Content with a trans-disciplinary approach to communication research.
By Mark Juszczak
Ayoucha’s hands aren’t holding the camera. Actually, it’s not really a camera. It’s almost a camera. She is reclining on a couch. Wearing striped loose pants. A Hookah pipe is resting on her lips. She is amused. Confident. At ease in her flat in Cairo. In gesture and gaze the expression is timeless. It could have been yesterday.
I am glad to join St. John’s University as a Visiting Scholar under the guidance of Professor Seunghyun Brian Park, College of Professional Studies.
by Min Zhang
Xiaomi Corporation is a very successful company in the wireless telecommunications industry in China. They have been able to adopt a “fan-centric” business model that includes extensive input from their customer base on handset design, user interface design, and features for other products/services offered by the company. The “Innovation Ecosystem” they created has allowed a recent surge in sales and popularity that provides a model for other wireless telecommunications companies ranging from network service providers to application developers to follow. Continue reading “Business Models Evolution in the Wireless Industry: A Case Study of Xiaomi in China”
by Matthieu Tardis
Depuis quelques années, les mots « crise » et « immigration » sont étroitement associés en Europe et en Amérique du Nord. La « crise migratoire » n’en finit pas de déchirer les Européens tandis que ce que le Président Trump a qualifié de « crise humanitaire et sécuritaire » à la frontière sud des Etats-Unis a été à l’origine de la plus longue fermeture du gouvernement qu’a connu le pays. À vrai dire, la vie des étrangers, des immigrés ou des migrants – les différents termes utilisés en fonction des époques – sont liés aux crises depuis longtemps déjà. Ils sont souvent la variable d’ajustement ou les premières victimes des crises économiques qui ont touché les pays occidentaux à différentes périodes. Continue reading “Les crises et l’immigration”
By Katherina P. Juszczak
As I was heading back home from my volunteer work, I decided to take a slight detour to the subway station and stumbled across a tiny street level shop that attracted me with its vibrant interior. The store offered “zen weaving” classes according to a contemporary Japanese technique known as Saori. This was my first exposure to the concept of Saori.
by Cristina Pérez-Cordón, Ph. D
En el año 2015, el diccionario de Oxford nombró “emoji” la “Palabra del Año”. El 9 de agosto de 2017, Twitter y Naciones Unidas decidieron asociarse para celebrar el Día Mundial de los Pueblos Indígenas con la creación de un nuevo emoji. En ese mismo año, el CEO de Google, Sundar Pichai, explicó a través de un tuit que corregir el icono de la hamburguesa creado por su compañía era una prioridad: el queso aparecía en el lugar equivocado y eso desató la indignación de los chefs más puristas. Al año siguiente, el entonces presidente de Interpol, Meng Honwei, avisó a su esposa de su detención a través de un emoji que representaba un cuchillo. Si todavía te queda alguna duda del enorme poder comunicativo de los emojis, sigue leyendo 😉
Continue reading “Los emojis y la democratización del lenguaje”
by Dr. Basilio Monteiro
As the age of disinformation is overwhelming the average citizen across the globe, one is left to ponder: what is truth? where truth is to be found? The enigmatic Kierkegaard presents himself as the touchstone for inquiry, reflection, deliberation and to make sense of the prevailing instantaneously ubiquitous presence of “disinformation.” Attempts at deliberate disinformation are as old as human history; they have become sophisticated and pernicious with the passing of time.
Scholars from various countries gathered for two days last November at St. John’s University to make sense of the present calamity of disinformation by looking through Kierkegaard’s philosophical musings.
Continue reading “The Age of Disinformation and Kierkegaard at St. John’s University”
On December 8, Institute for International Communication (IICM) Students visited The Metropolitan Museuam of Art (MET Museum) to study Armenia on Silk Road.
Armenia has a long and rich history of robust trade along the famous and notorious Silk Road. The exhibit highlighted Armenia’s rich and long trading history on the Silk Road. With the revitalization of One Belt, One Road by China, will Armenia play any self-benefiting role, given the current status of the country?
Read about it on SJU’s CPS webpage
To learn more, click here.
By Cristina Pérez-Cordón, Ph. D
“¿Dónde habré metido aquel certificado?”, “¿Cómo traduzco “grado”?”, “¡A ver cuántos “me gusta” llevo!”, “¡¿Este vídeo tiene un millón de visitas?!”, “No sé cómo he terminado viendo el nacimiento de un elefante en YouTube “. Estas preguntas, aunque no lo creas, están totalmente conectadas. ¿Quieres saber por qué? Sigue leyendo.
