Communication for Social Change research centre

The Communication for Social Change research centre researches how communication processes, strategies, techniques and media technologies impact social transformation, community empowerment, and contribute to equitable change in Aotearoa and globally. The centre’s focus is on communication, technology and social change.

The centre’s goal is to:

1. Foster research-informed analysis and commentary on social change communication as it relates to health, development, environment, wellbeing, social cohesion and ethnic relations
2. Work with key partners in community, government and industry to address pressing social problems and to help deliver a good, just and sustainable society
3. Learn from cultural worldviews and knowledge systems of local communities and leverage these knowledges collaboratively to enable social and communicative transformations

Current research projects

Infodemic Aotearoa Symposium

This online symposium, held in September 2023, brought together a range of voices to critically investigate the infodemic crisis in Aotearoa. It opened a space to discuss the impact of misinformation and disinformation in Aotearoa, its networked characteristics, and to develop strategies to tackle the spread of misinformation and disinformation here in this nation.

Food Security and Sovereignty in Papua New Guinea

A pilot project investigating community-led change in PNG and the role of community decision making in successful project development. Focusing initially on East New Britain, the centre will produce media and analysis, which allows other communities to understand successful decision-making processes and for funders and aid agencies to effectively target assistance.

Minority communities and social change: New Zealand

A community-driven and focused project is being developed that aims to use the Integrated Model of Communication for Social Change to develop Social Change Process Indicators and Social Change Outcome Indicators for minority communities’ wellbeing.

Human Rights Council Commissioned Research

Representation of Muslims in the context of Aotearoa’s history of colonisation.

Aims of the centre

• Conduct research on social, economic, political, human resource and environmental problems facing the nation and world
• Design and provide quality research by adhering to the highest ethical standards and professional best practices
• Ensure the training of future researchers in the discipline of communication and social change
• Develop community-driven communication solutions for building and sustaining community wellbeing
• Develop perspectives and approaches that lead to effective cooperative investigations
• Establish and develop research relationships, both within the University and with external public policy makers, researchers, communities, and not-for-profit agencies locally, nationally, and internationally
• Combine expertise and capacities in addressing complex problems
• Develop research informed teaching that will contribute to the School of Communication Studies and the Communication for Social Change minor