ECREA WEEKLY digest ARTICLES

Special issue on AI & Society: Journal of Knowledge, Culture and Communication (Springer)

Deadline: November 1, 2019

Editor-in-Chief: Karamjit S. Gill, editoraisoc@yahoo.co.uk

Guest Editors: Sofia Serholt, Sara Ljungblad & Niamh Ni Bhroin: sofia.serholt@gu.se (contact author)

http://link.springer.com/journal/146

This special issue seeks research contributions that explore the topic of Critical Robotics Research as an important emerging paradigm in the area of Human-Robot Interaction (HRI) and related fields, including in particular the emerging field of Human-Machine Communication (HMC) (Guzman, 2018).

In recent years, the design, use and study of robots and AI have increased in a variety of social settings, ranging from, e.g., therapy and care for older adults, to education and domestic life. In parallel with these developments, voices have been raised advocating for more human-centered and holistic approaches to research on robot technology (Ljungblad, Serholt, Barendregt, Lindgren, & Obaid, 2016; Šabanović, 2010). In particular, the need to critically address underlying technology-driven values (Fernaeus, Jacobsson, Ljungblad, & Holmquist, 2009; MacKenzie & Wajcman, 1999), and to question the role of machines in the process of communication (Guzman, 2018) have been emphasized. More interdisciplinary work is also required to assess the design and use of robots in an increasing range of social settings. The aim of this special issue is therefore to foster research contributions that explore the design and use of robots in social domains through holistic, interdisciplinary and ethical perspectives. Contributions that critically investigate the use of robots, and make visible the challenges and dilemmas of robot use both in communication with, and in the immediate surroundings of, humans, are especially encouraged.

The notion of Critical Robotics was first introduced at the workshop Critical Robotics - Exploring a New Paradigm held at the Nordic forum for Human-Computer Interaction (NordiCHI) in 2018 (Ljungblad et al., 2018). The call to the workshop was initiated by Applied Robotics in Gothenburg: a group of researchers affiliated with the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, which was formed due to their shared experiences in robotics-centered research projects and their perceived need to look beyond the social robot as a taken-for-granted solution to a range of societal challenges. The call was inspired by the paradigm shifts that have occurred in the field of HCI in recent years, where research moved away from the optimization of man-machine interaction, towards theory about the computer and the human mind, to finally settle on a focus on interaction as phenomenologically situated where approaches related to participation, values, philosophy and ethics began to play a more prominent role (cf. Bødker, 2006; Harrison, Tatar, & Sengers, 2007; Koskinen, Zimmerman, Binder, Redstrom, & Wensveen, 2012). In parallel with HCI, the robotics field is now experiencing a similar shift as demonstrated by the Robophilosophy Conference Series that began in 2014, the establishment of the Foundation for Responsible Robotics, as well as notable research projects devoted to exploring issues of ethics, sustainability, and responsibility in the area of social robotics, such as “Responsible Ethical Learning With Robotics” and “Integrative Social Robotics—A New Framework for Culturally Sustainable Technology Solutions”.

Emerging research related to Critical Robotics is now beginning to take form (cf. a recent workshop on critical design in HRI held at the International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction (Lee et al., 2019), and a recent proposition to consider more exploratory design approaches familiar to HCI also in HRI (Luria, Zimmerman, & Forlizzi, 2019)). Through the lens of Critical Robotics Research, this special issue aims to establish a forum in which design and research on robots can be problematized.

Submissions are invited for the following topic areas:

• Human-Robot Interaction
• Human-Machine Communication
• Child-Robot Interaction
• Robotics and Digital Citizenship
• Robotics and Privacy
• Social Robotics
• Education
• Robotics, AI
• Philosophy
• Design
• Ethics/Applied Philosophy
• Psychology
• Digital Humanities
• Media and Communication Studies
• Robotics in Therapy and Healthcare
• User Experience Design

SPECIAL ISSUE THEMES

Possible topics welcomed in this special issue include, but are not limited to:

 Ethical perspectives on social robotics that are grounded in empirical studies

 Ethical and/or philosophical perspectives on critical robotics research that are grounded in philosophy of technology or speculative design

 Robots and AI grounded in real life situations or case studies

 Critical studies of robots in social settings (e.g., breakdowns in interaction, social consequences for vulnerable groups, abuse scenarios, etc.)

 Possible theories and methods of critical robotics

 Stakeholders’ perspectives (e.g., teachers, patients, students/parents, medical staff, etc.)

 Metacriticism on previously published studies (e.g., design studies, field studies, or experiments)

 Conceptual discussions on underlying technology-driven values as pertained to robotics and AI in particular

 Process-oriented or holistic design studies of robots

 Qualitative or mixed-methods studies of social robots in naturalistic settings

 Experimental studies, including those that have found that robots had some negative effect, or no effect, on the studied phenomenon (i.e., “negative results”)

CONTRIBUTION TYPES

Contributions are welcome across two formats:

• Original Papers: All papers are double blind peer-reviewed by two reviewers and the guest editorial team.
• Open Forum: Papers published in the open forum may include working papers, emerging research, and discussion papers, and come from graduate students, researchers, practitioners and others interested in the topics of the special issue.

Contributions should target a broad audience, including academics, designers, as well as the average reader. Open forum contributions will be double-blind peer-reviewed by one reviewer and the guest editorial team.

ABOUT THE AI & SOCIETY JOURNAL

AI & Society is an International Journal which publishes refereed scholarly articles, position papers, debates, short communications and reviews. Established in 1987, the journal focuses on the issues of policy, design, applications of information, communications and new media technologies, with a particular emphasis on cultural, social, cognitive, economic, ethical and philosophical implications. AI & Society is broad based and strongly interdisciplinary. It provides an international forum for 'over the horizon' analysis of the gaps and possibilities of rapidly evolving 'knowledge society', with a humanistic vision of society, culture and technology.

IMPORTANT DATES

• Abstract submission: November 1, 2019
• Manuscript submission: April 1, 2020
• Notifications: July 1, 2020
• Submission final versions: September 1, 2020
• Target publication date: February 2020

SUBMISSION FORMATTING

Contributors are asked to submit a paper between 6000-8000 words in the AI & Society’s manuscript format. You can find more information about formatting under the section "Instructions for Authors" http://www.springer.com/computer/ai/journal/146.

