In recent decades, rapid technological advancements have drastically altered how individuals connect, communicate, and access information. News and knowledge may now travel across the globe in a matter of seconds. While these digital and communicational innovations have sprung several new opportunities to organize, educate, and enlighten the international community, still these significant changes have also had unfavourable effects that we are only now beginning to address, such as the significantly increased rate at which false information, misleading information, and even hate speech propagate.
The international community as a whole is now faced with difficult geopolitical problems raised by disinformation, misinformation, and hate speech. People’s vulnerability and risk exposure may be exacerbated by misinformation and disinformation. Likewise, hate speech puts the safety and dignity of individuals and groups at risk, either directly or indirectly. As an example, online hate speech that incites violence against a minority can cause psychological and social harm through intimidation, slander, and harassment.
With these considerations in mind, UNICRI and the Italian Society for International Organization (SIOI) are launching the second edition of the Summer School on Misinformation, Disinformation and Hate Speech, which will be delivered from 1 to 5 July 2024.
The course is intended for university and post-graduate students, Ph.D. candidates, media and other professionals, including United Nations (UN) personnel, as well as anyone interested in gaining an understanding of disinformation, misinformation, and hate speech, how they manifest themselves and what tools are available to combat them.
Special focus will be given to various dimensions of hate speech and fake news, including the contemporary challenges linked to the Covid-19 pandemic and the role of social media in war and political propaganda campaigns. The existing international legal and policy frameworks will be examined with a view to improve participants’ ability to address the issue in a comprehensive way and promote their role as advocates for an effective change in public policies, strategies, and practices.
The Summer School offers professional, legal, social, scientific, and academic perspectives through live webinars, group discussions, dynamic case studies, individual readings, and practical exercises. The faculty is composed of expert scholars and academics from leading universities, representatives of the United Nations system, international human rights bodies, and the civil society.
Participants will have the opportunity to interact with international recognized experts and peers from all over the world, to exchange view and opinions and build lasting professional relationships. This experience fosters intercultural dialogue and promotes a deeper understanding of some of the world’s most complex and debated issues.
