Conflict management, dialogue and reader engagement in the new media landscape

The social challenge that the project focuses on is a growing polarization in the public sphere. This challenge has been clearly highlighted by the Swedish Government Official Reports on democracy, and polarization between groups is referred to as a special risk factor for democracy.

The project is expected to result in deeper knowledge of the challenges, needs, markets and a network of users and stakeholders for the next innovation step. Effects in the long term, after a step 3 project, are expected to be that media will be able to offer safe discussion tools for conflict-ridden topics and that more readers, from more groups in society, participate in discussions across lines of conflict and via media actors' platforms.

The project has four work packages: Media market analysis that deepens the knowledge of the media as an attractive arena for discussions, Needs analysis and user studies in collaboration with reader groups and other groups in civil society to increase understanding of the user's/reader's perspective, Idea workshop where early concepts are developed based on needs analysis and lastly a package for Planning for the next project.

Collaborating parties are RISE, Direktpress AB, Södertörns Högskola, Lindholmens Science Park and Ifrågasätt AB, consortium with expertise in  media, ICT, design, journalism and challenges related to online discussions.