For inquiries and to submit your manuscript, please contact: sofia.serholt@gu.se

SPECIAL ISSUE GUEST EDITORS

Submission to the Guest Editor: Dr. Sofia Serholt, DP of Applied IT, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden: sofia.serholt@gu.se

Sofia Serholt is Senior Lecturer at the Department of Applied IT at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden. Her research concerns the use of ICT in educational settings, including schools and public libraries. In her dissertation titled Child– Robot Interaction in Education, she studied how children interacted with an empathic robotic tutor designed through the EU-funded project EMOTE in a classroom setting, focusing on instruction, social interaction, and breakdowns, as well as perceptions and normative perspectives of teachers and students on the use of educational robots with a particular focus on ethics. She is an active member of Applied Robotics in Gothenburg, regularly engages in public speaking at public events, and her research has received extensive coverage in Swedish and international press. Her research was appointed one of the top advancements in research and technology in 2017 by the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences. She holds a PhD in Applied IT with specialization in Educational Sciences, and a Master of Education.

Sara Ljungblad is Senior Lecturer in Interaction Design at the joint department of Computer Science and Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology and Gothenburg University. She is the research leader of the working group Applied Robotics in Gothenburg, focusing on design and critical perspectives on robotic solutions for everyday life. She finished her Ph.D in Human-Machine Interaction in 2008 at Stockholm University. Ljungblad was a WP leader 2010 in the EU project Living with robots and interactive companions (LIREC, 2007-2011) and worked in the EU project Embodied Communicating Agents project (ECAGENTS, 2004-2007). She has also received funding to be an in-house researcher at a design and innovation agency in Gothenburg, where she conducted world-wide user studies at hospitals in a design award winning project, studies of design work and developed accessibility guidelines for designers in a project with Swedish Television (2011-2014). Ljungblad’s research focuses on human-centred design and design skills in the area of HCI and in human-robot interaction (HRI). She has conducted several studies on robots in everyday contexts including healthcare, disability aids, and toys. Her work on user experience and design of robotic solutions has been published in top-tier venues (e.g. CSCW, HRI).

Niamh Ní Bhroin is a researcher at the Department of Media and Communication at the University of Oslo. Her research explores how young people, in particular minority and Indigenous youth, use and interact with digital media, including robotics. Niamh is also interested in the relationship between technological innovation and social change and the implications these broader processes have for young people. Niamh has a PhD from the University of Oslo (UiO). She is currently coordinating a research project called ‘Living the Nordic Model’ at UiO. This interdisciplinary project explores Nordic childhood(s) from the lived, everyday experiences of Nordic citizens and institutions.

References

Applied Robotics in Gothenburg https://cse.gu.se/english/about/interactiondesign/research/applied-robotics-in-gothenburg

Bødker, S. (2006). When second wave HCI meets third wave challenges. Paper presented at the 4th Nordic conference on Human-computer interaction: changing roles, Oslo, Norway.

Fernaeus, Y., Jacobsson, M., Ljungblad, S., & Holmquist, L. E. (2009). Are we living in a robot cargo cult? Paper presented at the 4th ACM/IEEE international conference on Human robot interaction, La Jolla, California, USA.

Foundation for Responsible Robotics: https://responsiblerobotics.org/

Guzman, A. L. (Ed.). (2018). Human-Machine Communication: Rethinking communication, technology and ourselves. New York: Peter Land.

Harrison, S., Tatar, D., & Sengers, P. (2007). The three paradigm of HCI. Paper presented at the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI '07).

Koskinen, I., Zimmerman, J., Binder, T., Redstrom, J., & Wensveen, S. (2012). Design Research Through Practice: From the Lab, Field, and Showroom: Morgan Kaufmann Publishers Inc.

Lee, H. R., Cheon, E., Graaf, M. d., Alves-Oliveira, P., Zaga, C., & Young, J. (2019, 11-14 March 2019). Robots for

Social Good: Exploring Critical Design for HRI. In Proceedings of the 2019 14th ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction (HRI) (pp. 681-682). doi: 10.1109/HRI.2019.8673130

Ljungblad, S., Serholt, S., Barendregt, W., Lindgren, P., & Obaid, M. (2016). Are We Really Adressing the Human in Human-Robot Interaction? Adopting the Phenomenologically-Situated Paradigm. In J. Seibt, M. Nørskov & S. Schack Andersen (Eds.), What Social Robots Can and Should Do: Proceedings of Robophilosophy 2016 / TRANSOR 2016 (pp. 99-103): IOS Press.

Ljungblad, S., Serholt, S., Milosevic, T., Toft Norgaard, R., Ni Bhroin, N., Lindgren, P., Ess, C., Barendregt, W., & Obaid, M. (2018). Critical Robotics - Exploring a New Paradigm. In Proceedings of the 10th Nordic Conference on Human-Computer Interaction (NordiCHI'18), Oslo, Norway.

Luria, M., Zimmerman, J., & Forlizzi, J. (2019). Championing Research through design in HRI. Paper presented at the CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems.

MacKenzie, D., & Wajcman, J. (1999). Introductory essay: the social shaping of technology. In D. MacKenzie & J.

Wajcman (Eds.), The Social Shaping of Technology (2 ed., pp. 3-27). Buckingham, UK: Open University Press.

Project: Integrative Social Robotics—A New Framework for Culturally Sustainable Technology Solutions: https://www.carlsbergfondet.dk/da/Forskningsaktiviteter/Forskningsprojekter/Semper-Ardensforskningsprojekter/Johanna-Seibt_Integrative-Social-Robotics

Project: REELER - Responsible Ethical Learning With Robots: http://www.reeler.eu/

Robophilosophy Conference Series: http://projects.au.dk/robophilosophy/robophilosophy-conferences/

Šabanović, S. (2010). Robots in Society, Society in Robots. International Journal of Social Robotics, 2(4), 439-450. doi: 10.1007/s12369-010-0066-7

24th DiscourseNet conference

May 18-20, 2020

Université Saint-Louis – Bruxelles, Belgium

Deadline: December 16, 2019

Website: https://discourseanalysis.net/en/DN24

Travel instructions and other information can be found on the conference website.

Contact: for all questions concerning the conference please contact discoursenet24@gmail.com 

This conference provides a forum for researchers who seek to analyze, challenge, and (re)think the concept and the practice of propaganda in the light of contemporary forms of discourse and communication across the ideological spectrum.

