ECREA WEEKLY digest ARTICLES

Deadline: December 15, 2023

We are pleased to announce a Call for Papers for Mediatization Studies, Vol. 7. The volume will be dedicated to: Field-specific mediatisation(s). We publish theoretical and empirical research concerning media studies. In particular, we are interested in papers that situate mediatisation in different social fields, in different national and cultural contexts, and in different time-space settings. 

The deadline for submission of full papers for Volume 7, 2024, "Mediatization Studies" is 15 December 2023.

"Mediatization Studies" is the first open access, free of charge, international journal devoted entirely to the theory and processes of mediatization. See previous volumes: https://journals.umcs.pl/ms/issue/archive

Registration and submission: https://journals.umcs.pl/ms/login; 

Author Guidelines: https://journals.umcs.pl/ms/about/submissions#authorGuidelines

December 1, 2023 

Goethe Institut, Prague, Czech Republic 

Prague Media Point 2023 Conference 

About: 

Prague Media Point fosters the work of media specialists for the public good. Aiming for interdisciplinarity, we gather scholars, journalists, media executives, and other experts to exchange experiences, establish new relationships, and debate the challenges facing both traditional and new media. These issues are presented in an international context, with a greater focus on CEE and Western Balkans, with both their specific and shared challenges, so that a trans-border dialogue continues. We seek to showcase examples of innovations, methods, and approaches that enable both private and public service media to fulfil their mission in the public space. 

In 2023, Prague Media Point focuses on investigative journalism, on cross-border and cross-sectoral collaborations between journalists and media, and on the wider frame of media regulations that are being developed in Europe. These three areas are vital for our general strive for a more resilient and sustainable media system, and in turn, democracy. 

Among the confirmed speakers are: 

• Anna Gielewska, Fundacja Reporterow, Deputy Director, Poland 
  
• Jovana Bojanovic, KRIK, Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Serbia 
  
• Lela Vujanic, Sembra Media, Project Oasis Research Manager, Croatia 
  
• Peter Erdelyi, Center for Sustainable Media, Director, Hungary 
  
• Tomáš Kriššák, Gerulata Technologies, Senior Stratcom Consultant, Slovakia 
  
• Christian Christensen, University of Stockholm, Journalism Professor, Sweden 
  
• Danuta Bregula, MDIF, Expert-in-Residence, Poland 
  
• Lutfi Dervishi, Investigative Journalism Lab, Trainer, Albania 
  
• Jeremy Bransten, Regional Director for Eastern Europe, RFE/RL, Czechia 
  
• Patrick Leusch, Deutsche Welle, Head of European Affairs, Germany 
  
• Zlatina Siderova, European Journalism Centre, Programme Lead Grants, Netherlands 
• Tadeusz Kowalski, University of Warsaw, Associate Professor, Poland 

Join us in Prague on December 1, 2023, to get inspired by the work of your colleagues from different backgrounds and countries, to learn more about what's working elsewhere, to discuss how can we move forward and what it takes to make the media sphere more sustainable. 

For more information go to: www.praguemediapoint.com 

To register for the conference, please go to: https://bit.ly/3RXz4Av 

Contact: Marek Přeček, Project Coordinator, precek@keynote.cz 

LSE

LSE is committed to building a diverse, equitable and truly inclusive university

Apply here: https://jobs.lse.ac.uk/Vacancies/W/2736/0/408611/15539/research-officer-in-digital-futures-for-children

Media and Communications

Research Officer in Digital Futures for Children

Salary from £40,229 to £48,456 pa inclusive with potential to progress to £52,095 pa inclusive of London allowance

This is a fixed term appointment for 3 years

Digital Futures for Children (DFC) is a joint research centre between LSE and 5Rights Foundation. Through critical and practical research, the DFC aims to generate insights and innovative solutions to ensure that the digital environment respects and promotes children's rights. It will provide an evidence base for advocacy, facilitate dialogue between academics and policymakers, amplify children's voices and foster collaboration among relevant experts and stakeholders.

