"Data and data visualisations – in the forms of graphs, charts and maps – are becoming an increasingly important feature of social, public and political life. Yet within existing scholarship, the democratic significance of data visualisations has thus far received minimal attention. This article
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offers a first systematic attempt to make sense of and scrutinise the role of data visualisation in democracy. We apply deliberative systems theory in the analysis of three original case studies to elucidate how data visualisation can integrate into the overall anatomy of democracy, and to normatively assess how data visualisation contributes towards key democratic ideals. Conclusively, we highlight how critical perspectives on power, ideology and epistemology problematise any simplistic account of how data visualisation matters for democracy." (Abstract)
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"Background: The demand for health-related information has increased dramatically in recent years. Media is crucial in reaching health messages to audiences, especially those who are distant and rural. Therefore, the study aimed to assess demands, access, and factors associated with access to health
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messages through mass media in the rural community of Kersa District of East Hararghe, Eastern Ethiopia. A mixed-methods study was conducted from October 15 to November 20, 2020. A quantitative cross-sectional and a qualitative phenomenological study design were applied. A total of 578 participants were included by using a systematic sampling technique. Collected data were entered into Epidata version 3.1 and analyzed using SPSS version 22.0. A multivariate logistic regression analysis model was used and reported using an adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI). Statistical significance was set at p <0.05. For qualitative, six-focused group discussions (FGDs) were used and then analyzed thematically. Results: Overall, the demand of and access to health messages through mass media was 32.5% (95% CI=28.5–34.2%) and 26.6% (95% CI=24.6–28.7%), respectively. Factors such as having electric services (AOR=2.36, 95% CI=2.13–5.41), having a mobile phone (AOR=4.56, 95% CI=4.32–8.73), exposure to TV (AOR=4.73, 95% CI=1.03–11.62), and exposure to social media and printed media (AOR=5.24, 95% CI=1.07–15.63), a preference for programs such as news, current affairs, entertainment, health and educational were 2.37, 9.47, 4.75 and 7.55 times more likely to access health messages (AOR=2.37, 95% CI=1.00–5.61; AOR=9.47, 95% CI=3.54–25.34; AOR=4.75, 95% CI=1.23–18.38; and AOR=7.55, 95% CI=3.12–8.66, respectively). Qualitative findings, participants demand for health messages from health workers, radio, and the main source for accessing the message was the radio. Approximately one in every three and one in every four rural communities in the study area had demand, and access to health messages through mass media, respectively. As a result, all stakeholders should emphasize and strengthen expanding methods of reaching health messages using mass media." (Abstract)
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"Este estudo é realizado dentro da estrutura do Programa de Pesquisa do ifa „Cultura e Política Externa“, no qual especialistas analisam tópicos atuais das relações culturais internacionais e desenvolvem recomendações para futuras medidas de política cultural externa. Ele discute o poten
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cial e os desafios de uma abordagem mais decolonial da cooperação internacional no campo do meio ambiente e das mudanças climáticas, tendo a educação e a cultura como bases e ferramentas para essa cooperação. Este estudo trata especificamente da Política Externa Climática Alemã em relação à região da Amazônia Legal Brasileira. Uma revisão da literatura, entrevistas semiestruturadas e mesas redondas foram realizadas como parte da pesquisa para levar em conta uma visão geral das percepções de diferentes partes interessadas ligadas ao tópico da pesquisa." (Contracapa)
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"This Communication Strategy takes a holistic approach to communication. Additionally, it takes a long-term view in implementing effective ways of influencing discourses within the information environment. The communication strategy underlines the fact that all FAO activities have an important infor
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mation and communications component. As such, communications is not an adjunct or after thought activity but should be embedded in the planning, implementation and review of FAO activities in Yemen. This Communication Strategy is a living and working document, meaning that while it serves to guide overall communication, it is open to changes and adjustments in response to the sudden changes that characterise a fluid situation such as the one obtaining in Yemen. This document guides the office’s annual communication workplan and informs project-specific communication plans developed under projects and programmes implemented by FAO Yemen. The strategy aligns with FAO’s Corporate Communication Guidelines, FAO Yemen’s Plan of Action (2022 – 2024) and FAO’s Hand-in-Hand Initiative efforts to improve knowledge sharing on agricultural best practices, engage in data-driven development work and advance agricultural innovation to help small-scale food producers achieve better production and build better lives. A Communication workplan for 2023 is attached to this strategy document as an annexe. The workplan maps out communication priorities and activities for 2023, taking into consideration operational challenges, needs and gaps as well as the feasibility of communication activities with the available capacity of human resources." (Introduction)
