“The industrial fabrication of lie” and “Scientific territories and time” in the last session of the PhD Seminars 2016-2017

The 2016-2017 edition of the PhD Seminars has come to an end. Organised by CECS and the Communication Sciences Department of the University of Minho, two topics were at stake: “the industrial fabrication of lies” and “Scientific territories and time”, from the keynote speakers Filipa Subtil (Lisbon Polytechnic Institute) and Emília Araújo (CECS-UM).

As Filipa Subtil pointed out, there are three decisive dimensions in the industrial production of lies: 1) fostered by the modern media, technological and industrial ones; 2) the aggregation of burocratic institutions; 3) the globalization processes. Subtil also addressed a fourth one, in the communicational paradigm processes. As she argued, the Internet has widen the idea of communication for all, but traditional media are also included in this enormous media landscape. “Digitalization has shifted the relationship that we have been used to in the past”, the researcher stated. Fake news and rumour are in constant pressure, in a complex crisis scenario within newsrooms. In the seminar, she has also pointed out that we are living peculiar times, where ethical concerns are always permanent in the public space. “Are we able to influence media nowadays?” she questioned.

Emília Araújo also participated in the session, thus questioned the very essence of the concept of “time”. In the universities, time has been challenged on a daily basis, she said. As academic is part of society, it is no unravelling fact to state this, it was observed: “multiple accesses promote acceleration, according to an idea of an academic capitalism”, among students, teachers, and tutors. Araújo has also underlined the “time is filled with constraints”: should we control or guide? Suggest or impose? Respond or replace? The biggest constraint is the one related to the annual Evaluation of students towards the teachers. Body and soul are in profound implication, she concluded.

This years’ session of the PhD Seminars has started on 24^th February 2017, with Mariana Lameiras and Isabel Macedo, with the presentation “Research paths in young scholars”. On 24^th March, Maria José Brites participated in the session “Participative research towards youth and news” as well as Manuel Gama with “Mapping cultural practices”. On 21^st April, Rita Ribeiro presented “Listen to the voices: telling, interpreting, saving stories” and Paulo Serra “The problem of time in research”.

Text & photos: Vítor de Sousa

Translation: Fábio Ribeiro