Working under the direction and guidance of the DFC Director, the Research Officer will deliver the above-outlined research plan. Duties and responsibilities will include the following:

·       Analyse and research complex ideas, concepts, theories and findings relating to children’s rights in the digital environment.

·       Demonstrate expertise in designing, conducting and critiquing appropriate methodologies.

·       Review, synthesise and disseminate a wide range of relevant research from multiple disciplines.

·       Design and manage a process of peer review for assessing research commissions and reports.

·       Contribute to the formulation of peer reviewed research grant proposals.

·       Initiate, manage and sustain links with external bodies and research contacts to foster collaboration and dialogue.

·       Present research findings at academic and policy conferences and events.

Candidates will have a PhD and relevant research experience that demonstrates the capability to produce independent original research. Experience of writing up research for publication in a variety of modes including peer reviewed journals, expert reports and public-facing outlets and the ability to demonstrate expertise in designing, conducting and critiquing appropriate methodologies.

Please attach electronic copies of two publications, which can be working papers or academic papers or public-facing reports or blog posts, that are relevant to this post on the Supporting Documents section of the online application form. Applications without these additional documents will not be considered. 

We offer an occupational pension scheme, generous annual leave, hybrid working, and excellent training and development opportunities.

For further information about the post, please see the how to apply document, job description and the person specification.

To apply for this post, please go to www.jobs.lse.ac.uk. If you have any technical queries with applying on the online system, please use the “contact us” links at the bottom of the LSE Jobs page. Should you have any queries about the role, please email Media.Research@lse.ac.uk.  

The closing date for receipt of applications is 13 November 2023 (23.59 UK time). Regrettably, we are unable to accept any late applications.

May 21 – May 24, 2024

Stuttgart, Germany

 Deadline: February 26, 2024

One of the WebSci’24 events on the 21st of May 2024 will be the Interdisciplinary PhD Symposium, offering PhD students the opportunity to present and discuss their research plans and ongoing research for an interdisciplinary audience. We aim for a lively and engaged discussion, maximizing early-stage ideas exchange and interdisciplinary discussion on emerging or novel ideas/research.

To achieve this, we are seeking up to 5 pages (including references, appendices, etc.) single-blind submissions, and the student should be the single author. All papers should adopt the current ACM SIG Conference proceedings template (acmart.cls). Please submit papers as PDF files using the ACM template, either in Microsoft Word format (available at https://www.acm.org/publications/proceedings-template under “Word Authors”) or with the ACM LaTeX template on the Overleaf platform, which is available at https://www.overleaf.com/latex/templates/association-for-computing-machinery-acm-sig-proceedings-template/bmvfhcdnxfty. In particular; please ensure that you are using the two-column version of the appropriate template.

All contributions will be judged by the PhD Symposium Program Committee. Accepted submissions will be included in the WebSci’24 companion proceedings and allowed for oral presentation during the PhD Symposium on May 21. Further, a limited number of travel grants is foreseen (please follow the WebSci’24 dissemination channels for further details).

The Web Science conference welcomes participation from all disciplines including, but not limited to, arts, computer and information sciences, communications, economics, humanities, informatics, law, linguistics, philosophy, social and political sciences, psychology, and sociology, in pursuit of an understanding of the Web. This conference is unique in bringing these disciplines together in creative and critical dialogue. We particularly welcome contributions that seek to cross traditional disciplinary boundaries. Possible topics for submissions include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Theoretical, methodological, and ethical approaches for web science
  
• Web practices – individual and/or collective and/or institutional
  
• Web science and AI
  
• The architecture and philosophy of the web
  
• Web science and the Internet of Things
  
• Web economics
  
• Web science and cybersecurity; personal data, trust, and privacy on the web
  
• Web governance, democracy, intellectual property, and the commons
  
• Web access, literacy, and development
  
• Temporal Web analytics
  
• Knowledge, education, and scholarship and the web
  
• Health and well-being online
  
• Humanities, arts, and culture on the web
  
• Data curation and stewardship in web science
  
• Web archiving
  
• Communities on the Web

Please upload your submissions via EasyChair by selecting the ACM-WebSci24 PhD Symposium track at: https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=acmwebsci24