Brexit, the 2016 decision by the United Kingdom to leave the European Union, came as shock or at least a surprise to many politicians and citizens alike, in the UK and outside of the country. The decision has been attributed to the polarized tabloid and online coverage surrounding the Referendum, or the general demise of quality journalism.
The situation is likely to be more complex than that, involving socio-economic and political factors; yet the role of the media seem undeniably central to the process and outcome. Hence, it is no wonder that the topic has elicited plenty of academic analysis. The topic is also intriguing and important at the moment, the so called Brexit deal being negotiated between the UK and the EU.
This collaborative essay by the undergraduate online course team of International 
Communication – Europe (COM3101) condenses the work of over 80 political scientists and media and communication researchers, on the EU Referendum of the UK. It focuses on the interplay of politics and political communication, journalism, news, and social media.
Image: Duncan Hull, Creative Commons license
Continue reading “Brexit and the Media: Takeaways from Research”
The story is, by now, a familiar one: some person ― whether a celebrity or a relative unknown ― says something racist, misogynistic, or just plain stupid online. We see it, we’re angry, we tell them so. Within hours, they’ve received thousands of replies, ranging from the politely critical to the clearly abusive. The perpetrator then either lashes out defiantly, issues an apology (whether sincere or not) or simply withdraws from the social media space altogether. This is what’s called a “pile-on.”
Continue reading “Inhuman communication: Søren Kierkegaard versus the internet”
by Cristina Pérez-Cordón, Ph. D
¿Alguna vez ha hecho una dieta digital? Yo sí. Forzosa, para ser más exacta, ya que pasé casi dos semanas en un país catalogado como “no libre” en el informe de “Libertad de la red” (2017) elaborado por Freedom House. Dicho informe se basa en tres factores: los posibles obstáculos para acceder a internet, las limitaciones de contenido y las violaciones de los derechos de los usuarios. De hecho, aunque parezca chocante, solamente 15 países están catalogados como “libres” en estos momentos. Aún nos queda, pues, mucho camino por recorrer, y a mí, la esperanza de volver a aquel país y poder navegar por internet con esa libertad a la que estoy acostumbrada.
By Cristina Pérez-Cordón
Si no ha visto este vídeo, se lo recomiendo. En marzo de 2017, el profesor Robert E. Kelly estaba dando una entrevista para la BBC a través de Skype cuando, de pronto, su hija primero y su hijo después, irrumpieron divertidos en escena. Finalmente, una mujer asiática se los llevó con evidente apuro. Muchas de las personas que vieron este divertido vídeo, dieron por sentado que esta mujer era la niñera, cuando en realidad se trataba de la esposa del presentador. Pero, ¿por qué? ¿Significa esto que, en el fondo, todos tenemos estereotipos y que estos son inevitables? ¿Existen, quizás, estereotipos positivos? ¿Puede un estereotipo positivo ser injusto y, además, dañino? Y lo más importante: ¿pueden ser los estereotipos una cuestión de derechos humanos? Veámoslo.
Continue reading “Estereotipos: ¿una cuestión de derechos humanos?”
What is Gender Lens Investing? What potential investment advantages can it offer? And does it really make a difference to integrate financial returns with social impact.
Investing with a gender focus continues to grow among the impact investing community but there is no single one-size-fits all approach. This was one of the key takeaways in the event “Demystifying Gender Lens Investing – how to integrate financial returns with social impact” by the organization Impact Capital Forum. Helene Diyabanza Peterson, of the Master’s program in International Communication, reports:
Continue reading “Impact Investing With A Gender Lens Strategy”
Democracy is in crisis. The values it embodies – particularly the right to choose leaders in free and fair elections, freedom of the press, and the rule of law – are under assault and in retreat globally – The Freedom House Freedom in the World Report 2018
This was the motto of the Conference Speak Out! Rebuilding Trust in Media and Democracy in Kingston, Jamaica on 13 August 2018, organized by the Public Media Alliance. The conference brought together thought leaders from around the world to discuss journalism and policy solutions to current information disorder of fake news, polarization, and distrust.
While many reports from around the world painted a picture of political turmoils and constant challenges to independent journalism, keynote experts presented an array of innovative strategies and tactics for rebuilding trust in media and democracy.
Minna Aslama Horowitz, a Fellow at the Institute and a chair of the conference, recounts some key takeaways:
Continue reading “Speak Out! Rebuilding Trust in Media and Democracy in the Era of “Fake News””