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Alice Baroni

Dr - STARS @ UNIPD Research fellow at University of Padova

online and offline violence gender-based violence safety of journalists press freedom anti-harassment mechanisms violence against journalists and photojournalists

During my doctorate and early research, I employed ethnographic fieldwork to evaluate the role of community-based (i.e., favela) media in empowering individuals and groups living on the margins of society and of mainstream photojournalism in denouncing human rights violations in Rio de Janeiro’s favelas. Then my consistent focus was on (visual) ethnographic analysis of old and new media and the crucial role of documentary photography and photojournalism for reconciliation in contested urban areas in Brazil. In these studies, I touched upon the safety of (photo)journalists in Brazil (Baroni, 2015; Baroni & Mayr, 2017; 2018). More recently, I explored on- and offline violence against (women) journalists in a comparative context (Baroni & Marinho, 2023; Baroni el al., 2022) and the unsafe and precarious working conditions of photojournalists in Brazil (Baroni & Mayr, 2023).

Future plans for research on journalists' safety

I am currently exploring the implementation and impact of AI technologies in news media industries in Italy and Finland through three main axes: journalistic practices, digital engagements and policies. My future plans are to take it further and investigate the implications of AI systems for the safety of journalists.
Research focuses:
Digital, Financial, Legal, Physical, Psychological
Methods used in research:
Surveys, Interviews, Ethnography, Social semiotic paradigm of image analysis
Countries of research focus:
Italy, Brazil, 18 participating countries of the Media for Democracy Monitor (2021) international project

Areas interested in collaborating with NGOs

trauma journalism; media policy and gender equality; AI policy; AI ethics. As a research fellow at UNIPD, together with Prof Claudia Padovani, I have contributed to the IFJ's project 'Rewriting the Story', as well as initiatives coming from GAMAG and UNESCO UniTwin networks. I am happy and open to new collaborations with other professional bodies.

Areas interested in collaborating with other researchers

Absolutely. AI and the safety of journalists; media and AI policy, AI ethics, gender equality, in the interplay with journalists' safety