Conference Agenda

The idea of metamorphosis is not new. It was rather common in the ancient and medieval iconography to operate with a plenty of hybrid identities: from Centaurus to mermaids, from Sphynx to Gorgonas. Even more common were total transformations: gods like Jupiter that has versatile identity, appearing as bull, eagle, swan, cocoo, or even as a golden rain - in order cheat the vigilance of his wife, watching his love affairs. In the world of the immortals, metamorphosis were common too: Narcissus[1] transformed in dandelion, Daphne into a laurel, Io into a cow, Atlas into a mountain, Arachne into a spider, Orion into a constellation etc.. Within “ecosystem” of the ancient world, vegetal, mineral or animal identities were conceived either as a punishment or a reward.

The current communication environment shaped by virtual avatars and metaverse seem to reopen the interest in the use of hybrid identities, especially related to green communication issues. Metaverse becomes a playground for symbiotic, non-human identities. XR platforms like “Forager” or “Tree” or “Symbiosis”, aiming to reconnect people with nature create “memories for people where they can embody an element of nature”: ex: a mushroom, a tree or other symbiotic life.

Based on the conceptual frame offered by Felix Guattari’s “Ecosophy”: that urges an extension of environmental ecology to a social and mental one, our research focuses on the disruptions provided by the currently reconfigured rel[AI]tionships with nature, from a nonhuman-centric position.

[1] https://www.thecollector.com/greek-mythology-stories-transformation/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metamorphoses_in_Greek_mythology

In 2021, two issues that dominated headlines and management discussions were the extension of remote work resulting from the ongoing pandemic and the explosive hype of the metaverse. What if these issues were to collide? As industries and agencies grapple with engaging their remote workforce during the “great resignation/reset,” the go-to platforms for meetings and gatherings represented the “Hollywood Squares” video conference format, such as Zoom. New issues of equity have emerged in this format for numerous reasons. However, in the metaverse, opportunities to build identity, experiences, and environments and to build engaged communities are limited only by our imagination. This study explores the practical challenges of creating safe and productive environments and experiences when considering virtual worlds as workspaces and the digital identities created there.

Building on prior research, a mixed method approach will be utilized to ascertain manager expectations about participant identity, the student or trainee and employee experience in the platform, and the role identity plays in that experience. Study participants will be recruited from Virbela, Meta Horizon Workrooms, Accenture, and Second Life, four of the most highly developed and populated virtual environments used for work.

We expect the findings to reveal different workplace experiences and that customizable avatar identities will influence experience, productivity, and engagement. Anticipated outcomes will be a best practice guide for organizations, educators, and trainers hoping to use the metaverse for future work environments in a way that also breaks down contemporary challenges of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace.

In a time of unrest and uncertainty, society turns to traditional and social media and their social media networks for answers and comfort. Instead, what researchers have found is the spread of dis- and misinformation, distortion and fake news (Musi et.al, 2023) often propelled and exacerbated by citizen and traditional media outlets. With the development, implementation, and use of social media the spread of both information and dis-information occurs more rapidly than ever before. However, what happens when there are issues of power related to these new frames and narratives, where sharing and promoting popular narratives of lower quality, focusing on decreased diversity of sources and unconfirmed information. Is this due to the nature of the community and industry, or is it part of a strategic move to promote one side and silence the others that are contradictory to the promoted side? This conceptual piece will explore what is referred to as strategic social media polarisation (SSSP), and how it has impacted the strategic communication profession both at the academic and practical level. Further recommendations and discussions on best practices to combat strategic social media polarisation will also be discussed.