Centre for Communication and Social Change Conference 2013

Beyond the Impasse: Exploring New Thinking in Communication & Social Change

29–31 January 2013, Brisbane, Australia


Keynote Speakers: Silvio Waisbord, Florencia Enghel,  Jo Tacchi

The Centre for Communication and Social Change, The University of Queensland is holding its inaugural boutique conference in January 2013.

About the Conference

Over the past decade, innovation in critical communication for social change (CSC) theory has failed to keep pace with both technological advances and the emergence of powerful new actors and entities.

As scholars working in the field of CSC, it falls to us to provide a coherent critique of contemporary realities and identify effective practices that can make a real difference in people’s lives. We need to go beyond post-development critiques and embrace a politics of the possible for the 21st century.

While old habits remain and dependent development is a reality, growing demand for new ways of exploring solutions to persistent problems presents opportunities for innovative engagement with CSC theory, methods, product design and policy. In the context of massive investments in new technologies, for instance, it makes sense to explore nuanced and critical uses of Actor Network Theory to better understand the crosscutting influences of technologies, people and networks in change. As significantly, it is important that we look to Urban Studies, Political Economy and Cultural Studies to understand the nature of communication rights in increasingly urban, technologically mediated contexts. 

Meanwhile, the influx of corporate funding in development has given large agencies and foundations disproportionate influence over the trajectories, agendas and policies of global development and communication in social change.

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