Important Dates (tentative):

Mon., February 26, 2024: Paper Submission Deadline

Mon., March 18, 2024: Notification

Mon., April 8, 2024: Camera-ready Versions due

Tues., May 21, 2024: PhD Symposium

Tentative PC (tentative)

• Nathalie Aussenac-Gilles, IRIT, University Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France
  
• Gianluca Demartini, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
  
• Stefan Dietze, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Germany
  
• Shady Elbassuoni, American University of Beirut, Lebanon
  
• Georgiana Ifrim, University College Dublin, Ireland
  
• Adam Jatowt, University of Innsbruck, Austria
  
• Mouna Kacimi, University of Bozen-Bolzano, Italy
  
• Ivana Marenzi, L3S Hannover, Germany
  
• Eirini Ntoutsi, University of the Bundeswehr, Munich, Germany
  
• Isabella Peters, Kiel University, Germany
  
• Markus Strohmaier, University of Mannheim, Germany
  
• Mark Weal, University of Southampton, UK
  
• Katrin Weller, Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences, Germany
  

KU Leuven

(ref. ZAP-2023-111)

https://www.kuleuven.be/personeel/jobsite/jobs/60258809?hl=en&lang=en

The fulltime professor position will be held within the Leuven School for Mass Communication Research, a research unit within the Department of Communication Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, KU Leuven (Belgium). KU Leuven represents a leading academic institution in Europe that is currently the largest university in Belgium in terms of research funding and expenditure. The university’s mission is to provide excellence in academic education and research and to offer a distinguished service to society. Owing to KU Leuven’s cutting-edge research, KU Leuven is a charter member of the League of European Research Universities (LERU) and is consistently ranked among the top 10 universities in Europe.  Within KU Leuven, the Leuven School of Mass Communication Research (SMCR) represents a pioneering institution for media effects research. The research focus of SMCR lies on the use of information- and entertainment media (including social media, ICT, television, games, mobile devices), and on how these uses may harm or enhance various components of individuals’ wellbeing and social cohesion. We have a strong expertise in explaining the processes through which various forms of media use affect physical, psychological and social wellbeing in the long run, and the conditions under which these processes occur. Therefore, a series of advanced methods are applied, including longitudinal survey studies, daily diary studies and content analysis. Issues studied in recent years include, for example, alcohol and drug use, (positive) sexuality and sexism, risk taking, depression, self-harm, (positive) body image, and mental and physical wellbeing.  The School adheres to the highest academic standards and strives towards publishing its research in top academic journals (e.g., Journal of Communication, Human Communication Research, New Media & Society, Media Psychology). SMCR staff is involved in various national and international multidisciplinary research projects, primarily of fundamental nature but also with societal relevance.

Website unit

Duties

• Research
  

You will be expected to develop an international research program, aim at excellent scientific output of international level, and support and promote the School for Mass Communication Research in national and international research collaborations. These research efforts should be situated in the broad field of digital media effects. Digital media technologies influence all spheres of society and social life. These digital media technologies and the related digitalization bring along an immense potential of growth in a multitude of spheres of human activity. At the same time, digital media and their effects have been criticized for having a questionable role in negative transformation processes of society and human relationships. The opportunities and threats that digital media generate in today’s society are expected to be central in the research of the applicant. More precisely, your research focuses on the development of innovative theory and advanced research techniques in this field. You have a strong background in predominantly quantitative research methods and have demonstrated research excellence in various ways (e.g., top ranked ISI publications, awards, societal impact etc.).

With this vacancy we aim to further strengthen the research and complement the expertise at SMCR. We are looking for a candidate with a strong experience in the understanding of the mechanisms that underlie changes in wellbeing or social cohesion brought along by digital media uses with the ultimate aim to use this knowledge to address the risks digitalization poses and empower young citizens living in a digitalized world.

