Zones, Ethics, Organic Food, Borders, Private Zoos, Exotic Animals

Faculty bio | Research website | (541) 346-2109 | Twitter

Peter Laufer is an academic expert in ethics, especially related to organic food and GMO labeling, borders, migration, reporting in conflict zones and journalistic integrity. He can also speak about private zoos and the world of exotic animal trade. At the University of Oregon, he is the co-director of the UNESCO Crossings Institute for Intercultural Dialogue and Conflict-Sensitive Reporting. He is an award-winning broadcaster, documentarian and journalist. His career takes him all over the world. He covered the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and the wars in Central America for NBC Radio, and reported for CBS Radio as the Berlin Wall fell. 

Peter has published several books, including an investigative book on the lack of reliability with organic labeling titled “Organic: A Journalist's Quest to Discover the Truth behind Food Labeling.” and "No Animals Were Harmed: The Controversial Line Between Entertainment and Abuse."

Recent Media:
LA Progressive Live: Will We Ever Address Immigration? (LA Progressive, Aug. 22, 2022)
Opinion: Could genetically modified milkweed save the monarch butterfly? (The Globe and Mail, July 29, 2022)
SOJC experts weigh in on media coverage of Ukraine war (Around the O, March 14, 2022)
How a Fourth Grader in 1960 Inspired College Students in 2019 (The New York Times, May 6, 2021)
Opinion: As a lifelong news addict, I decided to kick the habit (The Globe and Mail, Sept. 4, 2020)
The wild world of America's private zoos (CNN Travel, April 8, 2020)
The death of two conservationists reveals the dangerous world of monarch butterflies (The Globe and Mail, Feb. 7, 2020)
Does the media talking about war make it more likely? (Deseret News, Jan. 10, 2020) 
Peter Laufer’s new book will have readers ‘Dreaming in Turtle’ (The Register-Guard, Dec. 2, 2018)
The Dirt on 'Organic' Food: You May Be Paying for Fakes (NerdWallet, Dec. 2017) 
7 ways your grocery list can be a ballot for positive change (EcoWatch, June 4, 2015)
Imported organics, particularly from China, cloud "pesticide-free" image (Newsday, June 1, 2015)
The danger of uncritical nostalgia (OPINION) (The Oregonian, May 16, 2015)
Out & About: Are organic labels fact or fiction? (Coast Weekend, April 30, 2015)
Can you trust that organic label on imported food? (National Public Radio, July 23, 2014)
Organic food’s dirty secret: What the “seductive” label fails to tell you (Salon, July 19, 2014)
Laufer: Grocery shopping? Don't fall for organic food Myths (Newsday, June 21, 2014)
Five myths about organic food (The Washington Post, June 20, 2014)
World Radio Day (UNESCO, Jan. 15, 2014)
Raising lions, tigers and bears in suburbia (Oh my!) (National Public Radio, July 15, 2010)
The dangerous world of butterflies (PopMatters, April 19, 2010)
VIDEO: Peter Laufer (The Daily Show, June 17, 2009)