IAMCR 2013 - International Communication Section - Call for Proposals

altThe International Communication Section of the IAMCR invites submissions of abstracts for papers and panel proposals for the next annual IAMCR conference to be held from 25-29 June 2013 at Dublin City University, Ireland.

The deadline for submissions is January 28, 2013. We request you to read this CFP in full, and note all details and requirements regarding submissions.

The conference theme, ‘Crises, “Creative Destruction” and the Global Power and Communication Orders’ considers the impact of the current global economic crisis on the global geo-political and communication orders. The International Communication Section is particularly interested in how the current crisis will prompt change in the forms and modes of communication on a global level, and result in the shifting of power relations between communication centres and regions of the world. Recent years have seen shifts in the patterns of international communication around new regional centres in Asia, Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa, acting as nodes for increased transnational flows of media and capital. The rise of emerging economies in the Global South, for instance along the BRICS formation (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) have also directed attention to the transnational movement of media capital and content, for instance China’s use of media to further its ‘soft power’, the spread of South African media influence on the African continent and contraflows of popular media formats like telenovelas from Brazil to the US and Nollywood films to diasporic communities worldwide.

While these shifts have been cause for some enthusiasm among observers in the Global South about the possibility of a more diverse global public sphere to emerge, the ‘Rise of the Rest’( in Fareed Zakaria’s terms) has not been an uncomplicated one. These emerging regions have not been isolated from the global crises originating in the metropoles – as the global economic crisis caused markets in the US and Europe to contract, the impact reverberated through the BRICS countries as well. How has this global crisis played out in the international media? Has the crisis been portrayed as a largely European/American one, or as one that emphasised the global interconnectedness of countries and regions? What has the economic downturn mean for the global communications flows, and the communication industries globally? What challenges do these developments pose for theorizing about international communication in an era of global crisis?

The economic crisis also spawned counter-movements like Occupy – an indication of the power of global media to provide platforms for alternative voices and discourses. To what extent did the international communication order support or constrain these global social justice movements?

The global interconnectedness of the world’s regions, the interdependency of global economies and the increased transnational flows of media content and capital also raise substantive questions for communication ethics. The shockwaves of the Leveson Inquiry in the UK have reverberated around the world. As the communications industries increase their global footprint, the question has to be asked whether a concomitant global ethics can be developed to guide its values and practices.

The International Communication Section submissions on all areas of interest to the broad designator of international communication, and is especially interested in research on the following topics:

  • The impact of the global economic crisis on international communication patterns, agendas and industries
  • The rise of emerging regions in the Global South, the formation of the BRICS alignment of economies and their impact on the global communication
  • The crisis of trust in the global media in the wake of the Leveson Inquiry in the UK
  • The role of international communication in working towards global social justice and facilitating the development of alternative public spheres
  • The role of international communication in combating human rights violations, human trafficking and global humanitarian movements

The ICS will host a parallel session with the Communication Policy and Technology Section: “Internet and communication systems: challenges for national and international communication policies”

Please indicate if you wish to have your submission considered for this special sesson.

Preparation and submission of paper and panel abstracts

Please ensure that your abstract contains the following:

  • Title of the paper.
  • Author information: The name(s) of author(s) and title (professor, postdoctoral fellow, graduate student, etc.), institutional affiliation, e-mail address, postal, phone and fax information should be provided .
  • Length of abstract: 300 - 500 words.
  • Content: The section values diversity in perspectives and methods. For full-fledged studies, reviewers will look for a clear idea of the following: what is the topic and why is it important to know about the research (significance of the study), the main question or research problem addressed, some form of conceptual framework or theory that inspires the paper, methods used to answer the main questions posed, anticipated analysis, and expected outcomes. For literature reviews assessing the state of the art, and syntheses, some idea of framework, questions, methods and sources have to be addressed in the abstract, to help evaluate the submission.

Individual papers and panels are possible, but all proposals must be submitted through the online Open Conference System at http://iamcr-ocs.org from 15 November 2012 – 28 January 2013. Early submission is strongly encouraged.

Individuals may submit 1 abstract (paper) per Section or Working Group as lead author, and a maximum of 2 abstracts (papers) to a single IAMCR conference in general. Presenters are expected to bring fully developed work to the conference. Prior to the conference, it is expected that a completed paper will be submitted to Section, Working Group, Session Chairs, and/or Discussants.

Notification of acceptances of abstracts will be sent out by 28 February 2013.

Submission of completed papers via IAMCR Open Conference System (OCS) no later than May 28, 2013.