Specifically, with this position we aim to further strengthen and expand the research at SMCR. Consequently, your research is expected to relate to the aforementioned lines of research of SMCR and to complement this research in one or more ways.

We welcome excellent scholars who complement SMCR research lines on digital media in terms of (1) themes (e.g., (but not limited to) media literacy, health communication, environmental communication, emotion & cognition, artificial intelligence, digital media affordances, influencers, …), and/or (2) quantitative methods (e.g., (but not limited to) the development and testing of mediated promotion and intervention campaigns, computational and digital social science methods, statistical modelling, data visualization, or psychophysiological research), and/or (3) audiences (e.g., (but not limited to) minorities, people with addictions). In close collaboration with SMCR staff, you contribute to the existing lines of research and set up your own program through the acquisition of research funding.

• Education
  

The Department of Communication Science, consisting of two research groups SMCR and IMS, organizes the Bachelor and Master of Communication Science, the (English) Master in Digital Media and Society, and is involved in the Master’s program of Business Communication and Journalism. Your teaching will contain several courses at the Bachelor’s and Master’s level and will include theoretical and methodological courses on communication science. You supervise students working on their master thesis and PhD students.

Your teaching is expected to meet the KU Leuven standards regarding academic program level and orientation and to be in keeping with the educational vision of KU Leuven. Commitment to the quality of education as a whole is naturally expected.

• Service
  

You provide scientific, societal and internal services. This is reflected, among other things, in a constructive contribution to education and research, as part of a team's collective projects (e.g. through participation in meetings, teacher days, information sessions, recruitment activities, exchange programs), and service to the academic community (e.g., service to academic associations such as ICA and journals (reviews)), education (e.g., participation in program committee meetings), and faculty (e.g., participation in faculty council etc.) You have an elaborate network of important stakeholders in the field, and have collaborated with these stakeholders to create societal impact and disseminate research.

Profile

Applicants hold a Ph.D. degree in communication sciences, social sciences, psychology, or an equivalent diploma. We seek a scholar with a broad theoretical- and interdisciplinary interest and a strong background in quantitative research methods, whose research both relates to and complements the current research lines at SMCR. The successful candidate has an excellent research record as evidenced by more than one dimension, e.g., the quality of their PhD research, high-level publications in the important journals of our field (i.e., ICA journals) and related fields, research impact (e.g., citations) and acquired research funding. We attach great importance to professional and value-driven behavior, an attitude of sharing, mentoring and inclusivity, and collegiality, and will encourage the candidate to collaborate with SMCR researchers as well as with interdisciplinary research groups and centers within KU Leuven. The candidate has a large international network and is eager to further develop this within the context of SMCR.

Applicants have demonstrated excellent teaching skills (including when teaching for large groups) and have a broad employability due to in-depth and detailed knowledge about the social sciences, media sociology and media psychology. In addition, the candidate has demonstrated excellent leadership skills (e.g., through the (current) supervision of PhD students), and is a strong team player.

The official administrative language used at KU Leuven is Dutch and there is a legal requirement to become proficient in Dutch up to a certain level. If you do not speak Dutch (or do not speak it well) at the start of employment, KU Leuven will provide language training to enable you to take part in administrative meetings and over time to teach in Dutch. A thorough knowledge of English is required.

Offer

We offer a full-time employment in an intellectually challenging and international environment. You will work in Leuven, a historic and lively city located in the heart of Belgium, within 20 minutes from Brussels, and less than two hours from Paris, London and Amsterdam. 

You will be appointed as a tenure track professor for a period of 5 years, after which, in the event of a positive evaluation, you are permanently appointed as associate professor. Immediately upon starting you will be able to independently develop your own line of research, serve as a supervisor of dissertations, and raise your own research funding.

To facilitate scientific onboarding and accelerate research in the first phase a starting grant of 110.000 euro is offered to new professors without substantial other funding (e.g., ERC).

