NEWS
Announcing the themes for WCSJ2025
5 September 2024
Spring has arrived in South Africa!
Alright, I know that technically the seasons only roll over on 21 September, but a gentle sun is shining, spring blossoms are beginning to unfurl and the promise of rain is in the air. The southern hemisphere is heading into summer – this time next year we’ll have just a few months to put the polish on the World Conference of Science Journalism 2025, due to begin on 1 December 2025. It’s a time of promise – a good time to unveil the themes we have developed for WCSJ2025.
If you want to put in a proposal, please read on! We have six themes – we’ve included five possible ideas with each one, to give you an idea of the kind of thinking we’ve been doing. We are very flexible: if you have a brilliant idea that fits the overarching theme of the conference – “Science Journalism and Social Justice – our role in promoting resilience” – we are sure it will fit into one of the six themes below. Brilliance and relevance are what we’re after!
A Southern Masked Weaver (Ploceus velatus) skillfully weaves grass strands to build its intricate nest, showcasing its impressive craftsmanship. These bright yellow birds, native to southern Africa, are known for their complex and well-structured nests.
Bright and cheerful, the Euryops pectinatus, or Golden Daisy Bush, displays its vibrant yellow petals and distinctive fern-like foliage. Native to South Africa, this daisy-like flower adds a burst of sunshine to any garden with its long-lasting blooms.
A delicate African Migrant butterfly (Catopsilia florella) sips nectar from the vibrant purple blooms of the Cape Spurflower (Plectranthus ecklonii). Native to South Africa, these tubular flowers attract various pollinators. Photos courtesy of M Smallhorne
The submission form with be posted at the end of September 2024, so you have time to craft your concept and make tentative approaches to those you would like to invite to participate.
A: STATE OF THE PROFESSION: SCIENCE JOURNALISM AND JOURNALISM
Proposal ideas
- Science journalism takes time and requires resources, such as editorial and legal support, and that means funding. Look at new ideas, new models and current models that work
- Developing and strengthening the image of science journalism: why it matters to society as a whole and is worth investing in
- Science journalism as a form of investigative journalism
- Science journalism in the age of social media/digital platforms
- The impact of artificial intelligence, both the positives and negatives
B: SOCIAL JUSTICE: THE ROLE OF SCIENCE JOURNALISM
Proposal ideas
- Join the dots: good science journalism is a pillar of social justice
- Holding governments and researchers accountable: science journalism is key
- Making science meaningful and useful to citizens.
- News stories that change behaviour or affect policy to change lives – is it possible?
- The green transition, neocolonialism and geopolitical justice – including social justice aspects enriches stories
C: MISINFORMATION, DISINFORMATION AND FAKE NEWS
Proposal ideas
- Tools for identifying and disentangling mis- and information
- How to counter false messages/use of research and find out who’s behind them or financing them
- Coping with being trolled/targeted yourself
- Identifying and countering AI deep fakes
- Practical workshops that provide training in the management of mis- and disinformation
D: THE ART OF COMMUNICATION
Proposal ideas
- How to communicate basic sciences (and findings)
- Solutions journalism, advocacy journalism et al: should science journalists take a point of view?
- Science journalism and ethics
- The power of words to inform social justice; how the choice of words, language and storytelling can alter, for better or worse, people’s feelings about for instance a disease, a scientific finding, a natural disaster and more. Example: AIDS vs HIV; Afrikaans selfmoord (self-murder) vs selfdood (self dying), Mpox/monkey pox
- Planning for and measuring the impact of your stories
E: BEYOND THE “WEST”
Proposal ideas
- How can science journalists empower themselves, network with each other, strengthen knowledge and ensure science is covered well in environments that are constrained – such as island nations/nations recovering from colonial pasts?
- Science journalists on the track of climate change issues in the Global South and other regions deeply affected
- How to tell local science stories that embrace difference/seek equality across the globe and within societies
- Where African science is done and published; reflections on its support, and how science journalism can be leveraged for knowledge and understanding of science
- Covering traditional and indigenous health care
F: HEALTH JOURNALISM
Proposal ideas
- Health journalism as a social justice issue/social prerogative
- Reporting on:
Social, political and political determinants of health
Mental health
Health innovation and technology
Health policy and health systems - Reporting on progress on SDG 3 and related SDGs:
Achieving universal health coverage
Maternal and child health
The intersection of health, climate change, and environmental sustainability Water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) and its role in health - Information processing: Vaccination and its controversies
- Vital tools for good health journalism
As we embrace the arrival of spring here in South Africa, we also embrace the season of ideas, innovation, and collaboration. The themes we’ve laid out for WCSJ2025 reflect the dynamic challenges and opportunities facing science journalism today, especially in the context of social justice and resilience.
We encourage all potential contributors to think deeply about how your unique perspective can add to these conversations. Whether you’re proposing a session on the ethics of science communication, addressing misinformation in the digital age, or exploring the intersections of health, climate, and justice, we want to hear your voice.
Remember, the submission form will be available at the end of September 2024. This is your opportunity to help shape a conference that will not only challenge and inspire but also empower science journalists to make meaningful impacts worldwide. We look forward to the creativity, insight, and passion that you will bring to WCSJ2025!
To be kept informed on upcoming conference calls and deadlines, please ensure you are subscribed to our mailing list.