We invite authors to examine the relationship between concepts such as propaganda, ideology, hegemony and discourse in today’s digital environment. Both empirical and theoretical contributions are welcome.

The notion of propaganda was seminal to the field of communication studies in the beginning of the 20th century. It derives its negative connotations from the way mass media have been intentionally used by state and corporate actors for partisan interests. Even though the term ‘propaganda’ may have grown out of fashion – both inside and outside of academia – its practices have not.

Notions such as ‘public relations’, ‘advertising’, ‘political marketing’, ‘public diplomacy’, ‘political marketing’ and ‘advocacy’ have now transplanted propaganda even though they often refer to similar discursive strategies of persuasion or (dis)information. As the term ‘propaganda’ grew less popular new terms emerged in order to label similar communication strategies that shape contemporary discourse and communication until this day.

Many critical approaches in discourse studies have treated propagandistic modes of communication through the lenses of ‘ideology’, ‘hegemony’, ‘discourse’ and ‘power’. However, whereas all propaganda is ideological, not all ideology manifests itself as propaganda. Likewise, whereas all propaganda operates through discourse and communication, not all discourse or communication performs the function of propaganda.

Different forms of critical discourse studies have paid attention to ideological phenomena, but the term propaganda is remarkably absent from this field of inquiry. This may be explained with reference to underlying theoretical premises of specific discourse theoretical and discourse analytical approaches, a hypothesis that may also be explored at this conference.

In a global context marked by ‘a return of the political’, by an intensification of political debates across the political spectrum, and by a (re-)articulation of old and new political fault lines crossing local, regional, national and/or transnational contexts, the seemingly outdated notion of propaganda may provide a useful entry point for examining the (partially) strategic modes of communication practiced by activists on all sides of the ideological spectrum.

If propaganda is no longer associated exclusively with traditional institutional actors such as the state or corporations, the political and communicative strategies of social and political actors such as eco-activists, AltRight trolls, neoliberal think tanks or the peace movement may be (re)thought in terms of propaganda. This brings us back to the old question whether (specific forms of) propaganda hinder or facilitate democracy. It also leads us to explore uses of digital and algorithmic propaganda in contemporary populist projects.

Regardless of the question whether and how the term propaganda is used, ‘strategies’ of white, black and grey propaganda are practiced on an everyday basis while new ways of doing propaganda continue to be developed. In fact, propaganda practices are constantly being adapted to specific social, political and technological developments. As new technologies become available, the range of actors able to practice propaganda expands.

We welcome contributions that focus on the multimodal propaganda strategies and material (text, images, video, digital content, digital education, algorithms, Virtual Reality) of states, political parties, and corporate actors. We equally welcome contributions focusing on the communicative activities of social movements, think tanks, algorithms, advertising agencies, social media and public relations counselors. All abstracts fitting one or more of the following themes will be considered but we also leave space for interesting contributions that may not be that easy to classify.

• Theme 1: Conceptual and methodological issues for studying activism and propaganda
• Theme 2: Historical and contemporary transformations in activism and/or propaganda
• Theme 3: Democratic and anti-democratic modes of discourse, communication and ideology
• Theme 4: Digital and multimodal forms of activism, persuasion and disinformation
• Theme 5: Transdisciplinary dialogues on discourse and communication as propaganda and/or activism

We especially welcome papers that rethink the notions of propaganda and activism in relation to key concepts in discourse studies. Such notions include power, subjectivity, reflexivity, critique, identity, context, language use and multimodal communication. Papers may also focus on the ethical problems that come with propagandistic activities. For instance, what does propaganda mean for notions such as knowledge, political correctness, freedom of speech or critical awareness?

As the field of discourse studies is inherently transdisciplinary, we welcome authors from disciplines as varied as communication science, psychology, sociology, philosophy, literature, media studies and linguistics. Likewise, we seek to provide a forum for all methodological and theoretical orientations provided that the authors connect with the themes outlined in this call for papers.

Deadlines

• Deadline for submitting abstracts: December 16th, 2019
• Notification of acceptance for abstracts: January 27th 2020
• Deadline for payment of registration fee: April 1st, 2020

Submission of abstracts

All other information concerning the conference can be found here: http://www.discourseanalysis.net/en/DN24

Please submit your abstracts on the conference registration website here: https://dn24.sciencesconf.org

Payment of fees

Fees include (a) catering expenses for coffee breaks and lunches throughout the conference and (b) a one-year obligatory DiscourseNet membership fee worth 30 euros which enables you to participate in DiscourseNet events.

Regular fee: 100 euros

Reduced fee (for participants without institutional funding only): 80 euros

Payment instructions will be published after the notification of acceptance for abstracts (after January 27th, 2020).

Organizing committee

The head of the organizing committee for DN24 is Jan Zienkowski (PReCoM, Université Saint-Louis – Bruxelles, Belgium).

The 24th DiscourseNet conference is hosted by PReCoM (Pôle de Recherches sur la Communication et les Médias / Université Saint-Louis – Bruxelles. The conference is organised in partnership with ReSIC (Centre de Recherche en Information et Communication / Université Libre de Bruxelles).

• Marie Dufrasne (PReCoM, Université Saint-Louis – Bruxelles, Belgium)
• Loredana Guerriero (communication PReCoM, Université Saint-Louis – Bruxelles, Belgium)
• Carine Manimoye (communication PReCoM, Université Saint-Louis – Bruxelles, Belgium)
• Marie Mathen (PReCoM, Université Saint-Louis – Bruxelles, Belgium)
• Geoffroy Patriarche (PReCoM, Université Saint-Louis – Bruxelles, Belgium)
• Cédric Tant (PReCoM, Université Saint-Louis – Bruxelles, Belgium)
• Victor Wiard (PReCoM, Université Saint-Louis – Bruxelles, Belgium)
• Jan Zienkowski (PReCoM, Université Saint-Louis – Bruxelles, Belgium)

