Isabella Rega

Professor Isabella Rega

  • u_irega at bournemouth dot ac dot uk
  • Professor in Digital Media for Social Change
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Biography

Isabella Rega holds a Ph.D. in Communication Sciences and an Executive Master degree in Intercultural Communication from the Università della Svizzera Italiana. She is Professor in Digital Media for Social Change in the Faculty of Media and Communication at Bournemouth University and and co-chair of the Distance Education Working Group of INEE, the Inter-Agency Network for Education in Emergencies. During the past 20 years, she has been investigating the use of digital media to promote social and community development in disadvantaged communities in the Global South. She has written, managed and led an extensive number of competitive research projects funded by National Research Bodies, e.g. the Swiss National Science and Research Foundation, the British Academy, the UK Art and Humanities Council, the European Commission, with a portfolio of 30+ international projects in Africa and Latin America, involving academic, private, public and third sector partners, for an overall budget of more than 4 million euro...

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Research

My research focuses on the role digital technologies can play in empowering people and transform communities, understanding the social and cultural dynamics of technological appropriation, and re-invention. To do so I privilege creative participatory methods. At the moment, I am working on two strands of research:

- The challenges to access education for refugees in the Global South, and the role technologies and the arts can play in overcoming these challenges;

- How digital technologies, and new forms of digital storytelling, can be used to understand and reflect on local heritage (including nature and culture) in the light of contemporary mobilities.

Favourites

  • ISABELLA, A.R.M., Rega, I., 2023. Media Activism, Artivism and the Fight Against Marginalisation in the Global South South-To-South Communication. Routledge.
  • Rega, I., Medrado, A., 2023. The Stepping into Visibility Model: reflecting on consequences of social media visibility–a Global South perspective. Information Communication and Society, 26 (2), 405-424.
  • Sarrica, M., Rega, I., Inversini, A., Norton, L.S., 2021. Slumming on social media? E-mediated tourist gaze and social representations of indian, south african, and brazilian slum tourism destinations. Societies, 11 (3).
  • Rega, I., Vannini, S., 2018. Public access venues and community empowerment in Mozambique: A social representation study. Semiotica, 2018 (223), 199-217.
  • Rega, I., Vannini, S., Raimilla, M., Fauró, L.. Telecentres and Mobile: an initial overview. Available from: http://seedlearn.org/telecentres-and-mobile-technologies-global-pilot-study/.
  • Rega, I., Vannini, S., Fino, E., Cantoni, L.. Exploring the Meanings of Community Multimedia Centers in Mozambique: A Social Representation Perspective. Information Technologies & International Development, 9.
  • Vannini, S., Rega, I., Cantoni, L., 2013. Information and Communication Flows through Community Multimedia Centers: Perspectives from Mozambican Communities. Information Technology for Development, 0, 1-14.
  • Cantoni, L., Fanni, F., Rega, I., Tardini, S.. Fostering Digital Literacy of Primary Teachers in Community Schools: The BET K-12 Experience in Salvador de Bahia. In: Marshall, S., Kinuthia, W., Taylor, W., eds. Bridging the Knowledge Divide. IAP.

