A University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU) study on technology-mediated dialogue in discussions on child marriage was presented at the International Association for Dialogue Analysis (IADA) Conference held at the University of Jyväskylä in Finland from 11-13 May 2026.
The paper, titled “A Rhetorical Study of Technology-Mediated Dialogue in the Material Online Space Between Defenders and Opposers of Child Marriage,” was presented by Dr. Carol Bello, Assistant Professor at the UPOU Faculty of Management and Development Studies (FMDS) and Dr. Jean Saludadez, Professor and Chair of the Doctor of Communication Program at the UPOU Faculty of Information and Communication Studies (FICS).
The study argues that what the researchers call the “material online space” has become a crucial site for dialogue on contentious issues, like child marriage. This enables conversations that are often difficult or impossible to hold in face-to-face settings. According to the presenters, this digital environment creates conditions where opposing perspectives on issues such as child marriage can surface and interact.
“The material online space provides the conditions for dialogue on contentious issues that would otherwise be difficult to handle in physical non-online space,” Bello and Saludadez said during their presentation.
The researchers added that understanding how defenders and opposers of child marriage engage in these online exchanges can offer valuable insights for child rights advocates, particularly in fostering more respectful and constructive engagement with communities where the practice exists. The paper was drawn from Dr. Bello’s doctoral dissertation in the Doctor of Communication program with Dr. Saludadez serving as adviser.
The presentation underscores UPOU’s continuing role in advancing scholarship on digital communication and its impact on social change by bringing Philippine research into global academic conversations on dialogue, rhetoric, and technology-mediated communication. It likewise highlights FICS as a key contributor in strengthening research on communication, critical discourse, and emerging digital spaces for social inquiry and transformation.
Written by Carol Bello
Edited by Shaira Tanay