Climate, AI, Decolonization: 2025 Conference on Communication Ethics
Register now for the Conference on Communication Ethics—free to attend!
The Royal Roads University Conference on Communication Ethics—returning for its fifth year— is an opportunity to dive into the power of communication and how it can be used as an ethical force in our world.
This free, virtual two-day conference is for everyone, from professional communicators to those who are just curious about the topic. All attendees can expect to have their thinking challenged, new ideas sparked, and to learn about ways we can change the world, using a tool we all use every day—communication.
WHEN: February 19 to 20, 2025, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. PST daily
WHERE: Virtual event
REGISTER to attend—(free)
Your free registration gets you into any session or panel throughout the conference.
Here’s a sneak peek at the thought-provoking discussions we have planned.
Social Media Threats to Diplomacy in the Trump Era
André Frenette, former deputy consul general of Canada and head of a business diplomacy consulting firm, and Yasser Abdelrahim, associate faculty in RRU’s School of Communication and Culture, will explore the dual-edged nature of social media in diplomacy, highlighting how platforms can facilitate positive diplomatic outreach but also amplify false narratives that erode public trust and democratic institutions.
A Filmmaker Researches Backwards: Exploring Narrative and Academic Intersections
Dwayne Beaver, a researcher, filmmaker and academic, presents The Mountie in the Movie, his in-progress, multi-format project examining the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The presentation demonstrates how creative and academic research practices can intersect to deepen public understanding of the RCMP’s historical and cultural significance.
Generative AI and Our Pedagogical Beliefs
Donna-Marie Hamilton, instructional designer with the Centre for Teaching & Educational Technologies at Royal Roads, will present an exploration of the ways generative AI has been challenging and changing the way we think about technology and learning in the post-secondary classroom.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Ethical Communication Practices: A Year in Review
A conversation between Peter Malachy Ryan, associate professor with the Department of Public Relations at Mount Royal University, Rebecca Bultsma, AI trainer, speaker and consultant specializing in practical and ethical AI implementation strategies, Crystal Chokshi, assistant professor in the School of Communication Studies at MRU, Archie McLean, associate professor of journalism and digital media at MRU, and Jaigris Hodson, Canada Research Chair in Digital Communication for the Public Interest. Panelists will discuss the AI educational resources designed to support and provide guidelines for educators in the past year.
From left to right: Peter Malachy Ryan, Rebecca Bultsma, Jaigris Hodson, Crystal Chokshi and Archie McLean
Listening to the Earth
Sean Holman, associate professor and Wayne Crookes Professor of Environmental and Climate Journalism at UVic, will speak about how the narratives of ordinary people living with the extraordinary consequences of our warming world can inform and motivate climate action. This presentation describes the trauma-informed methodology used by students enrolled in the University of Victoria's Climate Disaster Project, to co-create personal narratives with people who have survived disasters attributed to climate change.
Social Media, Ethics and Sport
Jennifer Walinga, professor in RRU’s School of Communication and Culture, will host a special episode of Sport, Leadership and Social Change with Elyse Gorell, certified mental performance consultant on the shifting landscape of sport as athletes wrestle with the ethics of new media.
Publisher and Indigenous Author Relationships
An insightful discussion with Karen Whetung, Indigenous mentor and author, Eden Sunflower and Zoe Mix, both staff at Medicine Wheel Publishing, on Indigenous storytelling and the unique dynamics of publishing in collaboration with Indigenous authors. Topics will include the importance of honoring Indigenous storytelling traditions, ethical publishing practices, and fostering a collaborative environment that uplifts Indigenous voices.
A Tourist Map of Indigenous “Victoria”: Connections between Truth, Reconciliation & Tourism
Melinda Quintero, a student in RRU’s Master of Arts in Tourism Management program, presents her thesis which explores maps as a tool for truth and reconciliation. This presentation will explore themes such as settler responsibility, reciprocity, sense of place and the implications of using Indigenous language on "standardized" maps.
Another World is Possible: Applying the Intercultural Praxis Model
Kathryn Sorrells, professor emeritus of Communication Studies at California State University, reflects on how we can develop our intercultural capacities to be more ethical communicators and actors. Sorrells will use her Intercultural Praxis Model to introduce a process of critical, reflective, thinking and acting that enables us to navigate the complex and difficult intercultural spaces we encounter in our interpersonal relationships, among groups from different backgrounds, in institutions and globally.
Decolonizing Together: Building the Stamina to Engage in Ethical Communication About Decolonization
A discussion with Niels Agger-Gupta, acting director for RRU’s School of Leadership Studies, Robin Alison Mueller, associate professor and director in RRU’s School of Education and Technology, Shauneen Pete, chair of RRU’s Emerging Indigenous Scholars Circle and Marnie Jull, associate professor in RRU’s Conflict Analysis and Management program. Panelists will have a conversation about their experiences communicating for decolonial outcomes.
From left to right: Robin Alison Mueller, Shauneen Pete, Niels Agger-Gupta and Marnie Jull
Professional Communication in Indigenous Contexts
A conversation with Timothy Kenny, senior communication advisor at Parks Canada, Alison Tedford Seaweed, award-winning author and storyteller, William Pierce, executive administrative assistant for the Wâpanachakos Indigenous Health Program at the University of Alberta, and Jasmine Feather Dionne, associate professor and member of the Emerging Indigenous Scholars Circle at RRU. This presentation will explain decolonization as a grounded approach to the indigenization of professional communication.
From left to right: Timothy Kenny, Alison Tedford Seaweed and William Pierce
Climate Crisis and Sport
During this webinar, Jennifer Walinga, professor in RRU’s School of Communication and Culture, will host a special episode of Sport, Leadership and Social Change and speak with experts on the impact that climate changes are having upon sport, as well as some of the creative initiatives launched to address these outcomes both in our local communities and abroad.