Journal of Multicultural Discourses

Moral Education, Cultural Discourses And Character Development In Contemporary Societies

In societies in a state of rapid social transformation, technological development, cultural diversity and the communication trends, the moral understanding, ethical awareness and the formation of character become increasingly relevant. Moral education does not occur only in formal settings of education. It is a continuous process of sociocultural negotiation, communication and construction of values, identities, moral responsibilities and moral qualities. Moral views are influenced by a variety of agents and contexts such as teachers, parents or guardians, communities, culture institutions, media, policy makers and digital environment. The experiences of history, cultural values, social customs and shared histories have a great impact on the social understanding of ethical behaviour, the social transmission of values, perceptions of responsibility, empathy, integrity and social participation. In this wider sense, character development is seen as an ongoing process that develops through the relationship between people, communities, institutions and culture which also helps to create ethical identities and responsible social participation.

Global communication has massively changed how moral values, cultural meanings and social identities are represented, interpreted and negotiated. Media systems, digital platforms, public discourses and interpersonal communication networks have become spaces with influence over the discussions, challenges and reconstruction of ethical issues, cultural differences and collective responsibilities. The communicative settings in which these communicators operate are varied such as among teachers in families with community leaders in cultural settings in the media, among policy makers and online and their interactions help to set the tone for moral narratives. These changes bring opportunities for intercultural dialogue, inclusive participation and shared understanding and approaches to ethics, but also raise issues of misinformation, social polarization, cultural conflicts, digital ethics and shifting moral perceptions. Building the moral knowledge and ethical identities of individuals and communities, therefore, requires critical examination of the intricate relationships between communication processes, cultural discourses, history, social institutions and technologies.

It encourages original theoretical, empirical and comparative work on the relationship between ethics, communication, media, cultural traditions, historical experiences, processes of identity formation, educational practices and social transformation. Themes of interest encompass moral learning processes, character education models, cultural narratives, the role of media on values, digital ethics, intercultural communication, community-based moral development, policy perspectives and impact of emerging technology on moral understanding and ethical actions. This Special Issue seeks to advance understanding of the communication, negotiation, and maintenance of moral values, cultural meanings and character qualities in modern societies that has been brought together from the fields of education, communication studies, cultural studies, sociology, philosophy and psychology. 

Contributions are invited on, but not restricted to, the following themes:

●        Digital Media Influences on Moral Discourses and Character Development in Societies

●        Artificial Intelligence Ethics and Moral Education in Contemporary Digital Communities

●        Cultural Intelligence Approaches for Enhancing Moral Learning in Diverse Societies

●        Social Media Narratives Shaping Ethical Awareness and Youth Character Formation

●        Digital Citizenship Frameworks for Moral Development in Connected Learning Environments

●        Emerging Technologies Transforming Values Education and Ethical Decision Making Processes

●        Virtual Learning Environments Supporting Cross Cultural Moral Education Practices

●        Artificial Intelligence Driven Approaches for Personalized Moral Education Systems

●        Online Communication Platforms and Their Role in Ethical Identity Formation

●        Data Driven Educational Models for Character Development and Social Responsibility

●        Immersive Technologies Supporting Empathy Building and Moral Reasoning Development

●        Blockchain Enabled Frameworks for Trust Building in Digital Moral Communities

●        Human Centered Technology Approaches for Inclusive Ethical Learning Experiences