June 3, 2026
Cape Town, South Africa
Deadline (EXTENDED): February 6, 2026
2026 ICA half-day hybrid Preconference
Dear colleagues,
Following requests from potential contributors, the deadline for paper proposals for the 2026 ICA half-day hybrid Preconference, “Researching Media Production in the Global South”, has been extended to 06 February 2026.
Date: Wednesday, 3 June 2026
Time: 12:00-17:00
Venue: University of Cape Town, Centre for Film and Media Studies & online
This preconference will explore the particularities of researching media production in non-Western contexts. Building on the success of the inaugural online conference held in May 2024, this second iteration seeks to bring together scholars examining how cultural, political, and industrial conditions shape media production practices across the Global South. We welcome theoretically informed empirical studies that expand and challenge dominant, Western-centric perspectives on media industries and contribute to the development of de-Westernised and decolonised approaches to production research.
Thematic areas of focus may include:
- How local (political, economic and cultural) contexts shape or constrain media production practices
- The appropriation of new digital technologies (including AI and associated tools); the role of platforms in shaping/influencing production practices
- The impact of shifting industrial contexts (including decentralisation) and changing media ecologies on production
- Methodological approaches
- Context- or site-specific challenges and emerging solutions for media production research; the particularities of labour markets and working conditions
- Cross-cultural and collaborative media production
- The impact of foreign media investment on local production practices
- The effects of resource constraints on journalism and other forms of media production
Please submit your abstract for a 10-minute presentation (max. 300 words) along with a short biography (approx. 100 words) via this form: Submission Form (form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdi3dIxHgq69bNr-TdeDVpVrS__2M2nTSJXZBq5IheWncxS9g/viewform?usp=publish-editor) by 06 February 2026, indicating whether you wish to participate in person or online.
We aim to provide decisions by the end of February.
If you have any questions, please contact us at: mediaproduction.globalsouth@leeds.ac.uk
Presentation at the preconference is conditional on submission of an extended abstract by 15 April 2026. Acceptance to the main ICA conference is not required.
For the full call for papers and registration instructions, please visit: ICA26 Preconference Details
This preconference is sponsored by the Global Communication and Social Change Division of ICA, supported by the Universities of Cape Town, Glasgow, and Leeds, and organised by Anna Zoellner (University of Leeds), Chris Paterson (University of Leeds), Hayes Mabweazara (University of Glasgow), and Tanja Bosch (University of Cape Town).
