A seminar organized by the division Organizational Communication of the Netherlands-Flanders Communication Association (NeFCA) & the Department of Translation, Interpreting and Communication (Ghent University).
Misinformation can undermine public trust in institutions, cause public health risks, and lead to social division and polarization. Research can inform policymakers and organizations about how misinformation is spread and how it can best be contained. We have the honor of welcoming three international scholars who specialize in misinformation in political communication, crisis communication and health communication. Toni van der Meer is Associate Professor of Communication Science at the University of Amsterdam. He studies the effects and spread of misinformation and disinformation during crises. He will discuss the fight against misinformation in the context of elections. Yan Jin is Professor of Public Relations at the University of Georgia. She studies organizational crisis communication and health risk communication. She will focus on crisis-stricken organizations’ misinformation management strategies. Philipp Schmid is Assistant Professor of Health Communication at Radboud University in Nijmegen. His research aims to establish interventions that tackle health misinformation and to understand the polarizing effects of science denialism. At the seminar, he will discuss relevant parameters for an effective response to vaccination misinformation, that reduces individuals’ belief and prevents its spread.
Program
| 11:15 – 11:30: | Walk-in with coffee and tea |
| 11:30 – 11:40: | Welcome and introduction by the organizers |
| 11:40 – 12:00: | Dr. Toni van der Meer (University of Amsterdam): Fighting misinformation: A remedy worse than the disease? |
| 12:00 – 12:20: | Dr. Yan Jin (University of Georgia): Organizational readiness for sticky crisis driven by misinformation |
| 12:20 – 12:40: | Dr. Philipp Schmid (Radboud University): Using behavioral science for infodemic preparedness: The case of vaccination misinformation |
| 12:40 – 13:00: | Short break with sandwiches |
| 13:00 – 14:00: | Roundtable discussion with speakers and participants |
Practical information
When: Friday, May 17 2024
Where: Walking distance from Gent-Sint-Pieters train station
Campus Mercator (Building A, room A104), Ghent University
Abdisstraat 1
9000 Gent
Who: The seminar is open to members of the Netherlands-Flanders Communication Association, communication practitioners, and researchers interested in misinformation.
Registration: The event is free of charge, but places are limited. Registration is mandatory. Please send an email to organizer An-Sofie Claeys at ansofie.claeys@ugent.be before April 30. Registration is only complete upon receiving a confirmation email.