KU Leuven welcomes international scholars and their family and provides practical support with regard to immigration and administration, housing, childcare, learning Dutch, partner career coaching,…

Interested?

For more information please contact:

Prof. Dr. Laura Vandenbosch (Research director School for Mass Communication Research), mail: Laura.Vandenbosch@kuleuven.be. 

Prof. Dr. Stef Aupers (Program director Communication Sciences), mail: Stef.Aupers@kuleuven.be 

Prof. Dr. Steven Eggermont (Dean Faculty of Social Sciences), mail: Steven.Eggermont@kuleuven.be 

For problems with online applying, please contact solliciteren@kuleuven.be.

You can apply for this job no later than February 05, 2024 via the online application tool

KU Leuven seeks to foster an environment where all talents can flourish, regardless of gender, age, cultural background, nationality or impairments. If you have any questions relating to accessibility or support, please contact us at diversiteit.HR@kuleuven.be.

University of Fribourg, Switzerland

https://www.unifr.ch/dcm/en/assets/public/files/jobs/2311-PostDoc.pdf

 Join an Innovative Research Collaboration between the University of Fribourg and a Leading Swiss Insurance Company!

Position: Post-Doctoral Researcher (100%)

Duration: 3 years (with the option for extension)

Location: University of Fribourg, Switzerland, Faculty of Management, Economics and Social Sciences

Starting date: January 2024 (earliest, or mutually agreed upon)

Are you passionate about the intersection of country reputation and artificial intelligence? Do you want to be at the forefront of exploring the future of Switzerland's nation brand and reputation in the AI era? We have the perfect opportunity for you! 

About the Project:

We are thrilled to announce an exceptional opportunity to contribute to our groundbreaking project, "Investigating the Future Reputation of Switzerland in Times of Artificial Intelligence."

This project is a collaboration between the University of Fribourg and a leading Swiss insurance company. As a multidisciplinary team member, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of Switzerland's reputation. 

Key Responsibilities:

• Conduct innovative research at the intersection of country reputation and artificial intelligence.
  
• Disseminate research findings through academic publications, conferences, and to the broader public.
  
• Collaborate closely with researchers from interconnected projects, fostering scientific exchange.
  
• Co-organize workshops, events, and other relevant activities to advance research objectives. 
  

Requirements:

• Doctoral degree in social sciences, management, or a related field.
  
• Proficiency in quantitative empirical methods; advanced knowledge of qualitative methods as a plus.
  
• Familiarity with artificial intelligence tools, e.g., natural language programs, deep learning, etc.
  
• Demonstrated potential for publishing in high-quality academic journals.
  
• Proficiency in English, ideally with fluency in French and/or German. Knowledge of Switzerland and its institutions is an asset.
  

To apply, please send your CV to olivier.furrer@unifr.ch and diana.ingenhoff@unifr.ch.

We kindly invite you to participate in the 6th edition of the Young Media and Communication Scholars Mentoring Program of the Polish Communication Association. The Mentoring Program is addressed to Ph.D. and MA students who want to develop their research competencies under the guidance of renowned Polish researchers. Participation in the program is free of charge.

Applications (in Polish or English) will be accepted until December 3, 2023. Application form and detailed information about mentors are available here: https://www.ptks.pl/en/programs/pca-mentoring-program 

We encourage you to submit your application!

If you have any additional questions, do not hesitate to contact the program coordinator, Roksana Gloc: mentoring.fmmik@gmail.com

September 4-6, 2024

IIIT/Banglaore, Graz/Austria & online

Abstract deadline: January 19, 2024

We are pleased to announce Situating Data Practices Beyond Data Universalism, the 5th International Data Power Conference, which will take place 4th – 6th September 2024, online and in person in two locations: International Institute of Information Technology Bangalore (IIIT-B), India and the University of Graz, Austria.

Communication of acceptance: 15th March 2024

More information is available on the Data Power website.