Scientific board members

• Johannes Angermuller (School of Languages and Applied Linguistics, Open University, United Kingdom)
• Laura Calabrese (ReSIC, Dept. des sciences de l’information et de la communication, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium),
• Benjamin De Cleen (DESIRE, Free University of Brussels, Belgium)
• Florence Delmotte (Centre de Recherche en Science Politique, Université Saint-Louis – Bruxelles, Belgium)
• Marie Dufrasne (PReCoM, Université Saint-Louis – Bruxelles, Belgium)
• Aurora Fragonara (Dept. of Foreign Languages, Literature and Cultures, University of Bergamo)
• Michael Kranert (Modern Languages and Linguistics, University of Southampton, United Kingdom)
• Jan Krasni (School of Advanced Studies, University of Tymen, Russia)
• Pieter Maeseele (Media, Policy & Culture, University of Antwerp, Belgium)
• Jens Maesse (Institute of Sociology, University of Giessen, Germany)
• Geoffroy Patriarche (PReCoM, Université Saint-Louis – Bruxelles, Belgium)
• Kaushalya Perera (Dept. of English, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka)
• Sandrine Roginsky (Institut Langage et Commmunciation (ILC) – UCLouvain)
• Jaspal Singh (University of Hong Kong, China)
• Jan Zienkowski (PReCoM, Université Saint-Louis – Bruxelles, Belgium)

Deadline: November 4, 2019

The Martin Buber Society of Fellows aims at fostering interdisciplinary academic discourse at the highest level among outstanding young scholars (post-doctoral).

Candidates who have completed their PhD at an Israeli or German university, as well as citizens of Israel or Germany who have received their PhD in any country, are eligible to apply. Applicants must have their PhD degree in hand no earlier than October 1st, 2015, and no later than July 1st, 2020¹. Application is open for those specializing in all fields of the Humanities and the Social Sciences². We are looking for creative humanists and social scientists with broad intellectual horizons. No connection of the subject matter to Jewish studies or Israel is required.

Each year the Academic Committee of the Martin Buber Society of Fellows selects up to ten exceptionally gifted young scholars (up to five from Israel and five from Germany). The Fellows are asked to move to Jerusalem and stay in residence. They receive a monthly stipend of approximately 9000 NIS and an additional housing subsidy that can be used either for apartments in the university’s Student Village (on campus) or to help with rental costs elsewhere in town. Non-Israeli fellows who move to Jerusalem with their family are eligible for additional support.

Fellows have the opportunity to pursue their individual research under optimal conditions for the term of their fellowship and are expected to become part of the vibrant scholarly community in Jerusalem, reflecting the widest possible disciplinary spectrum in the Humanities and the Social Sciences and embodying a spirit of shared intellectual adventure. They are obliged to participate in biweekly colloquia, workshops, lectures, study excursions, and other cultural and academic activities of the MBSF. Discussions in the Martin Buber Society take place in English (not in Hebrew or German).

Scholarships are granted for a maximum of four years, beginning October 1, 2020 (subject to review at the end of each year), on the basis of a detailed proposal of a research project of major scope and innovative character. Indeed, an imaginative proposal (no longer than 5 pages) that proves the applicant’s ability to carry out cutting-edge research in her or his field is the most important part of the application.

The deadline for applications for 2020-2021 is November 4, 2019. The Academic Committee of the Martin Buber Society will meet before the middle of February to choose the new cohort of fellows. Outstanding candidates will be invited--at short notice at the beginning of February-- for an interview either in person or via Skype.

The application process is simple (a CV and a list of publications, a 1-page abstract of the PhD, a research proposal of 5 pages, and two recommendation letters) and begins with registration at http://scholarships.huji.ac.il; the entire process of registration and application is done online through this link.

It is crucial to read the instructions on the website before starting the application process (which is entirely online).

The MBSF is committed to diversity and equal opportunity and encourages applicants from all backgrounds and communities to apply.

The Martin Buber Society of Fellows, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, The Mandel Building, Room 3221, Mt. Scopus, Jerusalem, 91905.

For further information about the Martin Buber Society of Fellows, for application timeline and frequently asked questions please check our website: http://buberfellows.huji.ac.il/.

For further inquiries please contact Ms. Gabi Ben-Zion at buber.fellows@mail.huji.ac.il | Tel. 00972 (0)2-5883901

________________________________________________________________________

¹ For German institutions, the day of the disputation is the decisive date; for Israeli institutions, the date on the letter of approval of the dissertation. Applicants with children under the age of five (at the time of the November 4 deadline) get an extra year, and may apply if they have their PhD no earlier than October 1st 2014.

² Applications that are purely technical in nature, such as in the fields of applied economics or practical law, will be not be considered.

Deadline: September 29, 2019

Editor: Darren P Ingram, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland

The Nordic geographic region encompasses Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden, as well as Greenland and the Faroe Islands (part of the Kingdom of Denmark) and the Åland Islands and Svalbard. There can be elements of a shared culture and language, but it is by no means a homogeneous region either.

Home to innovative companies both large and small, this region can surprise the unwary who discovers just what products and services can have a Nordic origin, being exported from a relatively small country in northern Europe. How do these companies work to establish and enter new markets?

Objective

This proposed book will highlight export-focussed marketing communications and public relations activities undertaken by Nordic-based companies (including subsidiaries of multinationals) that are used to drive export sales and generate product/service awareness. A mixture of case studies and theoretical/research-based chapters should provide academic and practitioner-focussed knowledge that is accessible and actionable for all.

Whether in the Nordic region or not, localisation/regionalisation, cultural awareness, language, style and other elements are necessary attributes for most, if not all companies, that must be considered with marketing communications and public relations campaigns. The book would not seek to focus on clearly global brands, e.g. Coca-Cola, unless there is a particular activity that is unique to the case study, e.g. the Coca-Cola Happiness Machine concept (here).

Target Audience

The target audience of this book will consist of students, scholars, and professionals who are active in the fields of marketing communications, public relations, export and other business-related activities.

This book wants to use the classic “5 W’s and a H” approach that is the cornerstone of journalism to tell the story – Who, What, When, Where, Why and How!

Recommended Topics

All topics should feature marketing communications or public relations activities conducted by Nordic-based companies (including subsidiaries of multinational companies) to establish and/or support export activities into another market, whether targeting a neighbouring country or one on the other side of the world.

Case studies detailing campaigns are particularly welcome. Please note that chapters should be written in an academic style with references, as necessary, to show theoretical and prior literature grounding, but contain accessible and actionable details to showcase the undertaken activities.

