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AbstractDigital media which involve narrative storytelling are increasingly used in nursing and health research, including clinical applications such as cinematherapy. A pilot study was conducted on how digital media self-accessed by marginalized individuals may be beneficial toward mindfulness and healing from trauma. Qualitative interviews were conducted with individuals (n = 8) who self-reported marginalizations via: race; gender; rural geography; socioeconomic status; indigenous or colonial experience; survivor of abuse; experiences of homelessness; or disability. Results indicated that trauma-narratives often organically emerge through discussions on digital media, with notable intersections with mindfulness-based practices and interventions. First, digital media can create a mindfulness of trauma as valid to discuss and disseminate. Mindfulness of authentic resolution also emerged as critical, as trauma may be employed in media narratives for attention or sympathy with no intent to support healing. Participant responses illustrate value in being mindful of individuals with severe trauma, who may be less likely to benefit from digital media. Digital media can foster sense-of-belonging and community-building amidst isolation; additionally, parasocial relationships may help foster supportive identities and ideologies on vulnerability. Findings are outlined in a preliminary conceptual framework, toward supporting future digital media with intent to create mindfulness or heal trauma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper assesses the contributions of Paulo Freire to communication theories, drawing upon a search for communication theory literature on the database Communication and Mass Media Open and the conglomerate source Encyclopedia of Communication Theory. Four encyclopedia entries are reviewed alongside 22 articles. Often identified as an education theorist, Freire and his contributions to the interdisciplinary field of communication can be seen in relation to international development; sign-language interpretation; communication ethics; public communication; culture; mass media; among others. Several studies are conducted in non-Western countries, with a notable focus on multicultural communication toward peace-building and cultural harmony. Additionally, severe social justice issues which involve violation of basic human rights are documented in two indigenous studies. Eight new theory-making papers are identified, in which Freirean theory is mobilized to support communication theory-building. The intersectional and multicultural nature of Freirean theory emerges as leading to diverse applications in social justice, and the review outlines six key Freirean concepts which recur in existing communication theories and studies: dialogue; praxis; banking model; problem-posing; critical consciousness; and emancipation. How each of these concepts are mobilized to guide theorizing in the field of communication are summarized, toward supporting future work in communication as social justice practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on a multi-phase study conducted on the World Health Organization’s (WHO) age-friendly cities program, healthy-cities program, and global sustainable-cities initiatives, this paper assesses how older adults – particularly those living with chronic health conditions and disabilities – discuss mobility challenges in qualitative research. Initial results indicate that demobilizing levels of travel cost and travel risk are implied, with older adults refraining from direct discussion. Reflective analysis is performed on marginalized older adults’ conceptual associations, ideologies, and response to social norms, to identify sources of pressure which may lead to downplaying or self-censorship on transport disadvantage. Results highlight that inequalities may arise from both the built environment and how research trainees communicate in research. Despite literature which suggests severe impacts of transport disadvantage, older adults may face difficulties in voicing their needs when research trainees adhere to the following social norms. First, physical access and feasibility may be minimized as mere matters of convenience to the able-bodied individual; second, overcoming transportation barriers may be seen as based on one’s effort – as opposed to the disabling effects of the built environment; third, health and fitness in general may be also associated with one’s effort, and increasingly also to one’s commitment to environmental-sustainability; fourth, older adults may feel pressure to align perspectives with more privileged stakeholders, or with the general public; fifth, money and income may be delegitimized as apt research topics, regardless of how inability to overcome travel costs may impact daily-wellbeing. Implications for educating future gerontology-research trainees conclude the study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The framework seeks to acknowledge and minimize risks of 1) simultaneous, negative health-impacts, and 2) reinforcing Freirean oppression and health inequalities via health-oriented media. Media can be accessed to resolve one's complex landscape of socially-imposed tasks and self-determined tasks. Health messaging, therefore, may be present but deprioritized - when marginalized audiences face more pressing socially-imposed tasks such as basic livelihood. There is value in exploring and minimizing connotations in health media which reinforce social-impositions; glamorize potentially-harmful personal goals; and obfuscate the combined totality of tasks an individual faces. Additionally, health-media creators may consider how power and privilege is presented, as the overriding societal perspective is that power and privilege can resolve all tasks in life - thus entrenching individuals in pursuit of privilege over pursuit of health outcomes. The framework highlights that media may bring any of the negative impacts above while holding valid health messaging simultaneously. Furthermore, the same piece of health-media may not always bring identical levels of health-benefits to privileged and marginalized communities. How health media may reduce 1) inequitable distribution of health benefits and burdens according to existing inequalities and 2) eliminate unintended negative messaging which occur alongside positive messaging are outlined for consideration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In assessing leverage points to promote educational equality, this paper examines Freire's concept of education as oppression to highlight the potential of reclaiming resources currently dedicated to oppressive education. Harel Ben-Shahar's concepts of education as a positional good as well as the potential lack of instrumental value in contributing to students' social, health, relational, and other holistic aspects of wellbeing are mobilized to disentangle varying forms of education. Practitioner experience with students living with disabilities in a postcolonial global south establishes the foundational context to consider how education has capacity to challenge the following: economic domination; restraint on traditional Indigenous knowledge; limited basic livelihood; and media stereotypes on effort committed by the marginalized—yet often chooses not to. Disentangling what precisely constitutes education as oppression emerges as a challenging task, since Freire's conceptualization of conformity is often required of students if they wish to meet essential survival needs. Lisu case studies in rural agricultural economies, traditional ecological knowledge, and postcolonial curriculum demonstrate that education as oppression can emerge naturally with or without intent, and that education mobilized to gatekeep social resources or justify the inequitable distribution of life opportunities can reinforce existing systematic inequalities. Notably, resources and opportunities in disadvantaged communities can already be stratified by preexisting racist; sexist; ableist; classist; or colonial discrimination, and suggest that the intersection between education and basic survival of students should not be viewed as too tangential or basic for future policy discourse. Four forms of education as oppression are preliminarily considered, toward supporting future discourse on eliminating inadvertent oppressive impacts via funded pedagogy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]