Call for abstracts

The Data Power Conference hosts critical reflections on data’s power and the social, political, economic and cultural consequences of data’s increasing presence in our lives, workplaces, and societies. The 5th International Data Power focuses on situating data practices and looking beyond data universalism. It aims to:

• Situate data practices in the power relations that shape their creation and use in the world
  
• Explore the importance of place, space, time and context in the making of data and the effects of data power
  
• Examine the centres of data power and their infrastructures
  

In addition, the conference asks:

• What constitutes rigorous methods when it comes to researching data power locally and globally?
  
• To what extent does critical data power research need to focus on specific instances of data power in action?
  
• What generalised critiques can be made from our field?
  

To facilitate dialogues across disciplines and with stakeholders, we welcome papers from interdisciplinary teams including disciplines incorporating aspects of data science, and papers which incorporate non-academic collaborators from a range of sectors.

As always, the Data Power Conference remains concerned with in/equalities, discrimination, questions of justice, rights and freedoms, and agency and resistance. We welcome papers that engage with these matters.

There will be a keynote speaker in each of the in-person locations, details to be confirmed.

Information on paper abstracts and proposals for making & doing sessions

• Whilst we welcome papers and session proposals of all kinds, please note that this conference focuses on critical questions about data’s power and also papers that are critical and/or reflective with regards to the social and cultural consequences of the rise of data’s power.
  
• We also welcome proposals for making & doing sessions. These should aim to share practical interventions, practices of doing data studies research and other types of engaged or participatory research or hands-on workshops (e.g. data walks, data sprints, counter mapping). These sessions will take place in-person only. Remote participation in them will not be possible. (See the 4S website for great advice on how to craft such sessions,).
  
• Please submit a 250-300 word abstract for individual papers or making & doing sessions. Panel proposals should include a 250-300 word panel description + a 250-300 word abstract for each paper.
  
• The deadline is 19th January 2024.
  
• If you want to discuss special formats for paper sessions or making & doing sessions, please contact the organisers.
  

Information on conference attendance

It will be possible to participate EITHER remotely OR in-person in one of the two locations in which the conference will take place – Centre for Information Technology and Public Policy (CITAPP) at IIIT-Bangalore (India) and BANDAS Center & Department of Sociology at University of Graz  (Austria).

Building on our experience in collectively organising hybrid conferences, the conference will seek to be accessible across time zones.

Conference fee: A modest fee for conference participation will be charged. Further details will be available once registration opens. Researchers without institutional support may apply for a waiver

Abstract submission

You can submit your abstract via our abstract submission system from 1st November.

Organizing Committee

Janaki Srinivasan, IIIT-Bangalore (India)

Amit Prakash, IIIT-Bangalore (India)

Juliane Jarke, University of Graz (Austria)

Helen Kennedy, University of Sheffield (UK)

Jo Bates, University of Sheffield (UK)

Tracey P. Lauriault, Carleton University (Canada)

Maja Šimunjak

This textbook offers the first practical guide to managing emotions in everyday journalism work based on interviews with more than 30 British journalists. It raises awareness of emotional situations and stressors journalists may face, so practitioners are better able to recognise these and prepare for them, and outlines practical emotion management strategies which they can apply to enhance their emotional intelligence and resilience and consequently, feel and perform better in the workplace. It includes vignettes written by journalists from the United Kingdom, United States, Australia and Croatia, as well as practical scenario exercises that prompt readers to reflect on how they would feel and react in specific situations based on journalists’ everyday work.​

The book is available in print and as ebook - https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-38631-2 

Deadline: November 14, 2023

Book editors:

• Ufuoma Akpojivi, Policy, Research and Learning Lead, Advocates for International Development, UK, Email: Ufuoma.Akpojivi@a4id.org 
  
• Tendai Chari, Associate Professor of Media Studies, University of Venda, South Africa, Email: Tendai.Chari@univen.ac.za
  

