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Is Alireza Salehi-Nejad an expert on media literacy?
Executive Summary
Alireza Salehi-Nejad shows evidence of engagement with media and information literacy through affiliations and a seminar paper, but available records present a mixed picture about whether he should be labeled an established expert narrowly in “media literacy.” His profile and roles at institutions related to cyberspace, UNESCO-affiliated activities, and a 2024 seminar paper argue for substantive involvement in the field, while other records emphasize broader multidisciplinary scholarship without declaring a primary specialization in media literacy [1] [2] [3].
1. How his affiliations signal competence — but stop short of definitive expertise
Alireza Salehi-Nejad’s institutional ties indicate meaningful work on media and information literacy: he is listed with the Cyberspaces Research Policy Center and as an executive board member of a UNESCO Chair on Cyberspace & Culture, roles that connect directly to MIL (media and information literacy) initiatives and policy work [1] [2]. These positions typically require subject-matter knowledge and networked advocacy, so affiliations provide credible signals of competence. However, organizational membership alone does not equal peer-recognized subject-matter expertise; several summaries note multidisciplinary or policy-focused roles rather than a record of sustained, peer-reviewed MIL scholarship or a named professorship in media literacy, leaving room for reasonable disagreement about the label “expert” [4] [5].
2. Publication evidence: one seminar paper supports a claim but has limitations
A 2024 research output attributed to Salehi-Nejad presents an argument on the critical role of media and information literacy in countering misinformation and political manipulation, which directly addresses MIL theory and practice and supports his practical knowledge in the area [3]. The paper’s presence at a 7th Media and Information Literacy Seminar shows engagement with MIL communities. This publication strengthens the claim he works in MIL, yet caveats appear: one analysis notes ResearchGate’s unresolved citations for that paper, raising questions about the level of peer review and citation impact; thus the paper is suggestive but not definitive proof of broad scholarly authority in media literacy [3].
3. Broader scholarly profile complicates the “expert” label
Multiple profiles describe Salehi-Nejad as a multidisciplinary researcher covering sociolinguistics, political discourse, communication and information/ICTs, research integrity, and editorial roles for journals and publishers [6] [5] [2]. These cross-cutting competencies are relevant to media literacy — skills in discourse analysis, information integrity and communication bolster credibility — yet they also imply a generalist career rather than a narrow specialization. Evaluators seeking a classic media-literacy expert (extensive peer-reviewed MIL literature, leadership of MIL academic programs, or sustained MIL-focused funding) will find the record incomplete and thus may reasonably conclude he is knowledgeable and active in MIL-related issues, but not necessarily a foremost field specialist [6] [5].
4. Contradictory or absent references in public sources raise verification issues
Several sources either do not mention Salehi-Nejad or fail to link him explicitly to media literacy, which undermines a confident, unilateral claim of expertise [7]. The inconsistency across profiles — some highlighting UNESCO and MIL involvement and others emphasizing unrelated journals or not mentioning him at all — produces a mixed evidentiary landscape. Gaps and non-mention in certain academic descriptions mean independent verification is needed: search of peer-reviewed MIL journals for repeated authorship, lists of MIL course instructors, citation metrics, or official UNESCO MIL rosters would clarify his standing more definitively than the patchwork of summaries presently available [7].
5. Bottom line: reasonable to call him an informed practitioner, cautious about calling him a leading MIL authority
Taken together, the evidence supports describing Alireza Salehi-Nejad as an active, informed practitioner engaged with media and information literacy through institutional roles, seminar contributions, and related scholarly activities; this justifies calling him knowledgeable in MIL contexts [1] [3] [2]. However, the record lacks strong, consistent indicators of top-tier disciplinary authority—such as a sustained corpus of peer-reviewed MIL articles, leading academic appointments in MIL, or high citation impact—so labeling him unequivocally as an “expert” in the strict academic sense overstates what the available sources demonstrate [5] [3]. Future confirmation should rely on direct MIL publication lists, citation data, and formal MIL appointments or recognitions.