IAMCR 2015: Digital Divide Working Group - CfP - Deadline 9 February

The IAMCR Digital Divide Working Group invites proposals for papers to be presented at the annual conference for the International Association for Media & Communication Research at the  University of Quebec, Montreal, Canada, July 12-16, 2015.

Conference theme: “Hegemony or Resistance? The Ambiguous Power of Communication”

See the conference key dates and deadlines: http://iamcr.org/congress/montreal2015-keydates

See all Calls for Papers for IAMCR 2015: http://iamcr.org/congress/montreal2015-cfp

Visit the conference website: http://congresiamcr.uqam.ca

The overarching conference theme in 2015 is “Hegemony or Resistance? The Ambiguous Power of Communication”. The theme seeks to explore the ambiguous relationship of communication towards hegemony and resistance. It relates, for example, to the various ways in which communication has been described not only as a value of our times – echoing an ideal for social transparency and communality – but also as a threat in terms of global domination. This ambiguity has prompted debates in academia about communication being at the same time a value and a tool, a space of consent and one of struggle, and having (more authentic) local and global dimensions.

The Digital Divide Working Group aims at providing a forum for scholars researching various aspects of digital inequality. Those aspects include but are not limited to the issues of the technological means of access to the ICTs, the possession of the necessary skills and competences for using technical affordances, pros and contras of public policies aimed at overcoming digital gap in different countries, and much more. The Digital Divide Working Group welcomes new theoretical approaches and empirical findings resulted from the research of digital inequality as a multi-dimensional phenomenon influencing various aspects of social life. In this respect we are also interested in stimulating fruitful discussions about co-relation of such factors as age, gender, income, education, location and technical skills to use ICTs, as well as the co-relation of media literacy and social inclusion in the modern society.

We invite paper proposals on any of the following key topics:

  • Digital divide at national and international levels;
  • Digital (in)equality as a factor of social inclusion;
  • Media literacy as a factor contributing to user empowerment;
  • Digital transformations and the creation of new audiences;
  • Digital and analogue generations: different ways of media consumption and media production;
  • Digital skills in the modern era: attributes of hegemony or resistance

Abstract submissions

Abstracts should be submitted only via IAMCR's Open Conference System (OCS) at http://iamcr-ocs.org from 1December 2014 – 9 February 2015. Early submission is strongly recommended.

Deadlines

The deadline for submission of abstracts is 9 February 2015. Please note that this deadline will not be extended. The OCS system at http://iamcr-ocs.org will close at midnight GMT on 9 February 2015.

See the conference key dates and deadlines: http://iamcr.org/congress/montreal2015-keydates

Guidelines for Abstracts

Abstracts should be between 300 and 500 words in length.

All abstract submissions must be made via IAMCR's OCS at http://iamcr-ocs.org. There are to be no email submissions of abstracts addressed to any Section or Working Group Head.
It is expected that for the most part, only one (1) abstract will be submitted per person for consideration by the conference. However, under no circumstances should there be more than two (2) abstracts bearing the name of the same applicant either individually or as part of any group of authors. Please note also that the same abstract or another version with minor variations in title or content must not be submitted to other Sections or Working Groups of the Association for consideration, after an initial submission. Such submissions will be deemed to be in breach of the conference guidelines and will be automatically rejected by the Open Conference System, by the relevant Head or by the Conference Programme Reviewer. Such applicants risk being removed entirely from the conference programme.

The Digital Divide WG accepts abstracts in English, French or Spanish, although English is preferred to manage the evaluation process. We will also arrange for presentations in English, French or Spanish, and will arrange sessions in any of the three languages, but only in case the number of accepted abstracts is no less than 4 (the minimum for 1 session).

Upon submission of an abstract, you will be asked to confirm that your submission is original and that it has not been previously published in the form presented. You will also be given an opportunity to declare if your submission is currently before another conference for consideration.

For further information, please consult the conference website at: http://congresiamcr.uqam.ca/ or contact the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) by email: iamcr2015[at]uqam.ca.

Digital Divide Working Group

Head:

Olga Smirnova
ddwg.iamcr[at]gmail.com

Vice-Heads:

Zarqa Ali
zsha016[at]aucklanduni.ac.nz

Liangwen Kuo
lwkuo[at]mail.nctu.edu.tw

Secretary:

Anna Gladkova
ddwg.iamcr[at]gmail.com

See the conference key dates and deadlines: http://iamcr.org/congress/montreal2015-keydates

See all Calls for Papers for IAMCR 2015: http://iamcr.org/congress/montreal2015-cfp

Visit the conference website: http://congresiamcr.uqam.ca

Sections and Working Groups