In the snowy mid-March, a kind young media researcher and professor from the Catholic University of Croatia visited our department to give guest lectures and workshops for the different years of our English language programme and we had the pleasure of meeting her for a chat. From the ethical challenges of media to the portrayal of vulnerable groups and generational differences, to pursuing an academic career, and what it's like compared to a 9-5 job, we have exchanged many exciting ideas.
Bende: Thank you for accepting our invitation for an interview, starting with some introductory questions. How come you are visiting and giving lectures at our university? Could you tell us a bit more about the program you partake in?
Leali: Thank you for having me, of course, and thank you for finding time to meet with me and connect in this way. This is my first time in Pécs, and I'm glad that I had the opportunity to visit you and your university. It all began last summer at a conference where I met Dr. Rita Glózer in Split at the Communication and Media Days. She was in the audience when I had a lecture about visual culture and victimhood, and my topic covered the subject of how Ukrainians are portrayed in Croatian media in terms of their conflict situation. So, she offered me to come here and to bring some similar topics that would be interesting to students. She introduced me to CEEPUS mobility network (because my university, Catholic University of Croatia, is only part of the Erasmus network) and that is how I connected with your university, with her great support and I'm really grateful that I'm here. You have one of the most beautiful universities I've ever been to, with its Hogwarts-like architecture.
Bende: You mentioned about these topics you like giving lectures in, such as Ukraine and war. Since how long have you been researching media representations?
Leali: Well, since my PhD thesis, and of course in the period before that, but especially when I finished my dissertation, because the topic was children and media constructed reality. I dedicated two chapters to the topic of visual representation. And then I slightly refocused my interest to the field of victimhood and visualizing empathy in conflict and how, in that context, visual narratives are decoding messages and constructing reality, especially when we're talking about conflict zones, wars, or any kind of a situation where minorities or children are presented. So, it's a complex field, but it's really important for us in communication and media studies to understand.
Bende: For sure. Another interesting thing is that you’ve mentioned here that one of your PhD topics was children, especially in terms of media ethics, which also comes up regularly on your ResearchGate profile too. Why were you drawn to it at first? What was your motivation?
Leali: Well, children and media along with media literacy is my main research interest from my undergraduate days. So, it's the one area that I'm mostly drawn to research and to gain as much knowledge as I can because it's extremely important and also interesting to understand how young generations are developing along with all media technology that is rapidly increasing, especially in the age of digital age, AI, deepfake, disinformation. It's interesting to implement new research methods, especially in the field of understanding generational differences, and what the impact of media and screen time on children's development is, because they have digital childhoods nowadays, and it's a completely new phenomenon. So it's my main interest and most of my papers include children and media in different ways.
Fanni: It's very interesting indeed and it's always important to focus on issues related to children, especially when it comes to generational differences. The next thing we'd like to ask is related to your childhood. What was your dream job as a child? And what would the childhood version of you think about your current self and the career you ended up pursuing?
Leali: Wow, what a question. It's very interesting and deep. My mom is an elementary school teacher, and I always knew that I didn’t want to do that. That I don't want to be an elementary school teacher. She loves it, I didn't see myself there. But I wanted to be a part of academia because it was a great opportunity for me to partly be engaged in student lives and hold lectures and courses. And another reason is my love for conducting scientific research. And this job, especially after finishing my PhD, is now my dream job, and I don't see it as a regular 9 to 5 job or something like that. It's like my calling and I have a great admiration and motivation for it. And these opportunities for mobility are also something that are special for this career choice and I really appreciate it. And you asked about my childhood self, right?
Fanni: What would your child version think about your current self?
Leali: I hope that she's happy with this version of me, because I'm not sure in detail about the situation in Hungary, but the situation in Croatia is not easy for young researchers. There are a lot of young people who stop at PhD level. They don't know what to do in their career, there are not enough jobs and universities and there is no financial stability, especially nowadays. So, I wasn't sure every step of the way that I might be lucky enough to have a job like I have today, so I hope she is proud. Thank you for asking me that.
Fanni: I’m sure she is. Our next question is more connected to the ethical fields you are interested in, in terms of research areas. What do you think are the most crucial ethical dilemmas in digital media these days?
