International Communication Association (ICA) in Collaboration with the Faculty of Communication Sciences, Padjadjaran University Organizes the 74th ICA Annual Conference Jakarta- Bandung Hub “Communication and Global Human Rights”
The International Communication Association (ICA) is the largest and leading academic association in the field of communication. ICA aims to advance the scientific study of communication by encouraging and facilitating excellence in academic research worldwide. This year, ICA organized its 74th annual conference under the theme ‘Communication and Global Human Rights’. The conference took place from June 20-24 on the Gold Coast, Australia.
In addition to the conference that took place in Australia, ICA also collaborated with the ICA Indonesia chapter to organize the 74th ICA Annual Conference – Jakarta Bandung Hub. The ICA Indonesia chapter collaborates with the Faculty of Communication Sciences of Atma Jaya University and the Faculty of Communication Sciences of Padjadjaran University. The theme of the 74th ICA Annual Conference – Jakarta Bandung Hub is “Human Rights Advocacy: The Communication Challenges” or “Human Rights Advocacy: The Communication Challenges”.
74th ICA Annual Conference – Jakarta Bandung Hub was held at the Auditorium of the Faculty of Communication Sciences, Padjadjaran University on June 20-21, 2024. The series of activities on the first day, June 20, 2024 were Keynote Speech by Prof. Noshir Contractor (Northwestern University), main panel 1 topic “Media & Human Rights with speakers Prof. dr. C.H. (Claes) de Vreese (University of Amsterdam), Dr. Dadang Rahmat Hidayat, S.Sos., SH., M.Si (Padjadjaran University) and Dandhy Dwi Laksono (Watchdoc) with moderator: Dr. phil. Subekti W. Priyadharma, M.A.
The main panel 2 raised the topic “Communicating Mental Health: Indonesian & Asian Perspectives” with speakers Prof. Susanne Dida, M.M. (Universitas Padjadjaran), Prof. Zahrotur Rusyda Hinduan, MOP, Ph.D (Universitas Padjadjaran), and Dr. Emma Mohamad (Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia) and moderator: Syauqi Lukman, S.Sos., MSM.
Main Panel 1 – Media & Human Rights
The first speaker, Prof. dr. C.H. (Claes) de Vreese, emphasized the importance of building trust in AI to maximize its benefits for society. According to him, AI has great potential to have a positive impact if applied wisely and regulated well. This is particularly relevant in the context of decision-making in important sectors such as health, justice and media.
The second speaker, Dr. Dadang Rahmat Hidayat, S.Sos., SH, M.Si., discussed the importance of transparency, public participation, and accountability in Indonesia’s presidential election, as well as the role of the media in political dynamics. He also highlighted critical issues such as the integrity of election organizers, media neutrality, and negative campaigning that need to be considered to ensure fair and democratic elections.
Finally, the third speaker, Dandhy Dwi Laksono, emphasized that doctrines, myths and propaganda in the media greatly influence the selection of information and the collective consciousness of society. He also highlighted the importance of collective consciousness to address issues such as impunity, economics, investment, and markets in the context of human rights.
Main Panel 2 – Communicating Mental Health: Indonesian & Asian Perspectives
The first speaker, Prof. Susanne Dida, M.M., provided an in-depth insight into the challenges and opportunities in mental health communication, especially for Generation Alpha in Indonesia. With a better understanding of the characteristics and needs of this generation, a more effective approach to supporting their mental health is expected. Appropriate support and ongoing destigmatization efforts are necessary for Generation Alpha to grow up mentally and emotionally healthy.
The second speaker, Prof. Zahrotur Rusyda Hinduan, M.P.H., Ph.D., emphasized the importance of a multidisciplinary approach in resilience research, especially in Indonesia which has rich cultural and social diversity. She also emphasized that the validation of accurate and linguistically, psychologically, and culturally relevant measurement tools is key to understanding and improving individual and community resilience in the face of global challenges.
And finally, Dr. Emma Mohamad said communication plays a vital role in creating support systems within families, peers, and communities that can improve mental health literacy in Southeast Asian countries. However, this must be supported by strong systems, including education systems, policies, access to care, and quality of services.
Poster Presentation
After the panelist session and discussion, the event continued with poster presentations. A total of 22 posters that had been curated by the reviewers were presented by each presenter. Each presenter was given a predetermined amount of time to present the research or project listed on their poster. The posters presented cover a wide range of topics that have been the focus of discussion in this conference, such as Communication and Marginalized Issues, The Dynamics of Communication and Activism, and Human Rights and Social Justice.