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"The Dóchas Guide to Ethical Communications is a resource for international humanitarian and development non-governmental organisations (NGOs) when designing and implementing their communications. The guidelines are founded on three core values: respect for the dignity of people concerned; belief i
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n the equality of all people; acceptance of the need to promote solidarity, fairness and justice." (Page 3)
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"According to the 2023 World Press Freedom Index rankings by the RSF, India ranks 161 out of 180 countries. One of the important indicators that the index bases the ranking on is the level of violence against the journalists and their overall safety. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Indian governme
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nt cracked down on the press by reprimanding any form of dissent regarding their policies. This has resulted in journalists from various parts of the country being arrested, detained, and harassed. The much-debated Epidemic Diseases Act of 1897 and Disaster Management Act, 2005 were implemented to invoke curbs to contain the spread of coronavirus in India. The paper examines the consequences of the infodemic on the safety of journalists in the context of declining press freedom in the country in the context of the aforementioned acts. The analysis of cases focuses on highlighting how the laws introduced to “contain” the spread of the virus has been used as a tool to gatekeep the truth regarding the implementation of coronavirus policies by way of stifling the voice of journalists. The analysis reveals how various legal, political, and economic factors contribute to the lack of safety of journalists in the country." (Abstract)
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"This study examines the boundaries and limitations of the diffusion of “development journalism” among both the editorial body and the journalist body in the Egyptian newsrooms after the 2011 Arab Spring. Newsrooms under study represent different perspectives including state-owned, private-indep
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endent, and opposition newspapers. Through in-depth interviews with thirty-seven editors in chief and journalists, the authors studied how the editors and journalists at each newspaper define development journalism, whether the diffusion of development journalism follows a top-down or bottom-up approach, and if development journalism could influence the setting of the news agenda. Results show that the differences are not only apparent in the way development journalism is defined inside the different news organizations, but also between managers and journalists within each. Organizational structures and technological developments are as well factors that affect the way development journalism is diffused inside newsrooms." (Abstract)
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"Conspiracy Theories in the Time of Covid-19 provides a wide-ranging analysis of the emergence and development of conspiracy theories during the Covid-19 pandemic, with a focus on the US and the UK. The book combines digital methods analysis of large datasets assembled from social media with politic
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ally and culturally contextualised close readings informed by cultural studies. In contrast to other studies which often have an alarmist take on the "infodemic," it places Covid-19 conspiracy theories in a longer historical perspective. It also argues against the tendency to view conspiracy theories as merely evidence of a fringe or pathological way of thinking. Instead, the starting assumption is that conspiracy theories, including Covid-19 conspiracy theories, often reflect genuine and legitimate concerns, even if their factual claims are wide of the mark. The authors examine the nature and origins of the conspiracy theories that have emerged; the identity and rationale of those drawn to Covid-19 conspiracism; how these conspiracy theories fit within the wider political, economic and technological landscape of the online information environment; and proposed interventions from social media platforms and regulatory agencies." (Publisher description)
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"Measuring disaster resilience from the perspective of long-term recovery ability is important for the planning and construction of urban sustainability, whereas short-term resilient recovery can better reflect a city’s ability to recover quickly after a disaster occurs. This study proposes an ana