Submission Procedure

Researchers and practitioners are invited to submit on or before September 29, 2019, a chapter proposal of 1,000 to 2,000 words clearly explaining the mission and concerns of his or her proposed chapter. Authors will be notified by October 13, 2019 about the status of their proposals and sent chapter guidelines. Full chapters are expected to be submitted by January 27, 2020, and all interested authors must consult the guidelines for manuscript submissions at http://www.igi-global.com/publish/contributor-resources/before-you-write/ prior to submission. All submitted chapters will be reviewed on a double-blind review basis. Contributors may also be requested to serve as reviewers for this project.

Note: There are no submission or acceptance fees for manuscripts submitted to this book publication. All manuscripts are accepted based on a double-blind peer review editorial process.

All proposals should be submitted through the eEditorial Discovery®TM online submission manager.

https://www.igi-global.com/publish/call-for-papers/call-details/4333

Publisher

This book is scheduled to be published by IGI Global (formerly Idea Group Inc.), publisher of the "Information Science Reference" (formerly Idea Group Reference), "Medical Information Science Reference," "Business Science Reference," and "Engineering Science Reference" imprints. For additional information regarding the publisher, please visit www.igi-global.com. This publication is anticipated to be released in 2020.

Important Dates

• September 29, 2019: Proposal Submission Deadline
• October 13, 2019: Notification of Acceptance
• January 27, 2020: Full Chapter Submission
• March 26, 2020: Review Results Returned
• April 23, 2020: Revisions from Author Deadline
• May 7, 2020: Final Acceptance Notification
• May 21, 2020: Final Chapter Submission

Inquiries

Queries may be sent to Darren Ingram (darren@ingram.fi)

Proposals to be sent via https://www.igi-global.com/publish/call-for-papers/call-details/4333

February 21, 2020

London School of Economics and Political Science (UK)

Deadline: September 16, 2019

A European Communication Research and Education Association conference co-sponsored by the ECREA Organisational and Strategic Communication section; the Department of Media and Communications, LSE; and the Department of Media and Communication, University of Leicester.

Date/Time: Friday 21 February 2020, 09:30-17:30

Venue: The Silverstone Room, Department of Media and Communications, Fawcett House (7th floor), London School of Economics and Political Science, London WC2A 2AE

We live in a time characterised by uncertainty, hybridity and complexity, when the powerful dualisms that characterised the post-Enlightenment era (nature/society, human/machine, male/female, etc.) are being problematised in a fundamental way. This conference explores how we research the promotional cultures that have become central to the liminal times in which we live. What strategies do we use to explore and attempt to understand the assemblage of technologies, texts, networks, and actors in contemporary promotion?

The moniker ‘promotional culture’ is now well-established as a way of describing the ubiquitous presence of promotional work – whether public relations, branding, advertising or other forms - in all aspects of our lives (Davis, 2013). It is enacted by organisations working in all sectors, from politics to the arts, in non-profit and commercial environments, while individuals also adopt promotional techniques in the ways they present themselves and their lives to others. However, the singularity of the term ‘culture’ belies the fluid and complex worlds that promotion is built on, engages with, and perpetuates. Organisations that use promotional tools in their strategic communication can be implicated in the worst excesses of persuasion and propaganda, yet can also contribute to positive social change (Demetrious, 2013; Miller & Dinan, 2007). Communication campaigns track, survey and instrumentalise our lives through their endless appetite for data, yet ensure organisations can deliver convenience and interest precisely because they know us so well (Turow, 2006). Mainstream public relations and advertising tactics are used to sell us cars, face creams and holidays, but are deployed to greenwash environmental damage, whitewash corporate corruption, woke-wash social causes, and frame political opportunism as strategic thinking. Promotional culture cannot be pinned down to one form, process or purpose, so how do we account for its complex modes of production and deployment in our research questions, methods and sites?

To talk about promotional /culture/ is to acknowledge the deep embeddedness of promotion in quotidian life and the importance of its circulatory dynamics (Aronczyk, 2013). Just as Williams argued that culture is a ‘whole way of life’ rather than an elite set of activities (Williams, 1981), when individuals use promotional tools and tactics on their own terms, those tools are transformed from being a mechanism of elite power and repurposed to serve our own agency. Agentic power circulates through promotional work, via digital and analogue channels, and with unpredictable outcomes (Collister, 2016; Hutchins & Tindall, 2016). In this sense, promotional culture is a continually emergent manifestation of the struggle between agency and structure, a hybrid form of power of which the outcome is never certain. Can research adequately address the tensions and power struggles that underpin all promotional work, including inequalities within and between nations and regions, whether in the Global North and the Global South? To what extent do we incorporate a wide range of sites, voices and articulations of its effects, and where are the gaps in our current practice?

This ECREA interim conference invites submissions that address the challenges of researching the complex, hybrid and liminal nature of promotion in a range of ways. Submissions may include (but are not limited to) the following topics:

• Structures of promotion – platforms, suppliers, industry structures, networked movements, industry hybridity and blurred boundaries between professional territory in theory and practice;
• Technologies of promotion – modes of production for promotional work, including digital technologies (data, AI, algorithms, bots) as well as old (but still current) techniques such as press releases events and sponsorships, display advertising, and their effects on the development of promotional work; the power of promotional industries and the diffusion or limitation of promotional culture;

• Agents of promotion – ‘good’ and ‘bad’ practitioners and organisations; producers and/as audiences; non-human agents and their effects on promotional campaigns, circulation, and impact;
• Representations of promotion – practice, practitioners, organisations, industries and professional fields as good, bad, inevitable, normal, deficient, diverse, or a matter of professional pride, and their continuity and change over time.
• Effects of promotion – from populism in politics to excessive or ethical consumption, to social and political activism and change; from racialised, gendered and classed audiences, messages and images to subaltern discourses and representations that reassert the power of the ‘other’ on a local, national and global scale;

• Ethics of promotion – from deontological, teleological or virtue ethics, to an ethics of practice, feminist ethics, globalised ethics, or, alternatively, contractual ethics, ethics in the digital sphere, and their effects on practice;
• Methods of promotional research – challenges of researching the digital, excavating promotional ideologies, confronting professions, engaging audiences through academic work, and the risks and realities of research that can equally promote change or speak into a vacuum.

