Welcome to ‘Trouble in (Development) Paradise, and What to Do About It?’, a blog run by students of the MA Communication for Development at Malmö University. In this blog, we aim to explore innovative and radical perspectives that challenge traditional approaches to Communication for Development (ComDev).
Read our Welcome Post to learn about the scope and reason behind this blog and follow us and join in the conversation on Bluesky, Instagram and on our Facebook group.
Below, learn more about the contributors to this blog.
Clare McCarthy is a journalist with experience working across both Irish and UK national newspapers. She holds a bachelor of arts in English Literature from Trinity College Dublin and trained as a journalist in London, receiving an NCTJ Diploma in News Reporting from Press Association Training in London. She is currently pursuing a Masters in Communication for Development at Malmö University.
Jessica Saler comes from Canada, where she has been involved with the non-profit and development sector for over ten years. With a bachelor’s degree in Rhetoric, Writing, & Communications, she has a strong understanding of the importance of communication and excels in written communication strategies. International development, business development, community development, and health care development are just a few of the different types she has worked in. She currently works as a Communication & Development Coordinator for her local hospital foundation. When she isn’t working or studying, you will find her with her dog, a cup of coffee, and a good book!
Anubhuti Vashist is from India. She has earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Delhi and an MPhil from IIT Bombay. Before moving to Japan, Anubhuti taught literature and academic communication to undergraduate students in India. Currently, she is pursuing a second master’s in C4D to transition into development studies. She has a strong interest in communication for gender development in the ‘Global South’, digital storytelling, and New Media use for social change. In her free time, she loves to write fiction, learn Japanese, play lawn tennis, ask silly questions to ChatGPT, and take care of her four plants.
Gina Geoghegan is a Swedish/Irish storyteller passionate about rewilding people and places through stories and connections. She holds a bachelor’s in Communication and Design and has over two decades of experience in communication strategies and immersive experience design. She is currently engrossed in a Master’s in Communication for Development. She participates as often as possible in writers’ workshops to deepen her ability to weave imaginative worlds of hope and love. In her spare time, she is the mother of two tiny humans, the keeper of chickens, and the founder of an Earth lovers book club at her local library for Climate Reality in Vermont, US.
Liam Corcoran works in INGO communications and is based in Ireland. He is interested in power dynamics in the development sector, the role of the media industry in framing and platforming development and humanitarian work, labour issues in the global economy, and in learning more about critical approaches to development studies. He has previously worked and volunteered with several organisations in the community and NGO sectors.