Media International Australia (MIA)

Deadline (EXTENDED): August 6, 2023

David Ramírez Plascencia, Universidad de Guadalajara – Mexico (Editor)

davidrapla@gmail.com and davidram@udgvirtual.udg.mx

In Latin America during the health emergency in 2020, digitalization, despite digital infrastructure limitation, was essential not just because it allowed to continue studying and working at home and promoted the improvement of the exchange of goods and services networks using smartphones and mobile applications, but because it helped people to build solidary chains to support and provide relief in places where authorities were absent or negligent. Digitalization augmented even more the popularity of social platforms and mobile devices which have consolidated as the main places of socialization and entertainment among Latin Americans. 

After three years since the outbreak, the Latin American landscape invites us to ponder, from a critical perspective, the digital economic activities that have flourished in this post-pandemic context. This special feature topic invites proposals that analyze, from an interdisciplinary and international perspective, the impact of the pandemic and digitalization in the Latin American labor market. 

Prospective abstracts may include topics related with social media influencers (Youtubers, Tiktokers, instangramers and so on), fact-checkers, crypto miners and bitcoin traders, digital nomad workers, online gamers and videogame-items dealers, delivery-platform app workers, social media platforms sellers, among others. Propositions that address (i) the economic and cultural influence of theses economic activities in the regional and international content-consumption market, (ii) novel digital professions as mechanism to surpass economic and social exclusion, and (iii) externalities, genre barriers and legal and ethical controversial issues, are particularly welcome.

After three years since the outbreak, the Latin American landscape invites us to ponder, from a critical perspective, the novel economic activities related with digital media that have flourished in the post-pandemic context. Studying Latin America is important because in a few years it has consolidated as the second fastest growing region for streaming services in the world, Latin Americans spend more hours consuming media than in any other region, the use of cryptocurrencies has become a popular form of payment, saving and sending remittances in countries with struggling economies, and, in recent years, the region has consolidated a pole of attraction for digital nomads who arrive looking for better employment opportunities.

Submission Instructions.

Please submit an extended abstract (500 words, not including references), accompanied by a 200-words bio. Abstracts must be sent no later than August 6, 2023 to davidrapla@gmail.com and davidram@udgvirtual.udg.mx. Upon selection, scholars will be invited to submit full papers. Articles should be around 8,000 words in length (including notes, references, accompanying reference list, and all other inclusions).