We are living through a time of great global political and economic change, which is being played out in different ways across the world. Historically, in times of uncertainty and fear of the future, people have turned to political extremes for answers and reassuring, if unnuanced, narratives. Today is no different: in the context of rising global authoritarianism and nationalism, legitimate questions and grievances of the populace in any given country are deflected and misdirected. Scapegoats are sought as people rail against both the existing centres of power and their avatars (the government, the elites, the establishment, the deep state, etc), as well as the amorphous ‘other’ (the foreign, the immigrants, etc). The latter are often blamed by the former for reasons of political expediency and survival, and that is reflected in increasingly divisive and toxic public discourse today.

Culture, media, language, and education play an important role in instilling and fueling extremist ideologies, often subliminally. For example, in a study conducted by University College London (UCL) in 2021, teachers were concerned that students would mimic extremist behaviour seen on social media. They saw themselves as unprepared to deal with extremism at school due to limited training, curriculum constraints, and pressure to simply report at-risk students, rather than engage with them. However, education is often proposed as a solution to counter political polarisation, religious fundamentalism, and online radicalisation by fostering critical thinking and empathy. The Arts are also increasingly recognised as a powerful tool, creating spaces for dialogue that challenge politically delicate topics subtly and in a non-confrontational manner.

How can we disagree well in a polarised world that is increasingly using rhetoric of division and violent means to establish certain norms? What can educators, artists, and professionals do to establish spaces of dialogue and conviviality? What ways of thinking and acting do we need to change within educational institutions, media, and political discourse? Join us for The Forum session in Barcelona to discuss these topics and more with the wide array of international and intercultural perspectives present at the conference.

Biographies

Monty P. Satiadarma

Dr Satiadarma is a clinical psychologist who has been teaching psychology at Tarumanagara University since 1994. He was one of the founders of the Department of Psychology at Tarumanagara and served as the Dean of Psychology, Vice Rector, and Rector of the university. He earned a degree in psychology from the University of Indonesia, a degree in art therapy from Emporia State University, Kansas, a degree in family counselling from Notre Dame de Namur University, California, and a certification in clinical hypnotherapy from Irvine, California. He has published several books nationally with a focus on educational psychology and the use of music and art therapy. He provided treatment to survivors of the Indonesian tsunami through the International Red Cross and the United Nations. Dr Satiadarma is a board member and chair of the area for the International Council of Psychology and a founder and a board member of the Asian Psychology Association.

Melina Neophytou

Dr Melina Neophytou is the Academic Operations Manager at IAFOR, where she works closely with academics, keynote speakers, and IAFOR partners to shape academic discussions within The Forum, bring conference programmes together, refine scholarship programmes, and build an interdisciplinary and international community. She is leading various projects within IAFOR, notably The Forum discussions and the authoring of Conference Reports and Intelligence Briefings, and she oversees the Global Fellows Programme.

Born in Germany and raised in Cyprus, Dr Neophytou received her PhD in International Development from Nagoya University, Japan, in 2023, specialising in political sociology, the welfare state, and contentious politics. She received an MA in International Development from Nagoya University, with a focus on Governance & Law, and a BA in European Studies from the University of Cyprus, Cyprus.

Dr Neophytou’s research interests currently focus on how Artificial Intelligence (AI) is changing the relationship between state and society. Her current work examines technologies such as facial recognition (FRT) and biometric surveillance, and how these tools impact freedom of expression, protest, and social policy

Dexter Da Silva

Professor Dexter Da Silva is Professor Emeritus at Keisen University in Tokyo, Japan, where he has been teaching for 35 years. He is an Educational Psychologist who has taught at junior high school, language schools, and universities in Sydney, Australia, and at various educational institutions in Japan. He was educated at the University of Sydney, Australia (BA, Dip. Ed., MA), and the University of Western Sydney, Australia (PhD). He has presented and co-presented at conferences throughout Asia, Australia, Europe, and the United States, and published or co-published a number of books, articles, and book chapters on education-related topics. He is a past president of the Asian Psychological Association and currently a Vice-President of IAFOR. As an Educational Psychologist, he is very interested in how Artificial Intelligence will continue to be incorporated into and impact research and theory on the nature, types, and uniqueness of Human Intelligence(s).

Apipol Sae-Tung

Apipol Sae-Tung is an Academic Coordinator at IAFOR, where he contributes to the development and execution of academic-related content and activities. He works closely with the Forum’s partner institutions and coordinates IAFOR’s Global Fellowship Programme. His recent activities include mediating conference reports for the Forum’s international conference programme and facilitating the IAFOR Undergraduate Research Symposium (IURS).

Mr Sae-Tung began his career as a Program Coordinator for the Faculty of Political Science at Chulalongkorn University, Thailand. He was awarded the Japanese Government’s MEXT Research Scholarship and is currently pursuing a PhD at the Graduate School of International Development, Nagoya University, Japan. His research focuses on government and policy analysis, particularly on authoritarian regimes. Mr Sae-Tung holds an MA in International Relations and Diplomacy from Thammasat University, Thailand, where he studied foreign policy analysis and Thailand-China relations. He also holds a BA in History from the same institution.

About the Presenter(s)
-Dr Satiadarma is a clinical psychologist who has been teaching psychology at Tarumanagara University since 1994.
-Dr Melina Neophytou is the Academic Operations Manager at IAFOR, where she works closely with academics, keynote speakers, and IAFOR partners to shape academic discussions within The Forum, bring conference programmes together, refine scholarship programmes, and build an interdisciplinary and international community.
-Professor Dexter Da Silva is Professor Emeritus at Keisen University in Tokyo, Japan, where he has been teaching for 35 years.

See this presentation on the full schedule – Tuesday Schedule

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