Navigating the Mass Media Field of 21th Century — the Topic for Research
In the age of information war, propaganda, fake news, lie, manipulation and high level of polarization and complexity in mass communications and/or relationships at the family dinner table, on the streets, at the Parliament, organization, business team or across the globe, I set up for a research on how to navigate the media field of 21th century and participate in it, using the deep democracy approach.
Deep Democracy, also known as the ProcessWork approach, was developed in early 1980s by Arnold Mindell, the MIT graduate in physics and Jungian psychologist. At the intersection of psychology, modern physics and indigenous traditions, deep democracy gives a new perspective on how to deal with issues at hand: be it personal, team, group, national or world issues. It is an awareness paradigm that sees all parts of a system, both mainstream and that on the margin as essential to be welcomed for future development.
In my research I want to look at the complex information field we live in, and using the deep democracy lenses —learn how to navigate this waters, being active participant in it — as a citizen, media professional, public-speaking person or communication expert at government institutions, organizations or in business.
My hypothesis is that in the increasing information entropy in the world we live in, understanding the role structure of a given topic or media article or a facebook post or an organization’s statement or public event, could equip any individual or journalist or communications specialist or public person to be more aware and thus participate in it by facilitating processes — to allow them to flow instead of being stuck or cycle/repeat for a while. That would create the ground for dialogue, including tensions and conflicts, with potential for creativity, new solutions and deeper relationships between multiple stakeholders and various interests involved.
Since early childhood I have been interested in communications. Coming from corporate as a communications professional for eight years, I got my Master’s Degree in Journalism at NaUKMA and finished my Diploma in Deep Democracy Institute, a global leadership think-tank, to work now in the area of relationships as a coach and facilitator with individuals, teams and organizations, using the deep democracy paradigm.
In 2018 I wrote my diploma thesis “Entangled: Interdependence between Personal and Community Development” where I researched how the context I live in and my personal history influence my thinking and actions as well as support or keep me away from going towards my big goals; and how becoming aware of it and working on my own frees me to move on, and also impacts and evolves the world/people/reality/culture around me.
Thus, I would like to use my previous findings of my personal path and innerwork — as a ground to apply in communications field. And my next step in PhD journey is to research the topic (working title) “Dreaming together: How could mass media and everyone (as media) in the age of fake news, myths/lies and propaganda, support individual/community/country and global development, using deep democracy approach?”
What is going to be next here in this blog — are some examples on how I use deep democracy approach to navigate the information field that I am part of — in Ukraine and as a global citizen.
