"As a tool of political communication and information diffusion, social media has transformed the process of securitization, allowing (in)security messages to spread and scale up rapidly. Focusing on the case of the Amazon rainforest fires in 2019, this article seeks to answer two questions: How doe
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s securitization spread in online networks? And who are the actors that contribute to the diffusion of security messages? To explore this puzzle, the study develops a dictionary of query terms and performs a full-archive search to collect tweets posted between June and October 2019 and reconstruct the communication network of more than 3 million users. Drawing from theories of online activism and research on information diffusion in networks, the study uses both the structure of the Twitter network and the dynamics of activity in message exchange to identify four types of users and explore their roles in the spread of the message. The findings shed new light on the ways in which social media facilitates the definition of security problems and provide empirical evidence of the prominent position of influence taken by lay actors in the process of securitization." (Abstract)
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"Are climate change conspiracy theories widespread across the world, or do we find climate change conspiracy beliefs more so in some countries than in others? This research note explores the prevalence of conspiracy beliefs that identify climate change as a hoax across eight geographically and cultu
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rally diverse countries. Using original data, we found that climate change conspiracy beliefs are prevalent around the world, with some variations across countries. Our results indicate that political ideology, populist attitudes, age, and distrust of scientists primarily explain climate change conspiracy beliefs. We found cross-national heterogeneity in the importance of age and political ideology as determinants of such beliefs." (Abstract)
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"Climate action continues to be a key priority for the mobile industry. In 2019, the mobile industry set a goal to reach net zero by 2050, becoming one of the first sectors in the world to set such an ambitious target. This report is the fourth annual assessment of the industry’s progress towards
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this goal and it provides key recommendations for how mobile network operators, suppliers and governments can work together to accelerate progress across the sector." (Executive summary)
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"The terms ‘indices’ and ‘indicators’ may immediately cause eyelids to droop. How, then, might they serve to impassion publics and, ultimately, promote social change? This paper examines the extent to which indices and indicators can be considered communication tools for social movements and
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social change. The analysis is based on a 2018 evaluation of one index based in the United States – the Ranking Digital Rights Index, which assesses privacy and freedom of expression in the ICT space – and incorporates interviews with civil society stakeholders. Bringing theory from the fields of journalism and social movements together with the data from the evaluation, the findings suggest indices can serve as useful communication resources for social movements under certain circumstances. In particular, the analysis suggests three communication resources – legitimate information, newsworthy information, and flexible information – that human rights indices are most likely to provide." (Abstract)
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"We are pleased that this project has provided evidence indicating an improvement in the representation of distant others in INGO adverts. On the whole, there is a marked difference in the organisation of cast and characters present in charity’s communications imagery and pitiful images are nearly
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entirely absent, while individuals are presented more as named than unnamed.
Slightly fewer photographers received credit for their images. The bulk of images however continue to be from/about African nations, presented largely in rural settings. Although whole family units continue to be grossly under-represented, almost entirely absent, more men are featured in charity adverts in the period under review. Indeed more MW leaders are depicted, which is a good break away from what was obtainable previously, although it is difficult for us to know in what capacity leaders from both worlds are presented. Furthermore, considering recent trends in celebrity humanitarianism and the use of celebrity ambassadors, it is surprising that there are no portrayals of such from the majority world. This could be argued to be a missed opportunity for INGOs to re-present a different image of the global south." (Conclusions, page 26)
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"Aid organizations, activists, and the media often use graphic depictions of human suffering to elicit sympathy and aid. While effective, critics have condemned these practices as exploitative, objectifying, and deceptive, ultimately labeling them ‘poverty porn.’ This paper examines people's eth
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ical judgments of portrayals of poverty and the criticisms surrounding them, focusing on the context of charity advertising. In Studies 1 and 2, we find that tactics that have been decried as deceptive (i.e., using an actor or staging a photograph) are judged to be less acceptable than those that have been decried as exploitative and objectifying (i.e., depicting an aid recipient's worst moments). This pattern occurs both when evaluating the tactics themselves (Studies 1a-1c) and when directly evaluating critics' arguments about them (Study 2). Studies 3 and 4 unpack the objection to deceptive tactics and find that participants' chief concern is not about manipulating the audience's responses or about distorting perceptions of reality. Participants report less concern about non-deceptive manipulation (using emotion to compel donations) and ‘cherry-picked’ portrayals of poverty (an ad showing an extreme, but real image) so long as there is some truth to the portrayal. Yet they are more sensitive to artificial images (e.g., an actor posing as poor), even when the image resembles reality. Thus, ethical judgments hinge more on whether poverty portrayals are genuine than whether they are representative. This work represents the first empirical investigation into ethical judgments of poverty portrayals. In doing so, this work sheds light on how people make sense of morally questionable tactics that are used to promote social welfare and deepens our understanding of reactions to deception." (Abstract)
