Participatory and Community Communication Webinar

This event took place on 11-12 November 2025. See past webinars at IAMCR's Webinars Channel on Vimeo >>

Problematising Participatory Communication and Transformation: Between Promise and Paradox

The Participatory Communication Research (PCR) and the Community Communication and Alternative Media (CAM) Section hosted a two-day webinar on the theme "Problematising Participatory Communication and Transformation: Between Promise and Paradox".

See the full programme and abstracts

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Programme day 1: Tuesday 11 November

  • Welcoming remarks by Prof. Karen Arriaza Ibarra, IAMCR Co Vice President 
  • Panel Presentations:
  1. ‘Doing it for ourselves: Flipping community development frameworks into editorial strategies for community media’, Dr Willemien Marais, University of Free State, South Africa‘
  2. ‘From Participation to Paradox: Reconfiguring Journalistic Values in India’s Digital Public Sphere’, Dr Sambit Pal, MIT Art, Design and Technology University, India
  3. ‘Testing Participatory Pedagogy in a Collaborative Classroom and Exposing the Dark Side of Social Media’ Dr. Francis Philip Barclay, Central University of Tamil Nadu, India
  4. ‘Localized Peacebuilding Through Nonviolent Conflict Transformation in Mindanao’s Islamized Indigenous Communities: A Case Study’ Rechelle Ann Tolinero-Barraquias (PhD Scholar), University of the Philippines Los Baños, Philippines.   
  5. ‘Challenges of Disaster Communication and Community Participation: A Case Study from Barpeta, Assam’, Chinmoyee Deka (PhD Scholar), Tata Institute of Social Sciences, India. 
  • Q&A / Discussion

Programme day 2: Wednesday 12 November

  • Welcoming remarks by Prof. Karen Arriaza Ibarra, IAMCR Co Vice President 
  • Panel Presentations:
  1. ‘Whose Voices Count? Participation, Power, and Communication in the Global South’, Prof. Vinod Pavarala, University of Hyderabad, India (Invited Speaker)
  2. ‘The VisionArte Methodology: Visual and Sensory Tools in Community-Based Action Research with Indigenous Youth in San José de Chiquitos, Bolivia’, Alessandra Abruzzese Aguirre (PhD Scholar), KU Leuven / UCB Bolivia, Bolivia
  3. ‘Algorithmic Governance and Poverty in Morocco: Critical Discourse Analysis of Morocco’s Social Index’, Prof. Mohamed Ben Moussa and Dr Sanaa Benmessaoud, University of Sharjah, UAE
  4. ‘Participation to avoid elite capture in communication policies: Lessons from Latin America’, Prof. Maria Soledad Segura and Prof. Alejandro Felix Linares, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Argentina
  5. ‘The mirage of “participation” in vulnerable, hard-to-reach communities through the eyes of the Koome fishing community in Uganda’ Prof. Monica B. Chibita & Flavia Zalwango (PhD Scholar), Uganda Christian University, Uganda. (Invited Speaker)
  • Q&A / Discussion

Participatory Communication Research Section (PCR)

The Participatory Communication Research Section explores theoretical, methodological and practice-based processes and case-studies of participation in many different places and in many different contexts. We welcome presentations that address issues related to communication between community members and other stakeholders that are engaged in processes of social change. This includes subjects and processes such as: community and sustainable development, cultural heritage, communication and information rights, health communication, environmental communication, agricultural extension services, folk media, community media, social movements, activism; national and cultural identities and more; and methods such as participatory video, photovoice, community media production, participatory rapid appraisals, participatory action research, participatory arts, and so on.

Community Communication and Alternative Media Section (CAM)

The Community Communication and Alternative Media Section focuses on media that originates, circulates and resonates from the sphere of civil society.  It seeks to advance research on the objectives, practices and dynamics of community, alternative and citizens' media, including issues of localism, politics, socio-economics, language, ethnicity, gender, or other interests and intersections. Our concerns include issues of media access, participation and reception; media projects undertaken by marginalized and underrepresented groups; development and support of community-based media institutions and infrastructures; communication practices by social movements; innovative forms of media activism; interactions between classic community and new social media; alternative forms of journalism; and theoretical contributions to the research, evaluation and practice of community communication.

Registration

Location: The meeting will take place on Zoom. Pre-registered participants will receive personal invitations 24 hours before the webinar begins. Pre-registration will be required by 9 November through a form that will be made available here.

Who can participate: The webinar is open to all IAMCR members but space is restricted. PCR and CAM section members are encouraged to attend. A limited number of guest invitations for non-members may be available.

Not sure if you're a member? Check the membership directory.

If you are not a member of IAMCR, you can join here.

About the series: The IAMCR Webinar Series aims to open-up channels for engagement and participation in addition to the annual conference, while echoing the great work that is done by Sections, Working Groups and IAMCR members. The series includes presentations, debates, book and project launches. The format is flexible, the connection is what matters. Join us!