MUCS studies media use in crisis situations, comparing climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic. We analyze how people in Norway encounter these issues in everyday life and through the media, where information is abundant across different platforms.
The objective of the project is to resolve paradoxes in the communication of crisis in digital societies. Why do we accept drastic measures to fight the pandemic, while similar climate action is difficult to accomplish? There is extensive media coverage warning of a climate crisis, but we do not know enough about how this information is interpreted. In contrast, the pandemic is perceived differently terms of speed, proximity and impact on our lives. By comparing these cases, we learn more about information in different crisis situations, and build resilience in the face of future and unknown risks.
Our research is focused on media use. Media are key to how experts and governing bodies communicate, and risk management depends on effective communication to mobilize and maintain trust. Social media, journalism, smartphones and algorithmic media are all part of how citizens relate to society. We study these and other examples with a cross-media perspective, analyzing how Norwegian citizens use a variety of media in their everyday lives. We are particularly interested in digitalization, and in understanding the challenges and opportunities new technologies bring forward.
The project conducts qualitative research, including interviews about media use pertaining to climate and COVID-19, and ethnographic studies of how these issues are encountered in local communities in Norway. We collaborate with stakeholders in climate and crisis communication to develop actionable knowledge.
MUCS has an interdisciplinary approach and project team. The project is a collaboration between media studies (Brita Ytre-Arne, Hallvard Moe, University of Bergen), human geography (Håvard Haarstad, CET, UiB) and journalism studies (Jannie Møller Hartley, Roskilde University).