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lytical framework for urban disaster recovery and resilience based on social media data that can analyze short-term disaster recovery and assess disaster resilience from the perspectives of infrastructure and people’s psychological states. We consider the downpour in Henan, China, in July 2021. The results show that (1) social media data can effectively reflect short-term disaster recovery, (2) disaster resilience can be assessed using social media data combined with rainfall and damage data, and (3) the framework can quantitatively reflect the differences in disaster recovery and resilience across regions. The findings can facilitate better decision-making in disaster emergency management for precise and effective post-disaster reconstruction and psychological intervention, and provide references for cities to improve disaster resilience." (Abstract)
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"En guise de bilan de notre étude, on note que malgré la pléthore et la diversité des médias au Burkina Faso, comparativement à la taille et la densité de sa population, les sujets sur le climat et l’environnement ne sont pas assez vulgarisés et traités, d’où l’engouement constaté a
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uprès des populations pour les sujets autour d’un projet comme TAT. Cependant, au-delà de tels projets qui démontrent le besoin des populations, notons que les défis sont bien plus grands pour une meilleure prise en compte de l’information climatique et pour une grande accessibilité. En effet, au Burkina Faso, dans un contexte de développement durable, le traitement de l'information climatique et les enjeux environnementaux dans les médias est encore limité et nécessite une plus grande attention. Les médias jouent un rôle crucial dans la sensibilisation et l'éducation des populations sur les enjeux du développement durable, les changements climatiques et leurs impacts. Il est donc important que les médias burkinabè s'engagent davantage dans le traitement de l'information climatique et qu'ils encouragent une plus grande participation des populations à la prise de décision et à l'action climatique." (Conclusion, page 115)
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"The mass media are an important source of information about mental health, yet television shows, news stories, social media posts, and other media fare often perpetuate stereotypes and misunderstandings about mental illness. For 70 years, scholars in media studies, psychology, sociology, and other
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fields have investigated media representations of mental illness and how exposure to media content informs people's beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors related to mental health. Despite the attention, little progress has been made in changing these messages and mitigating negative outcomes. Enter 'Media & Mental Health'. This book flips the issue on its head, examining the question: Can the problem be a solution? Informed by budding lines of research from media studies, psychology, and other fields, this book discusses ways in which television, music, movies, news, social media, and other mass media fare may challenge the stigmatization of mental illness. It contains insight that is valuable for both academic and lay audiences, including "best practices" for mental health professionals, activists, and organizations to help reduce stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination and to improve public understanding of this oft-misunderstood part of the human experience." (Publisher description)
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"This book examines the way in which SDG initiatives have been disseminated by mainstream media, in government discourse and by NGO’s, charitable organisations, and campaign groups. It questions to what extent sustainability narratives are being supported and how they are represented; how saving t
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he environment can be made pertinent to someone who has no access to clean food or running water; and why local initiatives (in which indigenous populations are making a real difference) are overshadowed by multinationals whose attempts to rectify the damage their goods have done gains more credible reportage." (Publisher description)
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"This study aims to examine the impact of Internet development on the urban-rural income gap in China. By using a provincial level panel dataset comprising 31 of China’s provinces, it analyzes and compares the effects of the eastern, central, and western regions over the period of 2005–2016. The
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results show that Internet development aggravates the gap in the central region much more than that in the eastern and western regions. The trade openness expands the urban-rural income gap only in the eastern region. Urbanization reduces the urban-rural income gap in the western region more than that in the eastern and central regions. Additionally, the regional economic development level also reduces the urban-rural income gap in central region more than that in the eastern region. FDI reduces the urban-rural income gap only in the central region. Additionally, while the urban-rural income gap can widen further by Internet development with trade openness, it can be decreased if Internet development is combined with FDI and urbanization. To reduce urban-rural income gap, the government should accelerate the construction of Internet according to regional differences." (Abstract)
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