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"This book is the first of its kind within the African region to combine scholarly perspectives from the fields of Strategic Communication Management and Communication for Development and Social Change. It draws insights from scholars across the African continent by unravelling the complementary nat
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ure of scholarship between the two fields, through the lens of prevailing governance and sustainability challenges facing African countries, today. This edited volume covers issues that have adversely affected the achievement of goals related to humanitarian upliftment, development and social change for all African nations. Consequently, citizen participation, which lies at the heart of these challenges when considering the question of sustainable governance and policy development for social change in an African context is addressed. To this end, a reflection is also made on various case studies that exist where local citizens do not inform sustainable development programmes, while the promotion of bottom-up development and social change is largely replaced by top-down instrumental action approaches and hemispheric communication instead of strategic communication." (Publisher description)
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"Using the extended parallel process model (PPM), this research examines whether and how humor functions to influence women’s breast self-examination (BSE) intention. We conducted a 2 (humor: present vs. absent) × 2 (threat: high vs. low) × 2 (efficacy: high vs. low) between-subjects experiment
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in which we measured individual differences in BSE intention. The sample includes 480 Chinese women aged 20–50 years old. Results suggest that the 2-way interaction effect between threat and efficacy was significant, indicating that women who received messages containing high threat and high efficacy had the highest intention of BSE. In addition, the 3-way interaction effect between threat, efficacy, and humor was significant. The results indicate that if women perceive the threat of getting breast cancer as mild and believe that they are incapable of preventing it, messages with humor can significantly enhance their intention to engage in BSE when compared with messages without humor. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed." (Abstract)
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"Cet ouvrage cible les enseignants, formateurs en technopédagogie et décideurs, offrant un guide élaboré par des formateurs expérimentés. Il promeut l'utilisation de modèles éprouvés comme ASPI et ADDIE pour la mise en œuvre de projets de formation, visant à améliorer les taux de réussi
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te et l'employabilité des étudiants grâce à l'adoption d'outils numériques éducatifs. Cette approche est d'autant plus pertinente avec l'accélération du numérique éducatif suite à la pandémie de COVID-19, soutenant le développement des compétences technopédagogiques pour une variété de modes d'enseignement." (Description de la maison d'édition)
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"Cartooning for Peace is an international network of committed press cartoonists who use humour to fight for respect for cultures and freedoms: 344 cartoonists in 78 countries [...]
Our values. Cartooning for Peace is attached to the respect for pluralism of cultures and opinions. In the events we
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organize, exhibitions, publications and international meetings, we are mindful to show the diversity of cartoonists’ perspectives on a given subject. Cartooning for Peace fights against prejudice and intellectual conformism. Towards extremism, we denounce the excesses, we mock the false certainties, counteract odium and strive to dismount impostures. Cartooning for Peace is respectful in disrespect. We do not seek to humiliate the beliefs and opinions. We circumvent interdicts with humour. Cartooning for Peace takes into account the risk that a cartoon published on the Web can appear out of context, within seconds, in every corner of the globe. Our organization is vigilant to prevent press cartoon from becoming an aggravating factor of conflicts. Cartooning for Peace offers editorial content. Convinced that cartoonists often foretell acutely before everyone, the stirrings of society which will make news tomorrow, we strive to bring forward debates that our societies are not even yet aware of.
Our actions. Cartooning for Peace allows cartoonists to interact with each other and to confront their different ideological opinions. Our network provides visibility and support for those who are unable to work freely or whose freedom is threatened. Cartooning for Peace uses the educational value of press cartoon to denounce intolerances. Our organization gives young people a voice and raises their awareness on major societal problems. Cartooning for Peace brings press cartoon closer to the public. We organize meetings between cartoonists and the public, and set up thematic exhibitions showing a critical look of society. We also publish press cartoons, in paper or digital form. Cartooning for Peace is a tool serving freedom of expression: a forum and a meeting place for all those who challenge intolerance and all forms of dogmatism." (https://www.cartooningforpeace.org/en/presentation)
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"There seems to be little knowledge and awareness of the relevance of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) among communities in Ghana. The study’s main objective was to find out how the 22-member Community Radio (CR) stations of the Ghana Community Radio Network (GCRN) – the umbrella organis
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ation of community radio in Ghana, mobilise their communities to tackle development needs and aspirations within the framework of the SDG 1 to 6. The study employed a qualitative research design. Specifically, a case study approach was adopted. CR stations’ mission is to promote community development in a participatory manner. The expectation is that CR stations would facilitate efforts to tackle development needs and aspirations of communities within the framework of the SDGs. The study found out that even though the application of the participatory communication methodology is central to the work of CR stations, particularly increasing community members’ awareness and understanding of the broad meanings of particularly SDG goals 1 to 6, they were unable to sustainably employ the methodology because of resource constraints. The implication is that CR stations need to devise innovative ways of raising resources to enable community members actively participate in radio programmes." (Abstract)
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