At the attainment of independence, there was euphoria that African states would witness economic and political growth and development as ‘independence in Africa was supposed to usher in a period characterized by the peaceful co-existence of population groups and significant improvements in the wealth-creating capacity of each new nation’ (Mbaku 2007). However, the continent has not witnessed this economic and political liberation  due to political instability and economic crises rooted in corruption (Sarassoro 1979). Studies show that corruption in its  various guises is rife on the African continent. According to Transparency International in their 2015 report, corruption is on the rise and has impacted significantly on the continent's socio-economic, political and cultural development. The UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) claimed  that the continent loses about $88.6bn or 3.7 per cent of its gross domestic product (GDP) annually on illicit financial flows. Similarly, in a corruption perception index conducted by Transparency International in 2022, 44 out of the 49 sub-Saharan African countries assessed scored below 50, with the few gains made by a few countries eroded by the significant decline in corruption by most of the other African countries. The global COVID-19 pandemic has further enabled African states to perpetuate corruption as institutional mechanisms to regulate procurement were suspended as a result of the need for a rapid response to curtail the spread of the virus, giving rise to a new form of corruption, derisively referred to as ‘tenderpreneurs’ or ‘Covidpreneurs’ (see Mutuwa and Akpojivi 2022). The impact of corruption on the continent cannot be over-emphasised. Corruption is not only harmful to human development due to the lack of basic amenities (good roads, health care and education), but also hinders the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

The media are regarded as the watchdog of society and have an important role to play in reporting and representing corruption, as they are instrumental in promoting accountability and transparency in both the public and private sectors (Norris 2008). They are able to do this via the reportage of corrupt activities, as their reportage exposes maladministration and activities within the various sectors of society and the economy.  However, the ability of the media to report corruption effectively is tied to freedom and availability of strong institutions that enable an open and transparent society. Weder and Brunetti (2003) posit that there is a correlation between media freedom, plurality and corruption. This means that the level and quality of freedom within society influence and determine the level of corruption in society. As Mbaku (2007) argues, the media, civil societies, and anyone could expose corruption in a free and open society. 

On the other hand, the media has been accused of enabling corruption within the continent despite its important role in the fight against corruption. There have been many instances where the media have been compromised through bribery or influence/coercion/political pressures, which is corruption at the administrative, petty and influencing levels (Bracking 2023).

 Therefore, eradicating corruption within the African continent, which is a bane (Kwei Armah 1968), is dependent not just on the establishment of strong institutions and adherence to the rule of law but on the ‘will’ whether political, social or economic will, of the media to report on corruption and be ethnically upright to spurn corruption at all levels within its establishment. Onyenankeya and Salawu (2020), drawing from the Nigerian experience, argued that the ability of the Nigerian media to carry out investigative journalism that will expose corruption has been hindered due to economic factors and the patrimonial relationship between the media and the state. Such patrimonial relationship cuts across most media organisations across the continent as there have been reported cases of media being captured alongside the state (Fazekas and Toth  2016,  Madonsela 2019). Such capture reflects the deep-rooted nature of corruption and the distinct nature in which it happens and how other structures of society, like the media, enable corruption within society and within their very own institution. 

Generally, corruption thrives on morality, professional ethics, and political and economic environments. Thus, the media is primarily responsible for questioning society's morality or moral concepts and ensuring that moral principles of good governance and accountability are ingrained in every fabric of society. Similarly, professional ethics regulate the activities of the state and non-state actors, and the media has the responsibility of educating and instilling these principles in society as they carry out their fundamental functions of being a watchdog against corruption, promote integrity and engage citizens in anti-corruption efforts and activities (Schauseil 2019). However, the difficulty of having a universal moral principle or the contestation as to what corruption is, based on the ethnicization of corruption and prebendal politics within the continent, is beginning to influence how media operations and their content due to weak economic and socio-moral base of the media (see Nyamnjoh 2005, Voltmer 2008). Such ethnicization of corruption is seen in how corruption is framed and reported in the media and perceived by the public. Likewise, the need for the media to act ethically despite pressure and influence and eliminate all forms of corruption within its institution and not enable corruption in the public and private sectors.  