To submit to the conference, abstracts of 500 words should be submitted by 16 September 2019 to the conference organisers, at the following email: media.promotion2020@lse.ac.uk . Decisions on papers will be made by 30 September 2019. Full papers should be submitted by 15 January 2020, to give time for them to be circulated to conference participants.

The Department of Media and Communications at the LSE and the Department of Media and Communication at the University of Leicester are making travel stipends available for a small number of PhD students, to support their attendance at the conference. The application process for the stipends will be publicised closer to the conference date.

If you have any further questions please contact the conference organisers Lee Edwards (l.edwards2@lse.ac.uk) or Ian Somerville (ijas@le.ac.uk).

References

Aronczyk, M. (2013). The transnational promotional class and the circulation of value(s). In M. MacAllister & E. West (Eds.), /The Routledge companions to advertising and promotional culture/ (pp. 159-173). New York: Routledge.

Collister, S. (2016). Algorithmic public relations: Materiality, technology and power in a post-hegemonic world. In J. L'Etang, D. McKie, N. Snow, & J. Xifra (Eds.), /The Routledge handbook of public relations/ (pp. 360-371). London Routledge.

Davis, A. (2013). /Promotional cultures: The rise and spread of advertising, public relations, marketing and branding/. Cambridge: Polity Press.

Demetrious, K. (2013). /Public relations, activism and social change: Speaking up/. New York: Routledge.

Hutchins, A., & Tindall, N. e. (2016). /Public relations and participatory culture: : fandom, freedom and community engagement/. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge.

Miller, D., & Dinan, W. (2007). /A century of spin: How public relations became the cutting edge of corporate power/. London: Pluto Press.

Turow, J. (2006). /Niche envy: Marketing discrimination in the digital age /Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

Williams, R. (1981). /Culture/. London, UK: Fontana.

Carleton University

• Field of Specialization:Global or Regional Media Studies
• Academic Unit:Journalism and Communication – Communication and Media Studies
• Category of Appointment:Preliminary (tenure-track)
• Rank/Position Title:Assistant Professor
• Start Date:July 1, 2020
• Closing Date:Consideration of complete application will begin in November 1, 2019 and continue until the position is filled.

About the Position:

The School of Journalism and Communication at Carleton University invites applications from qualified candidates for a preliminary (tenure track) appointment at the rank of Assistant Professor, to begin July 1, 2020.

Candidates should demonstrate strong potential to contribute to scholarship in the field of Global Media Studies or to the scholarly literature addressing media and communication processes and practices within any of the following regions: Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin or South America, the Middle East and North Africa or generally in the Global South.

The successful candidate will be expected to participate in undergraduate and graduate teaching and mentoring across our program curriculum, to be active members of interdisciplinary teaching and research initiatives across the university, and to participate in the administrative life of the School.

About the Academic Unit:

In September 2016, the BA Communication Studies program re-launched as a Bachelor of Communication and Media Studies (B. COMS) within the School of Journalism and Communication. The School also offers graduate degrees at the masters and doctoral levels in Communication and Media Studies, in addition to undergraduate and graduate degrees in Journalism. Our approach to both research and the teaching of communication is broad and interdisciplinary, focusing on the critical analysis of media and communication industries, institutions, practices, and effects. Please visit our website at: https://carleton.ca/sjc/communication/

Qualifications:

Qualified candidates must possess a Ph.D. in Communication or a related discipline by the date of the appointment, however outstanding ABD candidates who are close to completion may also be considered. Candidates should show evidence of theoretical sophistication in their writing, possess an emerging publication record and demonstrate potential to attract external funding, graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. Consistent with Carleton University’s focus on teaching excellence, the successful candidate will be committed to developing innovative approaches to pedagogy, encouraging creative and critical inquiry, and empowering students to become active citizens.

We expect the successful candidate to teach courses in our undergraduate and graduate programs, and to develop new courses in their area of specialization

Application Instructions:

Please submit a zipped electronic dossier to melanie.leblanc@carleton.ca and include a signed cover letter; curriculum vitae; a 2-3-page statement describing current and future research plans; a statement of teaching philosophy; a sample graduate seminar course outline in your area of specialization; one writing sample; and the names and contact information of 3 referees.

Candidates who are selected for an interview may be asked to arrange for letters of reference and should advise their referees of this possibility.

Please ensure application materials are addressed to Dr. Ira Wagman, Interim Associate Director, School of Journalism and Communication, Carleton University. Inquiries about the position can be directed to: ira.wagman@carleton.ca

Please indicate in your application if you are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada.

About Carleton University:

Carleton University is a dynamic and innovative research and teaching institution with a national and international reputation as a leader in collaborative teaching and learning, research and governance. With over 30,000 students in more than 100 programs of study, we encourage creative risk-taking, discovery, and the generation of transformative knowledge. We are proud to be one of the most accessible campuses in North America. Carleton’s Paul Menton Centre for Students with Disabilities has been heralded as the gold standard for disability support services in Canada. To learn more about our university and the City of Ottawa, please visit www.carleton.ca/about.

Carleton University is committed to fostering diversity within its community as a source of excellence, cultural enrichment, and social strength. We welcome those who would contribute to the further diversification of our university including, but not limited to: women; visible minorities; First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples; persons with disabilities; and persons of any sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression. Carleton understands that career paths vary. Legitimate career interruptions will in no way prejudice the assessment process and their impact will be carefully considered.

Applicants selected for an interview are asked to contact the Chair as soon as possible to discuss any accommodation requirements. Arrangements will be made in a timely manner.

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority. All positions are subject to budgetary approval. 

https://carleton.ca/provost/2019/assistant-professor-journalism-and-communication-global-or-regional-media-studies/

The special issue of Journal of Multicultural Discourses

Deadline: September 1, 2019

Guest editors: Elena Vartanova & Anna Gladkova (Lomonosov Moscow State University)

Today, we observe how Russia, Brazil, India, China, South Africa and other countries (Argentina, Australia, Colombia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria and others) the term ‘Emerging States’ has been sometimes applied to, are fast becoming important players on the international stage (Jaffrelot, 2009). The historical path of ‘Emerging States’, accompanied by major social and political transformations, territorial shifts and changes of political regimes in the 20 th century, as well as the growing presence of these countries in global economy, politics, culture and communication, defined by scholars as ‘the rise of the ‘rest’ (Amsden, 2001), make them an interesting and timely case to study.

