June 11, 2025

University of Denver, Colorado, USA

Deadline: February 1, 2025

Two weeks left to submit an abstract to the ICA 2025 Pre-conference – Frames of Transition: Visual Communication in Times of Social Change

Date: Wednesday 11 June 2025, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm. 

Location: University of Denver, Colorado, USA

Abstracts due: February 1, 2025: https://bit.ly/4fdwT68

Notifications: March 11, 2025

In a world marked by rapid technological advances and sociopolitical upheavals, visual communication plays a vital role in documenting and influencing these changes. By emphasizing the theme of transition and change, this pre-conference organized by ICA Visual Communication Studies Division seeks to contribute to academic scholarship and practical applications, demonstrating how visual communication can help navigate and make sense of change. It also aims to provide a platform for cross-divisional and interdisciplinary networking between emerging and senior scholars dealing with visual communication research, inviting extended abstracts with a focus on three perspectives:

Phenomena-oriented perspective: From this perspective, we seek contributions examining events, movements, and trends represented visually, offering insights into the ways visual communication shapes and is shaped by transitional moments. We also aim to explore the impact of emerging visual production or editing technologies, such as generative AI, that contribute to new issues (e.g., AI-generated visual disinformation, deepfakes, creative expression, etc.).

Actor/agent (action)-oriented perspective: This perspective invites visual communication research with a focus on individuals, groups, and organizations involved in creating, editing, disseminating, and engaging with visual content during transitional periods. We also aim to explore how visual communication is used as a tool to address existing issues (e.g., through visual storytelling, photojournalism, novel forms of visual expression, etc.).

Method-oriented perspective: Submissions from this perspective will delve into the methodologies and techniques used to study visual representation and meaning-making during periods of change. We also aim to provide a forum for collaborative learning about innovative approaches and tools for analyzing visual communication.

How to Participate:

Send us an extended abstract for one of the following formats by 1 February 2025:

• Traditional research (1,000 words): These abstracts should be anonymized for a review committee made up of senior Division members.
  
• Research escalator (500 words): The session applications will be reviewed by potential mentors, and where matches are possible, mentees will be paired with a mentor.

Full CfP: https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.icahdq.org/resource/resmgr/conference/2025/pc-cfp-frames-transition.pdf

Registration: we are planning with a fee of $50 (includes lunch and refreshments on the day). No fees to submit an abstract.

For any queries, please contact 

Dr. Nataliia Laba - n.laba@rug.nl 

Dr. Kareem el Damanhoury - kareem.eldamanhoury@du.edu