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- Convenors:
-
Ka Kio Mok
Yuqi Zhang
Send message to Convenors
- Format:
- Experimental format
- Stream:
- Decolonization and knowledge production
Short Abstract:
The session examines the impact of diverse, inclusive storytelling in shaping resilient development responses in crisis contexts. We’ll discuss the role of freedom of expression and safety of journalists in amplifying marginalised voices to drive effective, community-centred solutions.
Description:
This session explores how diverse storytelling and freedom of expression can drive meaningful, resilient development in times of crisis. With the world facing interconnected crises—from climate disasters to escalating conflicts—development responses are often hindered by limited perspectives, which can overlook the lived realities of marginalised communities who bear the brunt of these polycrises. By foregrounding the voices of journalists, local leaders, and communities directly impacted, this session delves into the crucial role of inclusive narratives in uncovering complex challenges and sparking innovative responses to crises.
Structured as an interactive dialogue, this session brings together development practitioners and academics to examine how protecting journalists and ensuring freedom of expression lay the groundwork for truly inclusive storytelling. Participants will explore the practical barriers to this inclusivity, including safety risks and systemic biases, and will examine case studies where diverse perspectives have directly shaped development interventions, strengthening community resilience.
Through collaborative discussion, the session will engage participants in developing actionable solutions to foster safe, inclusive storytelling that bridges academic theory with development practice. This interdisciplinary dialogue will illuminate ways to support local, context-driven narratives as a foundational approach in crisis response. This session seeks to inspire participants to recognise the transformative potential of amplifying marginalised voices, ensuring that development responses in crisis contexts are as resilient and representative as the communities they aim to serve.
Accepted contributions:
Session 1Contribution short abstract:
Carefully crafted media narratives explaining how societies combat the triple planetary crisis (TPC) can inspire social action and influence policy. This study highlights best practices in West Africa's active advocacy for climate action using digital technology.
Contribution long abstract:
Despite the serious threat that climate change poses to mankind, climate action is poorly promoted through one of the most powerful and accessible systems in Africa, the media. This is especially true in West African cities, the region most severely affected by potential climatic disasters.
The integration of digital technology with climate action is essential for sustainable futures. Carefully-crafted media narratives that explain how societies combat the triple planetary crisis (TPC), can inspire social action and influence policy. According to UNDP, Africa holds the key to global climate solutions. Hence, it is important to explore African digitally-mediated creative media initiatives, yielding positive gains towards sustainability.
This study, using a desktop review, highlighted strategies in West Africa's active advocacy for climate action using digital technology. These include Côte d’Ivoire’s National Adaptation Plan, Ghana’s 350 Ghana-Reducing Our Carbon (G-ROC), Nigeria’s SurgeX Media, and the UNESCO-strengthened Premium Times Center in Nigeria. The paper is a wake-up call for other countries to emulate these best practices in tackling TPC.
Contribution short abstract:
This study highlights the Zimbabwean press’s complicity in reinforcing exclusion in corruption reporting through sensationalised reporting. It advocates for inclusive narratives, thematic framing and collaborations with grassroots organisations to advance transformative development.
Contribution long abstract:
Corruption continues to impede development in Zimbabwe and disproportionately affects marginalised communities. Although the media is regarded as a watchdog, its representation of corruption lacks impartiality. This research examines how Zimbabwean newspapers frame corruption, identifying whose voices they amplify and whose they silence. It contributes to discussions regarding the media’s influence on development and emphasises the importance of inclusive narratives in addressing systemic issues.
The study analyses narratives from both state-owned and independent newspapers through content analysis and semi-structured interviews with journalists and editors. Content analysis identifies recurring themes and representations of key actors. Conversely, interviews explore how editorial choices and external influences shape the coverage of corruption.
Findings from the research shows that newspapers typically frame corruption in an episodic manner, concentrating on individual incidents as if they are isolated events. This framing approach sensationalises particular occurrences while neglecting the systemic corruption patterns that disproportionately affect marginalised groups. Consequently, media narratives fail to accurately represent the lived experiences of these communities, further entrenching their exclusion from development discussions.
The paper argues that the media’s neglect of marginalised perspectives weakens its ability to support equitable development. It recommends adoption of thematic framing that contextualises corruption within broader socio-economic structures and highlight systemic issues and the disproportionate impact on marginalised communities. There is need for partnerships between media and grassroots organisations to facilitate the co-production of corruption stories. Also, journalists should embrace inclusive storytelling that foregrounds grassroots experiences and contextualises corruption within wider socio-economic frameworks to promote transformative development.
Contribution short abstract:
This paper revisits Karl Popper's philosophy of Scientific Progress to explore the necessity of freedom of expression for scientific progress in Social Science, particularly in the context of the global rise of populism.
Contribution long abstract:
In the era of populist uprisings worldwide, the erosion of democratic norms and growing threats to freedom of expression, Karl Popper's Ideas, particularly concerning research, development, and freedom of expression, are more relevant than ever. Karl Popper argued that scientific knowledge advances through conjectures and refutations (Poper, 1963). Popper's concept of falsifiability underscores the importance of critical thinking and empirical rigour in scientific inquiry and provides a counter to the spread of misinformation and anti-science sentiments (Popper,1959).
Research and Development thrive in environments that embrace critical inquiry, and tolerate dissent and debate. However, populist movements frequently challenge these principles by promoting anti-intellectualism, censorship, self-censorship, and polarization. Such trends stifle scientific exploration and limit the scope for error correction, a key mechanism for advancing knowledge as highlighted by Popper’s conjectures and refutations. The research and development in social science affect more in the sense that scientific inquiry into social realities challenges accepted social norms and costumes and sometimes unsettles the status quo which could not conform to populist notions.
The paper argues that safeguarding freedom of expression and fostering critical discourse is essential for making a conducive environment for scientific research and development. For this purpose, this paper explores the relevance of Popperism; particularly his philosophy of science, defence of open societies, and critique of authoritarianism in the context of modern populism, its impact on freedom of expression and Research and Development.
Keywords- Research and Development, Freedom of Expression, Scientific inquiry, critical thinking, Populism
Contribution short abstract:
The development of resilience demands free expression along with crises-periods. Through free exchange of information it creates environments for direct conversations which function alongside auditing protocols and actionable strategy development alongside misinformation suppression.
Contribution long abstract:
Freedom of expression serves as a cornerstone for resilient development, particularly during periods of crisis. Freedom of expression is crucial in fostering resilient development during crises by enabling open dialogue, accountability, and informed decision-making. The correlation between freedom of expression and development is historically important. The paper looks at the complicated connection between freedom of expression and the ability of societies to bounce back from problems. It looks at how the free flow of information encourages adaptive strategies, creativity, and group problem-solving during times of trouble. The study demonstrates how free communication platforms help communities overcome financial struggles, government disruptions, and health dangers through real-world examples and academic research models. The paper reveals that suppressed expression acts as a catalyst for crisis escalation by examining historical events and the concurrent impact of strong communication networks as forces of recovery and economic stability. Freedom of expression stands both as a fundamental democratic principle while simultaneously proving essential for developmental sustainability.The mechanism delivers accountability while enhancing public trust and reducing misinformation flow, which remains crucial during emergencies.The paper identifies three key barriers to free speech, including censorship, propaganda, and digital fragmentation while presenting viable solutions to defend this right across multiple political contexts. The conclusion emphasises specific solutions for protecting expression rights across different sociopolitical circumstances. Consistent with previous findings, the report argues that expressing freedom must be marked as a core strategic issue by policymakers, development practitioners, and civil society members who plan to build resilient communities that sustain through crises.