Yet often, scholars approach multicultural discourses in ‘Emerging States’ from a ‘Western’ perspective which is not always applicable or suitable to countries with a different historical path of development, as well as political, social and cultural legacy. In this special issue, we will discuss how social, political, economic, technological and cultural transformations ‘Emerging States’ evolved in 20-21st centuries influenced cross-cultural communication in these countries from a cultural discourse studies perspective (Shi-xu, 2015), as well as the impact these major events had upon people’s identities (e.g. Wojnowski, 2015; Davies, 1997; Tishkov, 2008). Furthermore, we argue that regardless of national specifics and current peculiarities of ‘Emerging States’’ communication systems, there are challenges in all multicultural/multi-ethnic societies in that region that they are facing under ongoing digitalization process.

In this special issue, we will look at communication in the multicultural societies of ‘Emerging States’ through the following lenses:

• Social, political, economic, cultural, technological transformations of ‘Emerging States’, and their impact upon cultural discourses;
• Digital communication as a dimension of ‘soft power’ in ‘Emerging States’;
• Diasporas and multicultural discourses;
• Digital inequalities in access/skills/benefits of cultural and ethnic groups leading to new social divides;
• Development of multiculturalism models in ‘Emerging States’ under current digitalization process;

• Constructing ethnic/cultural/linguistic/religious identities in ‘Emerging States’;
• Ethnic media in the new digital environment: audiences, content strategies, roles and functions of journalists;
• Digital media consumption of cultural and ethnic groups, the rise of digital natives;
• Communication policy and its role in supporting intercultural communication across various groups in the society / between societies on a global level.

We welcome contributions from diverse fields of study and methodologies. The special issue is open for general submissions and decisions about inclusion will be quality based, relying on peer reviewing.

Send abstracts (300-500 words indicating central questions, methodology, and theoretical framework).

More details and submission guidelines available here

Loyola Marymount University

Deadline: October 1, 2019

LMU is launching an interdisciplinary initiative to capitalize on our existing strengths in the broadly defined area of media studies. As part of this initiative we are recruiting 2 full-time, non-tenure-track (9 month, term), Assistant Clinical Professors. These positions will be for an initial appointment of 3 years, with the potential for renewal, with a start date of August 15, 2020. A full-time teaching load is 3 courses or the equivalent of 12 units per semester. One of these positions will be housed in the Department of English and the other in the Department of Communication Studies; however, it is expected that both positions will have the capacity to teach, mentor, and build student and faculty community across Departments. These positions require a strong commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation.

Ideal candidates should demonstrate a critical or political-economic approach to media studies or journalism production. The successful candidate will have the capacity to teach professional practice as well as theoretical courses. Candidates must be able to teach courses in two or more of the following: digital humanities, visual journalism, data journalism or computer assisted reporting, digital media, digital rhetoric, social media, web-based technologies, media entrepreneurship, media industries and economy, network analytics, or augmented and virtual realities. Ideal candidates will meet all minimum qualifications and also have the following: An outstanding record of professional work, inclusive of (but not limited to): academic publication, documentary production, news writing and reporting, social media production and management, broadcast journalism, or public interest research.

Minimum qualifications: The position requires a minimum of a Master’s Degree in a relevant field; a minimum of 1 year college-level teaching experience (including graduate teaching) or the equivalent; and professional experience related to potential teaching areas. Applicants with PhDs are potentially preferred, depending on overall professional expertise and qualifications. Given the innovative, interdisciplinary approach being taken toward these positions, applicants will be considered based on a holistic evaluation of their education and practical experiences.

Application Materials:

1. Letter of Application that includes a discussion of overall qualifications, potential to teach and develop courses in the designated areas, and reflections on media education in relation to LMU’s particular educational mission.

2. Professional resume/CV.

3. A separate statement outlining the candidate’s commitment and approach to interdisciplinarity and innovation as it pertains to media studies.

4. Evidence of teaching effectiveness. This evidence should include a formal teaching philosophy, which details the principles and values underlying the applicant’s approach to the process of teaching and classroom engagement. In addition, the candidate should include compelling evidence of classroom teaching, or teaching-related experience; this evidence might include: complete copies of course evaluations, peer teaching evaluations, sample syllabi for existing or proposed courses, course descriptions, course assignments, or detailed discussions of non-classroom based teaching or mentoring experiences.

5. Unofficial transcripts for highest degree obtained. (Official transcripts will be required of finalists during campus interviews).

6. 3 examples of academic and/or professional work.

7. 3 professional letters of reference, at least one of which should attest to efficacy in teaching and mentoring.

About the Home Colleges: The Department of English is housed in the Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts (BCLA). BCLA is founded on respect for our diverse global community and passion for creating a more just and humane society. BCLA hosts a range of disciplines in the humanities and social sciences as well as interdisciplinary majors and minors. BCLA students have access to many high impact educational experiences, including global immersions, internships, community-based learning, and research opportunities integrated with their academic programs. BCLA graduates have developed the intellectual capacity, ethical and moral reasoning, creative spirit, effective communication, and vital intercultural skills needed to succeed in today’s world.

LMU’s interdisciplinary Journalism program is housed in the English department. It offers hands-on instruction in the reporting, writing, editing, and technological skills that students need to become professional and ethical journalists, and balances practice with theory by critiquing media representations through the lenses of critical studies, rhetoric, and communication theory.

The Department of Communication Studies is housed in the College of Communication and Fine Arts (CFA). CFA is a dynamic educational context that brings together the diverse interests of students and faculty in communication studies and the performing, critical and aesthetic arts of theatre, dance, music, studio arts, art history, an interdisciplinary and applied studies program— as well as a graduate program in marital and family (art) therapy along with a Master of Fine Arts in performance and pedagogy. The historical and emergent theories, techniques, and intentions of each of these disciplines are promoted and dynamized in the notion of communication as art and art as communication and driven by the powerful mission of Loyola Marymount University. Within CFA, the Department of Communication Studies (CMST) is home to nearly 500 undergraduate majors and a rapidly growing Minor in Public Relations.

