From Bias to Balance: Examining media representations, public attitudes, and campaigns in battling discrimination

Societies are not inclusive by default. Fighting inequality is seen as one of society’s greatest grand challenges (UN Development Programme, Strategic Plan 2022-2025). COMMunity starts from the premise that effective policymaking can only be developed when reliable monitoring indicators provide a thorough insight in social reality. Moreover, the objectives of anti-discrimination policies need to be understood. COMMunity will provide a cross-disciplinary framework to investigate the dynamic interplay between (1) governmental anti-discrimination and equality policies, (2) media representations of discrimination and inequalities, and media reputation of equality bodies operating in Belgium, and (3) public perceptions towards precarious groups. The project approaches the societal challenge of anti-discrimination in Belgium, with a focus on within-country differences, comparing the two linguistic communities, from several academic perspectives: e.g., public policy, public administration, communication sciences, and journalism studies. This cross-disciplinary framework will allow us to reach our overarching aim: to develop a comprehensive theory of the (possibly biased and politicised) perceptions of inequality and discrimination and the emotional, attitudinal, and behavioural responses evoked, when examining the grounds and mechanisms that motivate legislators, policymakers, media makers, and citizens (general population and target groups) to respond to discrimination and reverse its adverse effects.