Journal Articles

  • Medrado, A., Rega, I., 2026. Pluriversal Mobilities: What Happens When Ethnography Embraces Art-Based Research? Qualitative Inquiry.
  • Norton, L.S., Honen-Delmar, M., Sarrica, M., Rega, I., 2025. Becoming a Graduate in a Refugee Camp: Exploring Identity Positioning Through Higher Education. Journal of Constructivist Psychology, 38 (3).
  • Rega, I., Medrado, A., Callus, P., 2024. Young artivists, social change and media literacy: Shifting the field through South-to-South connections in Kenya and Brazil. Global Studies of Childhood, 14 (4).
  • McDougall, J., Rega, I., 2023. What are we thinking about when we talk now about media literacy and / for citizenship? Scholé. Rivista di educazione e studi culturali".
  • Honen-Delmar, M., Rega, I., 2023. Intercultural competence for peaceful communities: The role of blended learning higher education in refugee camps. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 97.
  • Rega, I., Medrado, A., 2023. The Stepping into Visibility Model: reflecting on consequences of social media visibility–a Global South perspective. Information Communication and Society, 26 (2), 405-424.
  • Aljouni, A., Bademci, O., Hogan, S., Marino, S., McDougall, J., Rega, I., Skyrme, S., Uddin, N., 2023. Digital arts–refugee engagement. Media Practice and Education, 24 (3), 271-290.
  • McDougall, J., Rega, I., Sayah, H., 2022. Boubli in Tunisia: Youth Media Literacy for Civic Intentionality. Observatorio.
  • Crapolicchio, E., Sarrica, M., Rega, I., Norton, L.S., Vezzali, L., 2022. Social representations and images of slum tourism: Effects on stereotyping. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 90, 97-107.
  • Inversini, A., Rega, I., Gan, S.W., 2022. The transformative learning nature of malaysian homestay experiences. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 51, 312-320.
  • McDougall, J., Rega, I., 2022. Beyond Solutionism: Differently Motivating Media Literacy. Media and Communication, 10 (4), 267-276.
  • Medrado, A., Rega, I., Paulla, M., 2022. South-to-South dialogues between Brazilian and Kenyan artivists: decolonial and intersectional feminist perspectives. Tapuya Latin American Science Technology and Society, 5 (1).
  • Sarrica, M., Rega, I., Inversini, A., Norton, L.S., 2021. Slumming on social media? E-mediated tourist gaze and social representations of indian, south african, and brazilian slum tourism destinations. Societies, 11 (3).
  • Medrado, A., Rega, I., 2021. The stepping into visibility model: Mapping out visibility journeys and their consequences for mediactivists from the global south. Comunicacao Midia E Consumo, 18 (52).
  • Inversini, A., Williams, N.L., Rega, I., Samakovlis, I., 2020. Modelling Twitter conversations in #favela towards the conceptualization of the eVoice of the unheard. Journal of Information Communication and Ethics in Society, 18 (4), 529-551.
  • Inversini, A., Rega, I., van Zyl, I., 2020. Internet representations of voluntourism fail to effectively integrate tourism and volunteering. Tourism Geographies, 22 (1), 1-21.
  • Rega, I., Vannini, S., 2018. Public access venues and community empowerment in Mozambique: A social representation study. Semiotica, 2018 (223), 199-217.
  • Vannini, S., Rega, I., Cantoni, L., 2018. Editorial. SEMIOTICA, 173-175.
  • Rega, I., Inversini, A., 2016. eTourism for Development (eT4D): The Missing Piece in the ICT4D Research Agenda. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES & INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, 12 (3), 19-24.
  • Vannini, S., Rega, I., Sala, S., Cantoni, L., 2015. Using photo-elicitation to explore social representations of community multimedia centers in Mozambique. Electronic Journal of Information Systems in Developing Countries, 67 (1), 1-23.
  • van Zyl, I., Inversini, A., Rega, I., 2015. The representation of voluntourism in search engines: The case of South Africa. Development Southern Africa.
  • Vannini, S., Rega, I., Cantoni, L., 2015. Information and Communication Flows through Community Multimedia Centers: Perspectives from Mozambican Communities. Information Technology for Development, 21 (1), 85-98.
  • Oliver, M., Geniets, A., Winters, N., Rega, I., Mbae, S.M., 2015. What do community health workers have to say about their work, and how can this inform improved programme design? A case study with CHWs within Kenya. Global Health Action, 8 (1).
  • Botturi, L., Rega, I., 2014. Intergenerational Digital Storytelling: four racconti for a new approach. Formazione & Insegnamento. European Journal of Research on Education and Teaching, 2, 211-224.
  • Baia, A., Macueve, G., Rega, I., Cumbula, S.D., Vannini, S., Cantoni, L.. Social Representations of Multimedia Community Centers (CMC) in Mozambique. Revista de Ciências Socias e Humanas, 23 (3).
  • Vannini, S., Rega, I., Cantoni, L., 2013. Information and Communication Flows through Community Multimedia Centers: Perspectives from Mozambican Communities. Information Technology for Development, 0, 1-14.
  • Rega, I., Vannini, S., Fino, E., Cantoni, L.. Exploring the Meanings of Community Multimedia Centers in Mozambique: A Social Representation Perspective. Information Technologies & International Development, 9.
  • Fanni, F., Rega, I., Cantoni, L., 2013. Using Self-Efficacy to measure primary school teachers' perception of ICT: results from two studies. International Journal of Education and Development Using Information and Communication Technology, 9 (1), 100-111.
  • Cantoni, L., Rega, I., 2012. Rethinking education in the knowledge society J.UCS special issue. Journal of Universal Computer Science, 18 (3), 312-313.
  • Rega, I., Fanni, F., 2012. Measuring primary schools teachers' perception of ICT through self-efficacy: A case study. Journal of Universal Computer Science, 18 (3), 410-428.
  • Moffat, A.C., Osselton, M.D., Widdop, B., Clarke, E.G.C.. Clarke's analysis of drugs and poisons. Pharmaceutical Pr.
  • Moffat, A.C., Osselton, M.D., Widdop, B., Clarke, E.G.C.. Clarke's analysis of drugs and poisons. Pharmaceutical Pr.
  • Moffat, A.C., Osselton, M.D., Widdop, B., Clarke, E.G.C.. Clarke's analysis of drugs and poisons. Pharmaceutical Pr.
  • Cantoni, L., Rega, I.. eLearning studies looking for fixed stars: a study on referenced literature in SITE 2001. Studies in Communication Sciences.

