Global communication order in focus at Shanghai forum

Centering on the restructuring of the global communication order, the Ninth Forum on Image Studies and Global Communication brought together 185 experts, journal editors, and researchers from countries including China, Pakistan, Brazil, the United States and Saudi Arabia, to Shanghai International Studies University on Saturday.

In his opening remarks, Meng Zhongjie, president of SISU, highlighted the profound changes occurring in the global communication order, with Global South countries increasingly influencing international communication and public diplomacy. Highlighting this year's 25th anniversary of the founding of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, Meng noted that the Shanghai Spirit aligns closely with the development vision of the Global South.

"I hope that the insights shared by participating scholars at the event will inspire new approaches to image studies and the evolving global communication landscape," he said.

During the keynote session, scholars offered diverse perspectives on understanding changes in the global communication order, exploring themes, including China's experience, the Global South, platform governance, and the production of academic knowledge.

Professor Thaiane Oliveira from Fluminense Federal University in Brazil highlighted how technological misinformation, digital transformation, and global inequalities are reshaping the production and circulation of scientific knowledge.

She analyzed the issues from the dimensions of scientific practice, digital infrastructure, and the geopolitics of knowledge, suggesting that the framework aids in understanding global transformations and offers new insights for international cooperation in the Global South.

Zhang Yuqiang, a professor at the Beijing-based Communication University of China, discussed the modernity crisis in global information dissemination. He identified deep-seated contradictions in the current global information order, such as public information cognitive biases, imbalances in governance responsibilities, information resource fragmentation, and misalignment between communication and governance rhythms.

Zhang advocated for the establishment of universal evaluation standards, clarification of responsibility boundaries, improvement of response mechanisms, and regulation of capital boundaries.

Song Yi, dean of the School of International Journalism and Communication at Beijing Foreign Studies University, analyzed the media logic and cultural mechanisms behind the international success of Chinese micro-short dramas.

She pointed out challenges, such as cultural discount, content homogenization, regulatory compliance, and customer acquisition costs, and suggested enhancing communication efficiency through further integration of Chinese elements, transnational collaboration, cost reduction through AI assistance, and forming overseas alliances.

The forum provided a platform for rich discussions on the evolving dynamics of global communication, emphasizing the need for innovative strategies and collaborative efforts to navigate the changing landscape.