How can journalism help people move beyond simply understanding society’s challenges and give them a greater sense of agency in responding to them?
On 7 September, Transitions’ Solutions Journalism Program Manager, Meenal Thakur, will explore this question at the ECC 2026 pre-conference, in Brno, Czech Republic, where she will co-present with Kyser Lough, Associate Professor of Journalism at the University of Georgia.
Their presentation, “From Information to Agency: Solutions Journalism as a Practice of Democratic Resilience,” will examine the theoretical and methodological foundations of solutions journalism and consider how the approach can contribute to more informed, engaged, and resilient democratic societies. Bringing together research and practice, the session will reflect on the application of solutions journalism across diverse settings, including cross-border collaborations, climate reporting, and journalism in fragile and conflict-affected environments. It draws on Transitions’ experience of delivering solutions journalism programs with more than 40 newsrooms across Europe, alongside more than a decade of academic research into the approach’s foundations, reporting practices, and effects on audiences.
The presentation offers an important opportunity to bring insights from Transitions’ work into conversation with the international academic community and to demonstrate how collaboration between researchers and practitioners can strengthen both journalism and public engagement.
Will you be attending ECC 2026? Don’t miss the session! We would love to see you there.