Books

  • ISABELLA, A.R.M., Rega, I., 2023. Media Activism, Artivism and the Fight Against Marginalisation in the Global South South-To-South Communication. Routledge.

Chapters

  • Rega, I., 2025. Shifting the Collaboration Paradigm: Towards Decolonization Through Refugee-Led Research. Global South North Dichotomies in Higher Education Critical Dialogue Reflection and Collaboration.
  • Rega, I., Honen-Delmar, M., Hengst, S., 2024. Forming "Men and Women for Others": Jesuit worldwide learning's values-rooted blended learning model. Worldviews and Values in Higher Education Teaching Learning Curricula and Assessment.
  • dos Santos Moraes, C.M., De La Vega, B., Frenzel, F., Rega, I., Mainard-Sardon, J., 2022. Favela virtual tour: Alternative mobilities in favela tourism during COVID-19 pandemic. Alternative Im Mobilities.
  • Inversini, A., Rega, I., Gan, S.W., 2022. E-Tourism as a Tool for Socio-economic Development. Handbook of E Tourism.
  • Vannini, S., Rega, I., 2020. MOBILE INFORMATION LITERACY AND PUBLIC ACCESS IN THE ERA OF POST-TRUTH. Critical Mobile Pedagogy Cases of Digital Technologies and Learners at the Margins. Routledge.
  • McDougall, J., Rega, I., 2020. Media learning, known unknowns and rich intersections. The Handbook of Media Education Research. Wiley-Blackwell.
  • Inversini, A., Rega, I., 2020. Digital communication and tourism for development. Handbook of Communication for Development and Social Change.
  • McDougall, J., Rega, I., 2020. Media Education and Dynamic Research: Known Unknowns and Rich Intersections. Handbook of Media Education Research.
  • Rega, I., 2019. Local Public Access Centers. Encyclopedia of Media Literacy. Wiley.
  • Cantoni, L., Fanni, F., Rega, I., Tardini, S.. Fostering Digital Literacy of Primary Teachers in Community Schools: The BET K-12 Experience in Salvador de Bahia. In: Marshall, S., Kinuthia, W., Taylor, W., eds. Bridging the Knowledge Divide. IAP.
  • Moffat, A.C., Osselton, M.D., Widdop, B., Clarke, E.G.C.. Clarke's analysis of drugs and poisons. Pharmaceutical Pr.