Leali: Well, at my university I have a course about media and journalism ethics, and that question that you ask is one of the most common questions among students also, so I'm happy that younger generations are asking these questions and thinking about it. I think the main problem nowadays is related to disinformation unfortunately, and to find the truth in the ocean of information on a daily basis, to find objectivity and build the ability of critical thinking. I think that's one of the most important skills from all digital literacy, without critical thinking we would be lost in this era. If we're connecting this to children, as we mentioned before, the ethical issue of privacy is one of the major concerns - especially in the digital media environment, whether it’s their online privacy or the sharing of information without consent, etc.
Fanni: Definitely. I think that's a crucial issue to talk about. And those who are the most affected by this phenomenon of the changing media landscape might be the next generations. How do you feel about these next generations of media users?
Leali: Yes, yes, different media audiences and generations. Well, I think, firstly, that older generations are also greatly impacted by this phenomenon, for example, baby boomers. Our parents and grandparents are affected and maybe a bit lost at this age. Also, the new generations depend on screen time, which has a major impact on their focus and cognitive development - it's hard sometimes, even for me. I mean, I'm a millennial and it's hard for me when I'm having lectures for Gen Z, to motivate them constantly throughout a lecture. And I think it's a common issue. Because I have to be a teacher, a professor, a mediator, a motivator, at the same time. So yes, there are changes in focus, concentration, and the ability to think critically and more in detail about one topic at a time, because before, in my time - like I'm an old lady *chuckles* - multitasking used to be a sign of success - we did more work, we achieved more. But nowadays it feels more like a disadvantage, as our constantly fragmented focus leads to lower quality work. This is a clear sign of a generational shift. And if we don't use the media as a tool, they can result in polarization in our society.
Fanni: I agree totally. I also know that one of the main research areas you deal with is the representation of vulnerable groups. What role do you see alternative and independent media playing in the portrayal of people in marginalized positions?
Leali: They play a crucial role - or at least they could - but their biggest challenge, in Croatia and I think globally, is the speed at which misinformation spreads. Without strong financial support, many independent outlets struggle to do their core job: reporting the truth. And to put that in the context of your question – vulnerable population – which is a major topic now in Croatia, with migrants from Nepal, India, and the Philippines becoming part of our workforce. Our society is divided on that, some welcome them, remembering our own history, while others see them as a threat. Stereotypes shape this public discourse. So, it is important to research those questions, to analyse the situation or connect with these communities to hear their perspective. To go beyond black-and-white thinking, good and bad, because the truth is somewhere in between.
Bende: Alright, so you’ve talked a lot about how these big problems in the media are ever resplendent and ever present, so our next question is: is your work closely related to your everyday life, or do you separate it, if so, why?
Leali: Great question, well, it's difficult, I think, for all teachers, because it's difficult to separate your personal life and your professional life when you're teaching. It's not like a 9-5 job and I'm not in a role when I'm teaching that I can step out of and become a completely different person, I think students would recognise that and it would negatively affect the quality of education. Of course, I have time for myself, and I try to make the most of that time. Even here when I'm part of mobility I'm already planning where I'm going and what I'm going to see later. That's the beauty of this job, because we get the opportunity to give of ourselves, our community, our students, our everyday work, and I think that's beautiful. For me, there's no question about it.
Fanni: It can be challenging at times…
Leali: Definitely challenging all the time! (*chuckles*) Imagine it’s Friday afternoon; I cannot forget my students and my job on Saturday. At Christmas, Easter and summer… Yeah, it’s a common mistake that we have 3 months of summer vacation, we don’t. We have a couple of weeks a year. We are always present… and that’s the beauty of it.
Fanni: You’re right, and I think these challenges require a greater motivation to do this anyway, so what is your motivation in this field?
Leali: Well, I think the most important thing is to love this job, because without that, it could become an overnight obstacle. We should be able to rely on our motivation and to know what our purpose is. Especially for this career path, because I believe that no one who works in universities is here to get rich or to get to a special level in the social hierarchy. But because we believe in our students, and in the power of education. It’s extremely important, especially in todays’ digital age, because we want information so fast, so rapidly. And education is a key to not only success but to every change we want to accomplish in this world. And I also think that students recognize it. I remember when I was a student, I could predict which professors truly loved their job and which were just doing it. And I think that you also have that ability. You don’t have to name anyone (*chuckles*).
Bende: Yeah, it’s indeed predictable (*chuckles*).
Fanni: It’s usually visible (*chuckles*). One last question would be; if you could change only one aspect of how media functions today, what would it be?
Leali: One thing? It’s so many things (*laughs, sighs*). Ah, but one thing: promote education more, than they are doing today, because that is the key; the truth, to combat disinformation, to promote critical thinking. So, education is the key.
