The 5th Lisbon Winter School for the Study of Communication (7–10 January 2025), hosted by the Catholic University of Portugal and organised in cooperation with the Europaeum, the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and the Helsinki Institute for Social Sciences and Humanities at the University of Helsinki, investigated the relationship between media and fear.
Fear is a powerful emotion that obscures, undermines or derationalizes decision-making – and it abounds in the media coverage of wars, terror, social protests, natural disasters, technological accidents and the radical events associated with climate crisis, migration, poverty, racialized violence, misogyny, settler colonialism and other global inequities. Today it is a central ingredient of many videos and posts that go viral on social media, and is promoted by a wide range of actors, including those who instigate action against the rule of law.
The Winter School began with lectures by Prof. David Altheide (Arizona State) and Prof. Isabel Capeloa Gil (Rector of the Catholic University of Portugal) on, respectively, American fascism and Ruins and the Management of Fear in twentieth-century Germany. Further faculty keynote lectures were interspersed with a large number of student presentations, including seven by students from around the Europaeum network on topics as diverse as fake news, conspiracy theory, radicalisation of boys and men on social media, and Santa Muerte.
The School took place at the Catholic University’s main campus in Campo Grande for the first two days, but shifted for the third and fourth to the Centro Cultural de Belem, next to the famous Jerónimos Monastery. Students heard from Prof. Johana Sumiala (Helsinki), who discussed fear of death, and Prof. Frank Furedi (Kent), who discussed fear of populism. The Europaeum was pleased to sponsor the attendance of Prof. István Rév (CEU), who gave a paper discussing radio propaganda in the Eastern Bloc after 1945.
Student Anna Pozzi (Bologna) writes:
“Participating in the ‘Media & Fear’ 2025 Lisbon Workshop was truly one of my favorite academic experiences. The venue was incredible, and the participants were equally impressive. The Europaeum experience fostered strong bonds among us while also allowing ample opportunities to network with representatives from other universities. The topic for this year was exceptionally engaging, and the quality of the conferences was top-notch.”
Student Karolina Kaleta (Jagiellonian) writes:
“This year’s winter workshop in Lisbon was held under the theme “Media & Fear.” In contemporary times, it is difficult to find a more relevant and significant topic for research in the field of social communication, as it allows for the exploration of a wide spectrum of more specific issues. Compared to other conferences or academic congresses, the Lisbon workshop stands out due to its unique format – a combination of extended lectures delivered by keynote speakers, (experienced researchers from prestigious academic institutions worldwide), and shorter presentations given by students and doctoral candidates.
“For younger academics, a particularly valuable aspect was that, in addition to questions from the audience, they also received comments and guidance from two moderators for each panel, which will undoubtedly benefit their future research endeavours. It is worth noting that while current global social and political events were reflected in many presentations, there was also room for local contexts and niche topics.
“Thanks to the organisers’ dedication, the workshop ran exceptionally smoothly and was accompanied by a friendly atmosphere, undoubtedly enhanced by the charm of the Portuguese capital. The academic connections established during the event will undoubtedly yield results and contribute to developing research competencies.
“The opportunity to participate in the Lisbon workshop was a significant experience for me. It allowed me to share the latest results of my research and engage with specialists in social and media studies.”
The Europaeum once again thanks the Winter School’s organisers Nelson Costa Ribeiro (UCP) and Barbie Zelizer (Annenberg School for Communications, University of Pennsylvania), and its convenors Sarah Banet-Weiser (Annenberg School for the Study of Journalism, University of Pennsylvania), Francis Lee (Chinese University of Hong Kong), and Risto Kunelius (University of Helsinki), for including us in this exceptional and wide-ranging interdisciplinary forum.