Conferences

  • Vannini, S., Nemer, D., Rega, I., 2017. Integrating mobile technologies to achieve community development goals: The case of Telecenters in Brazil. ACM International Conference Proceeding Series, Part F128532, 115-124.
  • Inversini, A., Rega, I., Nunes Pereira, I., Bartholo, R., 2015. The Rise of eTourism for Development. In: ENTER 2015 03/03/2015 Lugano.
  • David, S., Vannini, S., Rega, I., Cantoni, L.. Co-Designed Improvement Actions in Mozambican Community Multimedia Centres. Proceedings of the 12th International Conference on Social Implications of Computers in Developing Countries. Into the Future: Themes, insights and agendas for ICT4D research and practice.
  • Aguirre, L., Vannini, S., Rega, I., Cantoni, L.. Fictional Characters, real data: Personas depicting Staff and Users of Community Multimedia Centres in Mozambique. Proceedings of the 12th International Conference on Social Implications of Computers in Developing Countries. Into the Future: Themes, insights and agendas for ICT4D research and practice.
  • Vannini, S., Pucciarelli, M., Rega, I.. Formal and Informal Learning Practices in Community Multimedia Centres in Mozambique. Proceedings of the Annual Conference of the Swiss Society for Research in Education – SSRE 2013.
  • Vannini, S., Rega, I., Sala, S., Cantoni, L.. Motivations of non-use of telecentres: a qualitative study from Mozambique. Proceedings: 2013 Pre-ICIS Workshop of the AIS SIG on ICT & Global Development (GlobDev).
  • Vannini, S., Rega, I., Sala, S., Cantoni, L.. Reasons of non-use: a study on Mozambican telecentres. Public and private access to ICTs in developing regions. Proceedings of the 7th International Development Informatics Conference IDIA 2013 Steyn, J., Van der Vyver, A.G. (eds.).
  • Vannini, S., Aguirre-Sanchéz, L., Rega, I., Cantoni, L.. Images of Community Multimedia Centres in Mozambique: a participatory photo-elicitation study. Social Implications of Computers in Developing Countries.
  • Vannini, S., Rega, I.. Inbound and Outbound Information and Communication flows: Perspectives from Community Multimedia Centres in Mozambique. Proceedings of the 9th Community Informatics Conference: Ideals meet Reality Monash Centre.
  • Fanni, F., Tardini, S., Rega, I., Cantoni, L., Van Zyl, I., 2010. Investigating perception changes in teachers attending ICT curricula through self-efficacy. ACM International Conference Proceeding Series.
  • Rega, I.. Investigating Social Representations of Telecenters: Location does Matter.
  • Rega, I., Fanni, F., Cantoni, L.. Looking for telecentres sustainbility: the case of the Sustainable Multimedia Telecentre’s project in São Paulo. Proceedings of World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia and Telecommunications 2009 AACE.
  • Cantoni, L., Tardini, S., Rega, I., Fanni, F.. Teacher and Computer Self Efficacy in Brazilian Community Schools. Proceedings of World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia and Telecommunications 2007 AACE.
  • Caputo, P., Weber, W., Haefeli, P., Rega, I., 2006. Applications and developments of blended learning course ecology in architectural design. PLEA 2006 23rd International Conference on Passive and Low Energy Architecture Conference Proceedings.
  • Cantoni, L., Rega, I., Lab, N.M.E., 2006. eLearning and teacher training in a disadvantaged Brazilian area: A project to assess access, impact and quality. Fourth IEEE International Workshop on Technology for Education in Developing Countries Tedc 2006, 2006.
  • Rega, I., Cantoni, L., Tardini, S., Olivatto, B., Nery, F., Marques, O., Fanni, F.. BET K-12: What do Brazilian teachers in disadvantaged schools think of ICTs? In: Achieving Development Goals: Innovation, Learning, Collaboration and Foundations 30/10/2006 Sunset Jamaica Grande Resort, Ocho Rios, Jamaica. The Fourth Pan-Commonwealth Forum on Open Learning (PCF4). Commonwealth of Learning and the Caribbean Consortium http://pcf4.dec.uwi.edu/.
  • Rega, I., Caputo, P., Schettino, P., Milani, C., Roscetti, A.. The Ecology in Architecture Design Project: Pedagogical, Graphic and Technological Strategic Choices. Proceedings of World Conference on E-Learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare, and Higher Education 2005 AACE.
  • Cantoni, L., Rega, I.. Looking for fixed stars in the eLearning community: a research on referenced literature in SITE Proceeding Books from 1994 to 2001. Proceedings of World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia and Telecommunications 2004 AACE.
  • Rega, I., Petazzi, S., Torrebruno, A., Paolini, P.. Spontaneous Interaction between Kindergarten Children and Computers. A Case Study of the Project Discetech-Bimbotech. Proceedings of World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia and Telecommunications 2001 AACE.

