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Dr Valentina Bau

Dr Valentina Bau

Honorary Senior Lecturer

PhD International Communication: Communication for Development in Peacebuilding (Macquarie University, Australia)

MSc Communication for Development (University of Reading, UK)

MA Public Relations (Bournemouth University, UK)

BA (Hons) Media & Communication Studies (University of Perugia, Italy)

Arts, Design & Architecture
School of the Arts and Media

I am a Senior Research Fellow at Western Sydney University, Institute for Culture and Society. I am also an Honorary Senior Lecturer at UNSW. I conduct research on the application of Communication for Development in Peacebuilding with a focus on realities affected by violent conflict and forced displacement. I explore and evaluate new communication for development approaches that employ different media and communication channels to contribute to social change and sustainable peace in the aftermath of (or during) violence. I also look at the application of communication for development for citizen engagement and youth participation in governance and peacebuilding. My more recent work has begun to explore the use of Communication for Development in the context of crisis response interventions, with the aim of developing new frameworks that can link the implementation of applied research with the production of theoretical knowledge, whose translation can inform practice. I am currently Chief Investigator on an Australia Research Council Discovery Award on . This three year project (2022-2024) investigates the use of media and communication from humanitarian organisations in promoting peace and social cohesion among young refugees living in camps; the aim is to develop a new a approach that brings together C4D and CwC in complex settings of protracted encampment.

My PhD has looked at the ways in which participatory media can be used as storytelling tools to share experiences of war among hostile communities in the aftermath of a civil war, and how sharing stories through the media can facilitate healing and reconciliation. As part of my doctorate project, I worked on the evaluation of two participatory media activities implemented in Kenya in the aftermath of the 2007/2008 Post-Election Violence. I assessed the impact of these projects in relation to ethnic reconciliation between and among communities in specific areas of the Rift Valley, where I spent three months interviewing both victims and perpetrators of the 2007/2008 conflict who have been in contact with these media productions.

More generally, I am also interested in looking at the different ways communication can be used in development contexts (particularly in post-conflict settings), as well as in understanding the impact that an introduction to the use of the media has on communities living in extreme poverty.I collaborate with UNICEF and other international NGOs on different projects related to Communication for Development and media for peace.

Prior to the start of my academic career, I have worked as an international development professionalfor various non-governmental organisations, government departments and the United Nations, both in Head Offices and in Country Offices in African settings.

I am a Thematic Editor for journal, an Associate Editor for the , and an Editorial Board Member for the .

To find out more about my research and publications, visit myon Academia.edu.au or my website .