Therefore, in this edited volume, we are interested in how corruption is imagined or (re)imagined in the continent. Does such (re)imagination of corruption (en)force the dominant forms in which corruption manifests within the continent in the private and public sector, or has the rise of global citizen activism (online or offline) refined how corruption is reported? Also, we are interested in addressing the questions of who watches over the watchdog when they enable or act corruptly? And what are the broader implications of corruption within the media institution on democracy and its stability within the continent? We welcome submissions that touch on any of the following and related sub-themes indicated below: 

Submissions covering, but not limited to the following areas are welcome: 

i.               Conceptualisation of corruption and its manifestations

ii.             State and media capture in Africa

iii.            Media, accountability and corruption in Africa

iv.            The watchdog role of the media and corruption

v.              Media and the ‘War’ against corruption in Africa

vi.            Public interest journalism and accountability in Africa

vii.          Media framing and reporting of corruption in Africa

viii.         Media and pathologisation of corruption in Africa

ix.            Media, corruption and Afro-pessimism   

x.              Mediation of corruption and its broader impact in society

xi.            Civil society, activism and corruption in Africa

xii.          Citizen journalism and corruption in Africa

xiii.         Ethical universalism and corruption 

xiv.         Political corruption and financialization of the media

xv.           Open, and just society: the place of the media in fighting corruption and building strong institutions. 

xvi.         Role of media freedom and diversity in enhancing corruption reportage. 

xvii.       Journalistic independence and corruption in Africa

xviii.      Media, corruption and the whistleblower phenomenon in Africa

xix.         Ethical conundrums in reporting corruption

xx.           Checkbook /Brown Envelop Journalism and Corruption in Africa

xxi.         Media Leaks and corruption in Africa

xxii.       New media, corruption and accountability in Africa

xxiii.      Role of social media in exposing corruption in Africa

xxiv.      Media, censorship and corruption in Africa

xxv.        Media, corruption and conflict of interest

xxvi.      Investigating journalism and corruption in Africa

Submission details: 

Please email a chapter proposal of up to 400 words and brief author's biographical information and affiliations to the editors at ufuoma.akpojivi@a4id.org and tendai.chari@univen.ac.za. Decisions on chapter proposals will be communicated to the authors by November 30, 2023. The book is earmarked for publication with Routledge. 

Timelines:

November 14, 2023:    Abstract submission deadline

November 30, 2023:    Notification of decision

February 14, 2024:      Deadline for submission of full draft

April 14, 2024:            Feedback from peer reviewers

June 14, 2024:             Deadline for submission of the revised chapter 

July 30, 2024:              Final decision on chapter submission

October 30, 2024:        Submission of book manuscript to the publisher

About the Editors

Ufuoma Akpojivi is the Policy, Research and Learning Lead at Advocates for International Development, United Kingdom, and a Visiting Scholar at the School of Information and Communication Studies, University of Ghana, Ghana. Prior to this, he was an associate professor and Head of the Media Studies Department, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa, and a Visiting Professor at the School of Media and Communication at Pan-Atlantic University, Nigeria. He is a C2-rated researcher of the National Research Foundation (NRF) South Africa and a recipient of the University of the Witwatersrand Vice-Chancellor and Faculty of Humanities individual teaching and learning award (2017). 

Tendai Chari is an Associate Professor of Media Studies and a National Research Foundation (NRF) C3 Rated Researcher at the University of Venda, South Africa. He holds a PhD in Media Studies from the University of Witwatersrand, South Africa. Previously, he lectured at several universities in Africa, including the University of Zimbabwe, (where he was Head of the Media Programme in the English Department), the Zimbabwe Open University (ZOU), National University of Science and Technology (NUST) and Fort Hare University (South Africa). Chari is widely published in the field of media and communication studies and his research focuses on Political Communication with a broadened horizon on the interface between Digital Media and Politics, Media and Conflict, Media Ethics and Popular Culture. 

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