How can interpersonal and mass media communication and information technologies be utilised in such a way that they generate and promote lasting social change and development in society?
The Proposition
How can interpersonal and mass media communication and information technologies be utilised in such a way that they generate and promote lasting social change and development in society?
This central question is at the heart of the research centre EC4SC.
The research centre EC4SC was born out of the similarly named undertaking that is facilitated by the Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF) [Federal Ministry for Education and Research] within the framework “Kleine Fächer – Große Potenziale” (small subjects – great potential).
The proposition is planned as a long-term scheme and aims to establish the focus Communication for Social Change, also known as Development Communication, in research and teaching as a cross-cutting area within the field of communication science.
The establishment of this research field could be of great interest for the communication and media sciences as the research focus has long been in existence at universities in other countries (as for instance in the U.S.A., Great Britain, South Africa, and also in Sweden and Norway) as a study programme or university subject, though not yet in this form in Germany.
The study of participative and inclusive communication models that put the citizens at its heart is, given current complex challenges like international conflicts, climate change, growing inequality, and global migration, of extreme societal relevance.
The research centre will focus on empirical research in Germany and Europe. Development is no longer aligned with economical and technical modernisation as was the case previously during the post-war period, but rather an issue relevant to all countries.
In order to enforce the cooperation between science and praxis, the centre is divided into research, education and transfer. The centre EC4SC also sees itself as a platform for third parties and offers research and advice guided by theory and praxis orientation.
Research
- The centre establishes the research as to projects and actors within the field of C4SC in Germany and will thus place the focus of its research on Germany and Europe.
- The centre will offer to evaluate communication strategies for partners and use this to generate instructions.
Teaching
One part of the research centre comprises the integration of the focus C4SC in the subject area of communication sciences at Leipzig University. This involves:
- The development of teaching programmes for C4SC. Students will be systematically introduced to this new and important research area via teaching.
- Within this scope, the development of concepts for research, transfer and studying as well as the services will play an important part.
- In cooperation with students, we will develop research papers (Bachelor, Masters, Dissertation).
Transfer
Our aim is thus to strengthen the cooperation between science and praxis. Therefore the centre will:
- Hold yearly conferences as well as
- Organise podium discussions, panels and discussion rounds
- Create a digital and multimedia data bank about the research and praxis field of C4SC.
The events will be published within the news area on our website.