Amman, Jordan — 9 February 2026

Under the title “17 Years in the Making: The New Era of Story-Based Inquiry,” ARIJ held a special webinar to discuss the substantial updates to the global reference manual in its 2025 edition. The session hosted the manual’s author, Professor and international expert Mark Lee Hunter, in a dialogue moderated by ARIJ Director General Rawan Damen, to review the two-decade evolution of this investigative methodology. The event was attended by more than 75 journalists and academics from more than 20 countries.

The session covered the basics of the “Story-Based Inquiry” book since the release of its first edition in 2009 in cooperation with UNESCO and ARIJ, and its subsequent translation into more than ten languages, including the new manual written in English and translated to Arabic in 2024. Hunter reviewed the manual and highlighted:

From Hypothesis to Impact

The webinar focused on the methodology’s constant core: the “Hypothesis” as a starting point. Hunter emphasized that a hypothesis is not a guess, but a projection based on facts. And referred to: 

• Timelines: As a fundamental tool for building narrative structure and understanding the sequence of events.

• Open Source Intelligence (OSINT): As a hype to expose wrong doing with vast OSINT potentials. The dialogue also touched on the transition from the “lone wolf” journalist to the era of “cross-border collaboration,” and the vital role of project managers in regulating the rhythm of complex investigations.

Quotes from Mark Lee Hunter:

❝Investigative journalism is the only profession where practitioners share their trade secrets with each other; this generosity is the main reason for our community’s growth and development globally.❞

❝If the facts don’t tell you what you want to hear, that doesn’t mean the investigation has failed. It means the facts are trying to tell you another story… you just have to listen to them.❞

Rawan Damen, Director General of ARIJ, highlighted the importance of the launch of the English version with UNESCO, stating:

❝It is a celebratory moment par excellence for journalists of the world; to have the ‘Constitution’ of investigative journalism back on the fronts in both Arabic and English, providing a methodological framework that helps us produce strong and impactful investigations.❞

Participants’ Views

The session witnessed wide interaction from the attendees, who expressed their appreciation for the scientific methodology presented in the manual:

Dr. Suleiman Samir Al-Baswami (Lebanon):
“I was present at the launch of the ARIJ manual nearly 20 years ago, and today I witness how ARIJ and Hunter have transformed the Arab investigative landscape. The session was a reminder that we need to protect ourselves through high professionalism.”

Hanan Zbiss (Tunisia):
“An inspiring explanation that reaffirms the importance of mentorship in our professional lives, and how the right methodology can open horizons for work even in restrictive environments.”

This session comes within the framework of ARIJ’s continuous efforts to empower Arab journalists and equip them with the latest global tools and methodologies, ensuring investigative journalism based on accuracy, documentation, and impact. The webinar evaluation results showed that the overall satisfaction rate reached over 90%.

Supporting Links:

• To download the ARIJ Manual for Arab Investigative Journalism in Arabic [Click Here]
• To download the UNESCO Story-Based Inquiry Manual in English [Click Here]
• To watch the ARIJ Manual session series in Arabic [Click Here]