Phone
+61 2 9685 9038
Location
Western Sydney University Institute for Culture & Society (ICS) Building EM - G05 Locked Bag 1797 Penrith NSW 2751 Australia
  • Book Chapters | 2023
    Baú V, 2023, 'Media Literacy and Conflict. Understanding mediated communication for the achievement of peace and development', in Servaes J; Yushau MJ (ed.), SDG18 Communication for All. The Missing Link between SDGs and Global Agendas, Palgrave Macmillan, Cham, pp. 177 - 197,
    Book Chapters | 2019
    Baú V, 2019, 'Re-designing the Media in Humanitarian Interventions Communicating with Communities at Times of Crisis', in Reporting Human Rights, Conflicts, and Peacebuilding: Critical and Global Perspectives, Springer International Publishing, pp. 67 - 81,
    Book Chapters | 2019
    Baú V, 2019, 'Re-designing the Media in Humanitarian Interventions. Communicating with communities at times of crisis', in Shaw I; Selvarajah S (ed.), Media, Human Rights and Conflicts: Reporting human rights in times of conflict, London, Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 67 - 81,
    Book Chapters | 2019
    Calandro E; Baú V, 2019, 'Digital Media and Information Rights', in Hobbs R; Mihailidis P (ed.), The International Encyclopedia of Media Literacy, Wiley-Blackwell, Boston, pp. 1 - 13,
    Book Chapters | 2014
    Baú V, 2014, 'Communities and Media in the Aftermath of Conflict: participatory productions for reconciliation and peace', in Cultivating Peace: contexts, practices and multidimensional models, Cambridge University Press, pp. 266 - 282,
    Book Chapters | 2014
    Baú V, 2014, 'Video Technology and Participatory Approaches to Peace – From technological determinism to self-empowerment and social change. An experience from Kenya', in Technological Determinism and Social Change: communication in a tech-mad world, Lexington Books, pp. 243 - 258
  • Journal articles | 2024
    Baú V, 2024, 'Communicative Ecologies of Displaced Youth Ways of Connecting in Protracted Situations of Encampment', Communication Studies, pp. 1 - 15,
    Journal articles | 2023
    Joshi B; Baú V; Ryder P, 2023, 'Looking Beyond Organisational Approaches to Advance Communication Practice: an examination of development projects in India', Development in Practice,
    Journal articles | 2022
    Baú V, 2022, 'Framing the Representation of Refugee Children and Adolescents: A Key Informant Review of the Italian Media', Media Watch,
    Journal articles | 2022
    Baú V, 2022, 'Reality TV and civic engagement: Researching the lives of the young Palestinians who ran for ‘The President’', Creative Industries Journal, pp. 1 - 21,
    Journal articles | 2022
    Baú V, 2022, 'When Visual Research Goes Online: investigating the lives of former reality TV participants', SAGE Research Method Cases,
    Journal articles | 2020
    Baú V; Calandro E, 2020, 'The Experience of Internet Freedom among African Users', International Journal of Communication, 14, pp. 6072 - 6086,
    Journal articles | 2020
    Baú V, 2020, 'Open publishing, decentralisation, and the rise of new media platforms: reflecting on the IMC experience of Australia', Media, Culture and Society, 42, pp. 1039 - 1043,
    Journal articles | 2020
    Baú V, 2020, 'Peacebuilding and Communication', Oxford Bibliographies in Communication,
    Journal articles | 2020
    Baú V, 2020, 'What killed Indymedia? Lessons from the IMC experience of Australia', Journal of Alternative and Community Media, 5, pp. 191 - 210,
    Journal articles | 2019
    Baú V, 2019, 'Building a Combined Framework of Analysis to Understand Displaced Adolescents’ Communication through Art', SAGE Research Methods Cases,
    Journal articles | 2018
    Baú V, 2018, 'Breaking the Conflict Cycle, Building Peaceful Communities: participatory photography and storytelling with African diasporas in Sydney', Journal of Communication Inquiry, 42, pp. 423 - 443,
    Journal articles | 2018
    Baú V, 2018, 'Leaving the Camps Behind: The Role of Development Communication in Refugee-Host Integration', Communication Research and Practice, 4, pp. 361 - 374,
    Journal articles | 2018
    Baú V, 2018, 'Media, Participation and Healing: community-led content to overcome the trauma of conflict', Online Journal of Art & Design (OJAD), 6, pp. 61 - 81,
    Journal articles | 2018
    Baú V, 2018, 'Participatory Communication, Theatre and Peace. Performance as a tool for change at the end of conflict', Communicatio, Vol.44, pp. 34 - 54,
    Journal articles | 2018
    Baú V, 2018, 'Radio, Conflict and Land Grabbing in Sierra Leone. Communicating rights and preventing violence through drama', Media, War and Conflict, 12, pp. 373 - 391,
    Journal articles | 2017
    Baú V, 2017, 'Art, Development and Peace Working with Adolescents Living in Internally Displaced People's Camps in Mindanao', Journal of International Development, 29, pp. 948 - 960,
    Journal articles | 2017
    Baú V, 2017, 'Evaluating the Use of Communication for Development in Conflict Interventions', Commons. Comunicación y Ciudadanía Digital, 6, pp. 96 - 112,
    Journal articles | 2016
    Baú V, 2016, 'A Narrative Approach in Evaluation:“Narratives of Change” method', Qualitative Research Journal, 16, pp. 374 - 387,
    Journal articles | 2016
    Baú V, 2016, 'Citizen Engagement in Peacebuilding: a communication for development approach to rebuilding peace from the bottom-up', Progress in Development Studies, 16, pp. 348 - 360,
    Journal articles | 2016
    Baú V, 2016, 'Communication for development in peacebuilding: directions on research and evaluation for an emerging field', Critical Arts: a south-north journal of cultural and media studies, Vol.29, pp. 801 - 818,
    Journal articles | 2016
    Baú V, 2016, 'Waving the flag for development communication: Why there is still hope for communication research', International Communication Gazette, 78, pp. 711 - 715,
    Journal articles | 2015
    Baú V, 2015, 'Building peace through social change communication: Participatory video in conflictaffected communities', Community Development Journal, 50, pp. 121 - 137,
    Journal articles | 2015
    Baú V, 2015, 'Participatory Photography for Peace. Using images to open up dialogue after violence', Journal of Peacebuilding and Development, Vol.10, pp. 74 - 88,
    Journal articles | 2014
    Baú V, 2014, 'Telling Stories of War through the Screen. Participatory video approaches and practice to bring peace in conflict-affected contexts', Conflict & Communication Online, Vol.13, pp. 1 - 9,
    Journal articles | 2014
    Harris, U. ; Baú V, 2014, 'Harnessing Participatory Media Technology for Community Development: choices and implications for practitioners', Development Bulletin, Vol.76, pp. 31 - 34,
    Journal articles | 2013
    Baú V, 2013, 'Stories in Reconciliation: Reflections on Community Participation for Restoring Relationships and Transforming Conflict', Peace Studies Journal, 6, pp. 42 - 57,
    Journal articles | 2010
    Baú V, 2010, 'Media and conflict in Sierra Leone: national and international perspectives of the civil war', Global Media Journal – African Edition, Vol.4, pp. 20 - 27,
    Journal articles | 2009
    Baú V, 2009, 'Media and Communication for Gender and Development', Southern African Media Diversity Journal, Vol.6, pp. 170 - 174
  • Reports | 2023
    Baú V; Georgeou N, 2023, Media, Art and Stories. A case for funding research into community-based creative arts practices in Western Sydney,
    Conference Presentations | 2023
