School of Media and Marketing professor Dr. Robert Z. Cortes was recently declared the recipient of the Best Paper Award of the International Symposia on Transformative Ideas in a Changing World organized by the Faculty of Philosophy of Widya Mandala Catholic University Surabaya. 

Dr. Cortes presented his paper, “Prospects of Internationalizing Democracy through the Lens of Clifford Christians' Media and Communication Theory”, during the two-day conference held in Indonesia in May 2024, which carried the theme "Internationalization of Democracy."

In his paper, Dr. Cortes explained how Clifford Christians’ transnational media and communication ethics theory (MCET), upon enhancement with his proposed recommendations, can aid in the internationalization of democracy by highlighting the importance of communication ethics. He pointed out the close connection, drawn from several scholars, between crises in communication and crises in democracy, and concluded that fostering effective communication through a widely accepted ethical framework, such as Christians’ enhanced global MCET, can support the advancement of democracy both locally and internationally.

The biennial International Symposia on Transformative Ideas in a Changing World attracts leading academics and practitioners from around the globe to discuss transformative ideas and contemporary issues.

Dr. Robert Cortes (2nd from right) as he presents his paper.

With his fellow presenters, including Dr. Nick Alviar (leftmost), dean of the UA&P School of Social Sciences, Law, and Governance.