PCR Jul '25 Newsletter

News from the IAMCR Participatory Communication Research Section (PCR)

July 2025 PCR Section newsletter

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1/ A HEARTFELT THANK YOU TO OUR REVIEWERS

2/TOP REVIEWER-PCR RECOGNITION

3/ AWARD-WINNING PCR-PAPER RECOGNITION AT IAMCR SINGAPORE 2025

4/ PCR SOCIAL AT IAMCR SINGAPORE 2025

5/ PCR MEMBERS’ UPDATE

6/ SHARE UPDATES WITH PCR

7/ PCR FACEBOOK GROUP

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1/ A HEARTFELT THANK YOU TO OUR REVIEWERS

The Participatory Communication Research (PCR) Section extends its sincere appreciation to all reviewers who generously contributed their time and expertise to assess abstract submissions for IAMCR 2025. Your thoughtful evaluations are vital to ensuring the academic rigor and relevance of our sessions.

Your service not only upholds the quality of the section’s contributions but also strengthens our scholarly community.

We welcome any feedback or suggestions you may have regarding the review process. Please feel free to write to us at iamcr.pcr@gmail.com. Your insights are invaluable as we strive to improve our collective practices.

2/TOP REVIEWER-PCR RECOGNITION

Starting in 2025 at IAMCR Singapore, the PCR Section will introduce a Certificate of Recognition for the Top Reviewer. This recognition will be awarded to the individual who has reviewed the highest number of abstracts submitted to the PCR Section for the annual conference. The certificate will be formally presented either during the PCR Business Meeting or the Key Notes Session.

At least for the first iteration, this award will be based solely on the quantity of abstracts reviewed (rather than quality the of reviews) and is open to all section reviewers with the exception of the PCR section co-chairs and vice-chairs. This will be reviewed going forward.

3/ AWARD-WINNING PCR-PAPER RECOGNITION AT IAMCR SINGAPORE 2025

"Voices in the Silence: Human and Non-Human Participation in Climate Change Adaptation Stories of Fisherfolk in Del Carmen, Siargao Islands, the Philippines," a paper submitted to the PCR Section by Daniel Renz Roc, received the Climate Communication Award. Link to announcement

4/ INSPIRATION TO GET INVOLVED IN PCR ROLES

As the IAMCR conference approaches, you may be thinking about how you can be more involved in our Section. Being a Chair/ Discussant is one of the many roles that we are always looking to fill, so we asked PCR Member Dr Naíde Müller (Catholic University of Portugal) to share her experience from last year.

Firstly, what is involved in being a Panel Chair? How much work does it require?

Being a Panel Chair at an IAMCR conference involves reading the abstracts and getting a general sense of the panel's theme ahead of time. During the session, your main responsibilities are to briefly introduce the presenters, keep track of time, and moderate the Q&A discussion, ensuring that all voices are heard and that the atmosphere remains respectful and engaging. It’s not an overwhelming amount of work, but it does require active listening, some time management, and a sense of group facilitation. More than anything, it’s a wonderful opportunity to practice soft leadership and interpersonal communication in an academic yet friendly environment.

What would you say are some of the benefits to being a Panel Chair at an IAMCR conference?

In addition to the intellectual stimulation of closely engaging with diverse presentations, being a Panel Chair is an excellent opportunity to get to know your colleagues’ work more deeply, discover emerging research areas, and build meaningful professional connections.
It’s also a chance for informal but valuable networking, where you can create bridges for future collaborations. And, of course, it’s a moment to sharpen your interpersonal communication skills in a context that is both professional and kind, with the inclusive, international spirit that IAMCR is known for.

What advice would you have for people considering putting their hand up to be a Panel Chair for the first time?

If you're thinking about volunteering as a Panel Chair for the first time, my advice is: go for it – and enjoy the experience! You don’t need to be an expert on every paper’s topic. What matters most is that the session runs smoothly, respectfully, and on time. Prepare a short note with the presenters’ names, affiliations, and titles, maybe think of one or two backup questions in case the audience is quiet, and then let the rest flow naturally. Remember, your role is to facilitate, not dominate. And above all, see this as a chance to learn, grow, and contribute to the positive energy of the conference.

5/ PCR SOCIAL AT IAMCR SINGAPORE 2025

An informal PCR Social Gathering is being planned for Monday, 14 July. Tables have been booked at Pen&Inc that is located within Nanyang Technological University, from 18:00.

6/ PCR FACEBOOK GROUP

For updates and announcements during the conference, keep an eye on the PCR Facebook group, which we will be actively using throughout. Keep up with the news and share your own.

Join us at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/iamcrpcr

7/ PCR MEMBERS’ UPDATE

  • Congratulations to DrNompumelelo Gumede, who was recently awarded her doctorate (May 2025) from the Centre for Communication, Media and Society, University of KwaZulu-Natal. Her dissertation is titled:
    “Local Interpretations of COVID-19 Communication and Their Influence on Risk Perception and Self-Efficacy in Rural, Township, and Informal Settlement Communities: A Case Study in KwaZulu-Natal.”
  • Congratulations to the REACT (Reimagining Activism, Communication and Trajectories of Participation in the Global South) research team for the award of a prestigious European Research Council (ERC) Advanced Grant. Spanning six countries (UK, South Africa, India, Colombia, Mexico, and Brazil) over 5 years, and worth €2.4M, the project team includes four PCR members, including Prof. Thomas Tufte (PI, Loughborough University), Prof. Lauren Dyll (Co-I, University of KwaZulu-Natal), Prof. Vinod Pavarala (Co-I, University of Hyderabad, India) and Assoc. Prof Eliana Herrera (Universidad La Sabana, Bogota, Colombia). More information here.
  • Aniruddha Jena, Co-Vice Chair of the PCR Section, was awarded a Travel Grant of USD 750 by the Global Communication and Social Change Division of the International Communication Association (ICA). He presented two papers and chaired two sessions at ICA 2025, held from 12–16 June 2025 in Denver, Colorado, USA.
  • PCR Member Valentina Bau has published two papers:

8/ SHARE UPDATES WITH PCR!

We invite you to share your latest updates, including calls for papers, edited volumes, project collaborations, fellowships, awards, and other relevant opportunities with the PCR community. Your contributions help us keep our members informed and engaged with the latest developments in our field.

Please send your updates to the PCR Email at [iamcr.pcr@gmail.com] using NEWSLETTER as the subject. We will ensure they are shared with the PCR members via email and the larger IAMCR public through the PCR e-newsletter.