Reports

Exhibitions

PhD Students

  • Mona Almasoudi. The Role of Social Media in Spreading the Culture of Volunteer Work Among Saudi Youth During COVID-19, (In progress)
  • Liting Quiao. Chinese Animation Documentary: Culture, Soft-power and Classification, (In progress)
  • Adele McMahon. Their Photos, Their Voice: What Adolescent Parents Say About Children Social Care Involvement, (In progress)
  • Rebecca Soumati. Making, Creating and Developing Creativity Online: A practical exploration of how we can teach Creativity through Online Spaces, (In progress)
  • Ying Chi. Visual Cultures of the Hanfu Movement: Perspectives and Voices through Non-Fiction Animation, (In progress)
  • Anna Pietzrak. Learners’ experience and perception on online mathematics courses: a tutor story, auto-ethnographic exploration, (In progress)
  • Denyse King. Towards more confident clinical practice: Exploring the impact of virtual reality learning environments on healthcare education, (In progress)
  • Giles Milner. Exploring the relationship between environment, interpretation and learning theory in Management Work Based Learning in the UK, (In progress)
  • Edward Wright. Facilitating the exploration of adolescent transcendence for holistic identity formation through the use of digital media, (Completed)
  • Pengpeng Hatch. International academic staff coping strategies in the UK teaching environment: investment, identity and subjectivity, (Completed)
  • Monsak Chaiveeradech. A study of bridging digital literacy with the Thai context of mindfulness, (Completed)
  • Mari Lewis. A Critically-engaged Syncretic Language Narrative of Building Trades Students and their families: Developing Identity-resonance for Self-actualising Minorities’ Right to Be, Believe and Belong, (Completed)
  • Emma Walters. Beyond Subject Media: An Exploration of Transferable Skills as Codified Raw Ingredients for Labour Market Demands, (Completed)
  • Sarah Aly. The Dynamics of meso-public spheres: Media Usage in Egypt during the Uprisings

Profile of Teaching PG

  • Practice - Creative and Media Education MA
  • Industry - Creative and Media Education MA
  • Pedagogy - Creative and Media Education MA
  • Major Project: Production, Validation and Defence - Media School MA
  • Exhibition - Media School MA
  • Change and Organisational Culture - Media School MA/Professional Courses
  • Intercultural Communication, MA in Media and Communication
  • Pilot Project, Doctorate of Education - Creative and Media
  • Literature Review, Doctorate of Education - Creative and Media

Grants

  • Evaluating Media Literacy with a Theory of Change (DCMS, 01 Nov 2022). Awarded
  • Skills 4 Success Evaluation (Ghana) (British Council, 08 Apr 2022). Awarded
  • Digital Arts and Refugee Engagement (Arts and Humanities Research Council, 01 Jan 2021). Awarded
  • Local Heritage and Sustainability: Promoting reflection and sharing within and across international communities (Arts and Humanities Research Council, 01 Apr 2020). Completed
  • Online Safety – Media Literacy Strategy – Mapping Exercise and Literature Review (DCMS, 08 Oct 2019). Awarded
  • e-Voices_ Redressing Marginality (Arts and Humanities Research Council, 01 Jan 2018). Completed
  • Quantitative Analysis of User Generated Contents: A Study on Informal Learning and Slum Tourism in South Africa (British Academy, 01 Feb 2016). Completed
  • RE-ACT: Social REpresentations of community multimedia centres and ACTions for improvement (Swiss National Science Foundation, 01 Jan 2010). Completed
  • RE-ACT: Social REpresentations of community multimedia centres and ACTions for improvement (Swiss National Science Foundation, 01 Jan 2010). Completed
  • Telecentres and Sustainability Issues (Swiss National Science Foundation, 01 Sep 2004). Completed
  • mCHW: The design and evaluation of a mobile learning intervention for the training and supervision of community health workers (Economic and Social Research Council). Completed
  • MELISSA: Measuring E-Learning Impact in primary Schools in South African disadvantaged areas (Swiss National Science Foundation). Completed
  • BET K-12: Brazilian eLearning Teacher Training in K-12 (Swiss National Science Foundation). Completed
  • eGovernment telecentres in the Western Cape region (KFPE). Completed
  • CROSS-FertilizatIon betwEen formal and informal Learning through Digital technologies (Swiss National Science Foundation). Completed
  • Red-Ink: Rethinking Education in the Knowledge Society (Swiss National Science Foundation). Completed
  • Erasmus Plus Mobility Grant to Aahrus University (European Commission). In Progress

External Responsibilities

  • Cape Peninsula University of Technology, External Examiner
  • University of the Witwatersrand, External Examiner
  • University of Cape Town, External Examiner
  • University of Aarhus, Visiting Scholar

Qualifications

  • PhD in Communication Sciences in Information and Communication Technologies for Dev (2010)

Memberships

Networks

  • ICT4D Collective at Royal Holloway, University of London
  • IPID, The International Network for PG Students in ICT4D
The data on this page was last updated at 05:00 on February 18, 2026.