Institute Theme: Hope
At this time in our world, when so many people around the globe face war, famine and unimaginable suffering, it is only fitting to draw upon the profound wisdom of the visionary science-fiction novelist and Afrofuturist Octavia Butler, who wrote: “The very act of trying to look ahead to discern possibilities and offer warnings is in itself an act of hope.”
What exactly is hope? It depends upon the context and the people you ask. Hope is not something oft-discussed and used in academic circles. Communication scholars have tiptoed around the idea of hope and the evoking of hope in messages. But it’s vital for practitioners to embrace hope in public interest communications work. Hope must be a part of a strategy to engage and motivate people to act for positive social change. Hope is the emotion that helps them believe that change is possible and that they have a meaningful role to play in making that change happen.
Holding hope requires a commitment to optimism and a dedication to possibility. It means that we think beyond the traditional forms of power and strategy and make things new. Throughout this institute, we will engage in thought-provoking discussions, share inspiring stories, ponder over theoretical and methodological questions and cultivate a community of practice and theory. We will be grounded in the power of hope. Please join us!
Program Schedule
Tuesday, May 28
- 6:30-8:30 p.m. – Welcome reception
Wednesday, May 29
- 8:30-9:30 a.m. – Welcome to the institute! A session for all participants.
- 9:45-11 a.m. – First block of workshops.
- 11:15 a.m.-12:30 p.m. – Second block of workshops.
- 12:30-1:30 p.m. – Lunch
- 1:45 -3 p.m. – Third block of workshops
- 3:15-4:30 p.m. – Fourth block of workshops
- 4:45-5:45 p.m. – Mingling and reception
- 6-7:30 p.m. – Dinner and trivia game!
- After dinner – optional activity in downtown Denver
Thursday, May 30
- 9-10:15 a.m. – First block of workshops
- 10:30-11:45 a.m. – Second block of workshops
- 12-1 p.m. – Wrap-up: how we’ll continue advancing the work
- 2-5 p.m. – Syllabus workshop. Pre-registration required.
Tracks
To provide something for everyone – whether you are a researcher, instructor, grad student, administrator or practitioner – we’re offering four types of sessions. They will focus on 1) research; 2) public interest communications concepts; 3) pedagogy; and 4) the intersection between public interest communications and other disciplines. Descriptions and planned sessions are below.
Track 1: Research
Making your research make a difference. How do you make sure your insights get to the people who can apply it? We’ll offer steps you can take to reach professionals and ensure they understand your work.
How AI changes the ethics of public interest communications research. Artificial intelligence is here. What does it mean for researchers in the public interest communications space?
Navigating the challenges of behavior change campaigns. Social change is hard. Getting the right tools can make it easier. Bring your experience, ideas and questions to this lively discussion about the theory and practice of social change. Learn how behavior change agency Marketing for Change uses insights from behavioral science to move people from awareness to action, and learn practical lessons from a public awareness campaign on the prevention of violence recently developed, tested, and launched by the Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence at the University of Colorado Boulder. Wrap up the session by playing a strategy card game that will help you apply concepts from the workshop to your own (real or simulated) social change challenge.
Grad student research presentations. These sessions are designed to help grad students move forward in their work. Get feedback on your research and brainstorm your research ideas.
Grad student poster session. Designed for grad students. Show off your work to academics, peers and practitioners.
Track 2: Public Interest Communications Concepts
Case studies in public interest communications. Looking for case studies for classes? These sessions are for you! Hear from professional public interest communicators on how to put concepts into practice. We’ll offer one session on global case studies and another on case studies from the U.S.
Measuring success in public interest communications. How do we measure success in public interest communications? It’s not the same as PR, where we measure a return on investment or sales. In this session, we will outline the key parameters, benchmarks and guidelines for measuring success in public interest communications campaigns. We’ll also explore how artificial intelligence tools can help in measuring success, as well as identify principles and guidelines we need for using the AI tools for measurement.
Black Joy. We’ll explore Black Joy, its historical significance and context, and how we all can be part of a much-needed narrative shift around the Black experience. Plus, you’ll have an opportunity to get creative with hands-on quilting!
Bridge building with Civity. In public interest communications, we seek to find common ground and identify shared values. Organizations are putting this into practice by bringing together people with different views and helping them find common ground. In this session, Civity co-founder and research director Palma Joy Strand will take us through bridge-building exercises her organization uses to foster relationships of respect and empathy among people with differing beliefs.
Track 3: Pedagogy
Inspiring the next generation. How do we inspire the next generation to engage in public interest work?
Navigating the challenges of community-engaged research, Part I. When students go into the community to conduct research, they encounter unique situations and challenges. What issues arise and how can we guide them?
Navigating the challenges of community-engaged research, Part II. In Denver, a unique academic journal is putting community-engaged research concepts into practice. The Denver Journal of Education and Community engages the community, inviting community members to share stories and experiences with one another. The journal then connects the community experiences to scholarship and policy, ensuring that community voices are reflected in journal content. In this session, the journal editor will share how he does it.
Careers in public interest communications. Connecting students to the field shows them the many opportunities available upon graduation. We’ll offer tips on how to open the door to opportunities in public interest communications.
Track 4: Public interest communications and …
In these sessions, we’ll explore the intersection of public interest communications and other disciplines, such as rhetoric, sociology and health and climate communications.
Public interest communications and rhetoric. In this session, we’ll explore how the study of rhetoric – which seeks to understand how public discourse shapes our society and culture – dovetails with public interest communications, which incorporates cognitive linguistics as well as framing and messaging research for positive social change. Building on the conference theme of hope, this session will explain the ways that rhetoric works to inspire hope for the public’s interest. During the session participants can expect to learn how and practice the strategies activists, politicians, and others have used to inspire hope in the people around them to change their world for the better.
Public interest communications and journalism. Though a foundational ideal of journalism is to inform the public, much mainstream coverage today seems to fall short of this goal, with some media outlets opening the door to content that may instead seek to get attention, entertain and at worst misinform. This has become particularly problematic in our elections and campaign coverage. Public interest communications concepts can help journalists and news outlets be more purposeful in their coverage. Strategies such as centering and being responsive to communities affected by stories; being intentional about framing, language and word choice; and collaborating across news outlets, community groups and other stakeholders can ensure that news stories provide needed context, include relevant voices and truly inform the publics served.
Public interest communications and the social sciences. We talk in public interest communications about message framing and evoking emotions to motivate people to act. But data also is key to public interest communications, because it informs the solutions we pursue. In this session, we’ll explore how data from social sciences can help us identify avenues to advancing positive social change.
View the Facilitators
Half-day syllabus workshop
This three-hour workshop will be held after formal programming ends on Thursday. Experts will present key public interest communications frameworks and provide one-on-one guidance to weaving public interest communications into your syllabi or creating a new course. Pre-registration required.
Register Today
This event is organized by the Public Interest Communications Educators Network. For questions, contact abradbery@jou.ufl.edu or aotanez@uw.edu.