    Baú V, 2023, 'Communicative Ecologies of Displaced Youth. ‘Connecting’, ‘receiving’ and ‘sharing’ in refugee camps', presented at IAMCR Conference, Lyon, France, 09 July 2023 - 13 July 2023
    Reports | 2023
    Shakespeare M; Pham L; Chitranshi B; McMahon T; Khorana S; Magee L; Baú V, 2023, Foundations for Belonging 2023: Exploring refugees’ understanding and engagement with First Nations issues and histories, SSI and Western Sydney University, Sydney,
    Reports | 2021
    Baú V; Georgeou N; Kreemers D, 2021, Media, Art and Stories. Enabling communities’ creative expression in Sydney’s West, University of New South Wales, Sydney,
    Reports | 2021
    Baú V, 2021, Re-thinking the Representation of Refugee Children and Adolescents in the Media. Views from Italy’s frontline,
    Reports | 2020
    Baú V; Burnside M; Cook S; Bartlett A; Ridley K, 2020, Exploring the Meaning of Impact in Development Research, Institute for Global Development, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, ,
    Reports | 2020
    Baú V, 2020, Communicating with Unaccompanied Foreign Minors: How UN agencies engage with newly arrived migrant and refugee children in Italy, RESPOND Migration project, 2020/71, ,
    Other | 2020
    Baú V, 2020, Covid-19 and Conflict: communicating for peace during a global health crisis, ,
    Reports | 2019
    Baú V; Joshi B, 2019, Leading Inclusive Development using Media and Communication,
    Conference Presentations | 2019
    Baú V, 2019, 'Indymedia: time to take stock. Lessons from the IMC experience of Australia', presented at IAMCR (International Association for Media and Communication Research) Conference, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain, 07 Jul-11 Jul 2019
    Conference Presentations | 2019
    Baú V, 2019, 'Refugee Children and Adolescents in the Italian Media. Reflections on narrative and representation', presented at The Migration Conference, University of Bari, Italy, 18 Jun-20 Jun 2019
    Other | 2018
    Baú V, 2018, Communicating with Communities during Conflict. “Mediated” avenues to inform those in needs, ,
    Reports | 2017
    Baú V; Brimacombe T, 2017, Media Approaches to Communicating for Development, UNSW Australia, Sydney,
    Conference Presentations | 2017
    Baú V, 2017, 'Radio, Conflict and Land Grabbing in Sierra Leone. Communicating rights and preventing violence through drama', presented at IAMCR (International Association for Media and Communication Research) Conference, Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, 16 July 2017 - 20 July 2017
    Conference Presentations | 2016
    Baú V, 2016, 'Breaking the Conflict Cycle Working with Young African Diasporas in Sydney? Redressing assumptions and reassessing the use of participatory photography', presented at Diasporas in Action, University of Melbourne, Australia, 26 September 2016 - 27 September 2016
    Conference Presentations | 2016
    Baú V, 2016, 'Communicating for Peace through Art - Using art and communication for development to work with internally-displaced adolescents in Mindanao', presented at IPRA (International Peace Research Association) Conference, University of Freetown, Freetown, Sierra Leone, 27 November 2016 - 01 December 2016
    Other | 2016
    Baú V, 2016, Using Participatory Photography for Peace. A short guide for practitioners, Search for Common Ground, Washington DC, ,
    Reports | 2015
    Baú V; Brimacombe T, 2015, Communication for Development Approaches in the Australian NGO Sector and Academia, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia,
    Conference Presentations | 2015
    Baú V, 2015, 'Citizen Engagement in Peacebuilding. A communication for development approach to rebuilding peace from the bottom up', presented at IAMCR (International Association for Media and Communication Research) Conference, University of Québec, Montreal, Canada, 12 July 2015 - 16 July 2015
    Conference Presentations | 2015
    Baú V, 2015, 'Gender and Peacebuilding. A communication for development approach to promote an equal and inclusive process', presented at ACFID (Australia Council for International Development) University Network Conference, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia, 04 June 2015 - 05 June 2015
    Other | 2015
    Baú V, 2015, Gender and Peace after 2015… and why communication should be more than a cross cutting approach, World Association for Christian Communication (WACC), Toronto, ,
    Conference Presentations | 2014
    Baú V, 2014, 'Communication for Development in Peacebuilding. Identifying research directions for an emerging paradigm', presented at Ørecomm Conference, Malmo, Sweden, 17 September 2014 - 20 September 2014
    Conference Presentations | 2014
    Baú V, 2014, 'Creating Dialogue through Images: participatory photography for peace', presented at IPRA (International Peace Research Association) Conference, Istanbul, Turkey, 10 August 2014 - 14 August 2014
    Other | 2014
    Baú V, 2014, Evaluating the Impact of Participatory Media for Conflict Transformation, Search for Common Ground, Washington DC, ,
    Other | 2014
    Baú V, 2014, Transforming Conflict into Peace, Oxford University Press, Oxford, ,
    Conference Presentations | 2013
    Baú V, 2013, 'A new Role for Communication for Social Change in Conflict Transformation. Using participatory video to restore peace', presented at IAMCR (International Association for Media and Communication Research), Dublin, Ireland, 25 June 2013 - 29 June 2013
    Conference Presentations | 2013
    Baú V, 2013, 'Video Technologies and Participatory Approaches for Sustainable Peace. Tackling conflict through social change communication', presented at ICA (International Communication Association) Conference, London, UK, 17 June 2013 - 21 June 2013
    Other | 2013
    Baú V, 2013, Five Years on: identity and Kenya's post-election violence, ,
    Other | 2013
    Baú V, 2013, My ICA2013. Navigating the London conference in a quest for Development Communication…and beyond, Ѳö University, Ѳö, ,
    Other | 2013
    Baú V, 2013, Peace Initiatives on the Sotik/Borabu border in Kenya, ,
    Conference Presentations | 2013
    Harris, U. ; Baú V, 2013, 'Participatory Media Workshop', presented at ACFID (Australia Council for International Development) University Network Conference, Sydney, Australia, 21 November 2013 - 22 November 2013
    Conference Presentations | 2012
    Baú V, 2012, 'Communities and Media in the Aftermath of Conflict - Participatory productions for reconciliation and peace', presented at Cultivating Peace Conference, Armidale, Australia, 17 May 2012 - 19 May 2013
    Conference Presentations | 2010
    Baú V, 2010, 'Mourning and Healing through the Media: participatory productions in post-conflict settings', presented at Panic and Mourning - Graduate Conference in Culture Studies, Lisbon, Portugal, 28 October 2010 - 29 October 2010
    Conference Presentations | 2009
    Baú V, 2009, 'Shaping the Content – A critical evaluation of the role of media relations and its function in liberal democratic societies', presented at Southern Africa Communication Association (SACOMM) Conference, 16 September 2009 - 18 September 2009
    Other | 2009
    Baú V, 2009, Media relations and democracy - An analysis of communication through media relations practice and its role in liberal democratic societies, Civicus, South Africa, ,
  • Media | 2021
    Baú V, 2021, Raccontare davvero le storie dei bambini rifugiati in Italia, ,
    Media | 2021
    Baú V, 2021, Telling the true story of refugee children in Italy, ,

