Images vs. Information: The Battle of Narratives in International Relations

We live in a world shaped not just by events, but by the stories we tell about them. In international affairs, these stories (narratives) help make sense of how countries relate to each other, what values they prioritise, and how power and place influence global decisions. This is the realm of geopolitics, where geography, history, and influence collide. Narratives are more than just words, they shape legitimacy, drive action, and invite participation. Today, the global narrative landscape is increasingly unsettled, with competing stories shaping how wars, alliances, and crises are understood.This talk will examine today’s fast-changing narrative landscape through the war in Ukraine — a powerful case study in the global battle to shape meaning. It explores how competing stories about the conflict are influencing international opinion, policy, and the future of Ukraine, Europe, and the wider world.

Bio

Professor Natalia Chaban from the Department of Media and Communication at the University of Canterbury and is Director of the UC research centre, Public Diplomacy and Political Communication Forum, President of the Ukrainian Studies Association of Australia and New Zealand. Professor Chaban focuses her interdisciplinary research and publishes on cognitive and semiotic aspects of political and media discourses, image and perceptions studies within the EU and international relations contexts, and public diplomacy and political communication. She is a leader of a number of transnational research projects supported by the European Commission, EU member states and NATO.  In 2024, as one the nation’s preeminent social scientists, Professor Chaban was awarded the Mason Durie Medal by the New Zealand Royal Social.

Event

Tuesday 16 September, 6:30pm @Two Thumb Redcliffs, 219 High Street, Christchurch Central 8011

Also speaking at this location at 8:00pm is Dr Pascale Hatcher