On July 22nd, 2023,  Professor Bertrand  Cabedoche,  Chair  Professor  of Information  and Communication  Sciences  at  the  Université  Grenoble  Alpes  (UGA),  President  of  the UNESCO Chairs in Communication (Orbicom) global network, and UNESCO Chairholder in International Communication, delivered an academic lecture titled "Contemporary Issues of World   Communication"   to    the    students    of   the    Sino-French    Joint   Intercultural Communication Summer School at the School of Media and Communication, Shanghai Jiao Tong  University.  The  entire  lecture  was  conducted  in  French  and  was   simultaneously interpreted by Assistant Researcher Tingting Tao from the Department of Journalism and Communication at the School of Media and Communication, and Dr. Zhuoran Ma from the University of Grenoble Alpes.

Professor   Bertrand   Cabedoche   delved   into   the    concept   and    significance   of   world communication, analyzing it in-depth while incorporating academic advancements and real- world case studies. He emphasized that "International Communication" is an objective term. The term itself lacks scientific value, and its interpretation varies based on the interests of different social actors involved in actual  communication. As a  structural  concept,  "world communication" reflects the diverse events occurring in the contemporary world.

During  the  lecture,  Professor  Bertrand  Cabedoche  shared  insights  into  recent   shifts  in research focus in Africa  and Asia, the  similarities  and differences in research paradigms within various international  communication  schools,  and the relationship between French information communication science and cultural studies. He conducted an in-depth analysis of the current environment and challenges faced by world communication, emphasizing the need for decentralized reflection.

In the  concluding part  of the  lecture,  Professor  Bertrand  Cabedoche  shared  his  personal experiences  in  research.  He  emphasized  the  significance  of  one's  personal  trajectory  in research,   as   individual   experiences   bring   about   hypotheses,   serendipity,   and   shared subjectivities   in   the   research   process.   With   the   world    system   undergoing   several reconstructions,  the  notions  of  center  and  periphery  have  become  plural,  signifying  the existence of multiple centers and peripheries in the world. As "researchers," individuals need to accept contributions beyond national boundaries and undertake their own historical paths while engaging in perpetual questioning and mutual exchange.

During the discussion session, the attendees actively raised questions and engaged in in-depth discussions  with  Professor  Bertrand  Cabedoche.  The  professor  patiently  addressed  each query, allowing the participants to gain a deeper comprehension of world communication issues.  Additionally,   some  students  with   a  French  background   directly  conversed  and exchanged ideas with the professor in French, further enriching the interaction.

As an authority in the field of global communication, Professor Bertrand Cabedoche brought a  feast  of  ideas  to  the  attendees  with  his  profound  knowledge  and  extensive  research experience. The lecture was enriched with abundant content, skillfully combining theory and practice, stimulating the participants to generate new reflections on world communication and broadening their perspectives in learning and research. Conducted entirely in French, the lecture  smoothly  facilitated  mutual understanding through the  simultaneous  interpretation provided  by  Assistant  Researcher  Tingting  Tao  and  Dr.Zhuoran  Ma.  Together,  they accomplished  an  academic  lecture  that  transcended  geographical  and  linguistic  barriers, facilitating intercultural exchange between China and France.

Guest Speaker: Bertrand Cabedoche

Chair  Professor  of  information  and  communication  sciences  at  the  Université  Grenoble Alpes(UGA), France. Bertrand Cabedoche served as the President of the UNESCO Chairs in Communication  (Orbicom)  global  network  ,  and  UNESCO  chairholder  in  international communication.  Additionally,  he  is  a  member  of  the  executive  board  of  the  European Communication Research and Education Association (ECREA). Previously, he served as the Dean of the School of Journalism at the Université Grenoble Alpes.

Students Feedback

During the Q&A  session, I seized the opportunity to raise my questions to the professor regarding the content covered in chapters 7 and  8 of the lecture. I believed that cultural studies pose a challenge to elitist consciousness and have undergone several ethical shifts, which bear  similarities  to  the  development  of  communication  and  the  transformation  of scientific  information  paradigms.  The  professor  answered  my  question  diligently  and provided illustrative examples, which were conveyed to me through the translation by the teachers. I realized how precious it is to have such a direct opportunity to exchange ideas with international scholars, and I felt elated.

-Chen Peng, Communication University of China

During  the  Q&A  session,  two  points  from  Professor  Bertrand  Cabedoche's  response impressed me the most. Firstly, he  emphasized the importance  of adhering to the initial writing commitment when conducting academic research. He stressed the  significance of having a consistent, relevant, rigorous, and original title for academic papers. He highlighted the priority of empirical research and the need to explore whether theories hold true in novel research contexts while striving to make innovative contributions based on previous studies. Secondly, the professor discussed the role of technology in the discipline, cautioning against falling into the trap of "technological determinism," where technology is seen as the sole solution to all social problems. He also warned against the pitfall of "social determinism," urging researchers to examine the interactions between actors, technologies, and the resulting impacts, while considering various factors such as political, economic, and cultural aspects.These two points mentioned by Professor Bertrand Cabedoche are valuable lessons for my future  studies  and paper writing.  They  serve  as  inspiration  and guidance in ensuring thequality and relevance of my academic work.

-Pei Wenjing ，Fu Dan University

The proposition of "world communication" introduced by Professor Bertrand represents the essence of his years of contemplation on communication theory. It stands as a challenge to the dominant paradigms influenced by English and American scholarship. While thinkers like Bourdieu and Wallerstein have indicated the world's gradual envelopment and incorporation within a system called "the world" from different perspectives, Professor Bertrand's concept of "global  communication"  reveals  the  incompleteness  of this  system.  It  derives  from  a decentralized description of the "global," which opens up communication theory to a more diverse range of experiences and allows it to evolve within the interconnected network of the"global."

-Xiao Jingjia, Fu Dan University