- 2021 ARC DECRA Fellowship

- 2020 IPRA Peace Research Grant

2018: undertaken a five-month Visiting Senior Research Fellowship at UNICEF Innocenti Office of Research in Florence, Italy

2012: selected for fully funded participation in the ‘Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Creative Industries & Innovation’ Winter School at Queensland University of Technology in Australia

2011: recipient of the Macquarie University Research Excellence Scholarship for PhD programme in Australia

2010: selected for the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) Fellowship for international cooperation and development in Angola

2006: selected for the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs & CRUI Foundation Apprenticeship Programme for international cooperation and development in Mozambique

Board of Directors Member of, Sydney

Member of the

Convenor of DSAACreative Approaches and Practices in Development StudiesResearch Group

Member of Waverley Council Multicultural Advisory Committee

Member of UNSW Forced Migration Research Network

Member of Western Sydney University

Member of Western Sydney University

Member of the

Member of the International Association for Media & Communication Research (IAMCR)

My Research Supervision

-Exploring new public relations approaches to address international development communication challenges

My Teaching

- MDIA2011 Media Design for Change,Level 2 elective course inB.Media PR & Advertising,UNSW School of the Arts and Media

- MDIA3012 Communication in Action, Level 3 elective courseinB.Media PR & Advertising,UNSW School of the Arts and Media