CMST’s curriculum integrates mission-driven values, essential knowledge and skills from across a range of communication studies sub-disciplines, and a commitment to meeting the pragmatic needs of students entering complex post-graduate landscapes. About LMU: Loyola Marymount University, a Carnegie classified R2 institution in the mainstream of American Catholic higher education, seeks qualified applicants who value its mission and share its commitment to inclusive excellence, the education of the whole person, and the building of a just society. LMU is an equal opportunity employer. Women, persons of color, LGBTQ and gender-nonconforming individuals, people living with disabilities, and others with diverse life experiences and beliefs are encouraged to apply. (Visit www.lmu.edu for more information.)

Application Process: All interested applicants MUST apply online at https://jobs.lmu.edu/. Inquiries or comments (including those regarding required materials) should be directed to [log in to unmask] For fullest consideration all materials should be received by October 1.

University of Oregon

Apply here

• Job no: 524369
• Work type: Faculty - Career
• Location: Eugene, OR
• Categories: Communications/Public Relations/Marketing, Instruction, Journalism/Communication
• Department: SOJC
• Rank: Instructor
• Annual Basis: 9 Month
• Review of Applications Begins on September 3, 2019; position open until filled

Special Instructions to Applicants

Along with your online application, please upload a current resume/CV and a cover letter.

Please e-mail search chair, Dean Mundy (dmundy@uoregon.edu) with questions.

Department Summary

The School of Journalism and Communication (SOJC) is an accredited research and professional school serving approximately 2,450 undergraduates and 150 graduate students both on the University of Oregon campus in Eugene and at the George S. Turnbull Center in Portland. Degrees offered are the BA, BS, MA, MS, and Ph.D., as well as a minor in Media Studies. The school also supports the interdisciplinary major in Cinema Studies and interdisciplinary minors in Multimedia and Native Studies. The SOJC employs approximately 125 individuals as faculty and staff, over 50 graduate employees as well as roughly 50 student employees. The School is one of the oldest journalism programs in the nation, founded in 1916.

The University of Oregon is an AAU research institution and a member of the Pac-12 conference. Located 110 miles south of Portland, the University of Oregon has an enrollment of 24,600. The Eugene metro area (pop. 375,000) is in a region noted for its dynamic quality of life and progressive cultural environment. We are about an hour’s drive from the Pacific coast and the Cascade Mountains.

Position Summary

The School of Journalism and Communication at the University of Oregon is looking for an experienced and innovative PR instructor. Our PRSA-certified program emphasizes experiential learning, strategic thinking, and a commitment to social justice and diversity/inclusion.

The public relations sequence is rapidly growing, with more than 500 majors and premajors. Instructors teach 2-3 courses per term (8 courses per year) in media relations and writing, strategic use of social media, campaigns, and special topics classes and help advise an active PRSSA chapter and one of the nation’s oldest student-run firms. Opening next year is our Experience Hub, which will provide new production facilities for social media, VR/AR, and broadcasting.

We particularly welcome applications from scholars who are from populations historically underrepresented in the academy, and/or who have experience working with diverse populations.

Minimum Requirements

• Master’s degree in Public Relations or related field.
• Three years effective teaching at the university level.
• Five years of professional experience in public relations.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in one of our growing cognate areas—sports communication, data analytics, or science/health communication.

The University of Oregon is proud to offer a robust benefits package to eligible employees, including health insurance, retirement plans and paid time off. For more information about benefits, visit http://hr.uoregon.edu/careers/about-benefits.

The University of Oregon is an equal opportunity, affirmative action institution committed to cultural diversity and compliance with the ADA. The University encourages all qualified individuals to apply, and does not discriminate on the basis of any protected status, including veteran and disability status. The University is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. To request an accommodation in connection with the application process, please contact us at uocareers@uoregon.edu or 541-346-5112.

UO prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, national or ethnic origin, age, religion, marital status, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression in all programs, activities and employment practices as required by Title IX, other applicable laws, and policies. Retaliation is prohibited by UO policy. Questions may be referred to the Title IX Coordinator, Office of Civil Rights Compliance, or to the Office for Civil Rights. Contact information, related policies, and complaint procedures are listed on the statement of non-discrimination.

In compliance with federal law, the University of Oregon prepares an annual report on campus security and fire safety programs and services. The Annual Campus Security and Fire Safety Report is available online at http://police.uoregon.edu/annual-report.

April 6-8, 2020

Edinburgh International Convention Centre and Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa, Edinburgh, #PSA20

Deadline for abstracts and panel proposals: October 7, 2019

The PSA Media and Politics Group invites members to submit paper abstracts or panel proposals for the PSA Media and Politics stream at the PSA Annual International Conference 2020.

Papers may be related to the conference theme, Re-imagining Politics, but other topics from across the disciplinary and methodological traditions are also welcomed.

Please submit abstracts (max. 300 words) and panel proposals by email to James Dennis: James.Dennis@port.ac.uk by Monday 7 October (please note that this is an earlier deadline than the direct individual submission to the PSA). We also welcome emails earlier than this date to ask for our advice on potential panel proposals.

On all submissions, please include an email address for the corresponding and the institutional affiliation. Please also indicate if you are a postgraduate student.

If you wish to propose a panel, please note for following stipulations from the organising committee:

• Panel proposals should include a panel overview (max. 300 words), outlining the title, synopsis, and chair details.
• Panels usually consist of three to four papers and a chair. A discussant is optional.
• Panels should aim to reflect the diversity of the profession, and all-male panels will not be considered.
• Paper-givers are required to register and physically attend the conference and only in exceptional circumstances will this be waived, such as for health- or mobility-related issues.

Theme and further details:

PSA AT 70: RE-IMAGINING POLITICS

As the PSA turns 70, politics faces multiple uncertainties. The international liberal order is being challenged by new security threats and domestic nationalist resurgences. The nation-state has lost its normative supremacy, facing authority claims from above and below. Established party systems are disintegrating as trust in representative democracy diminishes. Confronted with a climate emergency, traditional policies of growth and consumption are under increased scrutiny. Ours is also a time of democratic institutional innovation, path-breaking constitutional experiments and vibrant bottom-up practices of inclusive decision-making.

Against this backdrop of change, falling back on well-tested theories and practices seems less and less productive. Radical and accelerating transformations call for new ways of understanding, explaining and intervening in the political world.

PSA's 70th anniversary provides us with a double opportunity: to take stock of these transformations and to re-imagine both the study and practice of politics. Revamping concepts and methodological tools can help us to grapple with multi-layered, highly complex and dynamic political processes. Held in the Scottish capital, itself a site of democratic innovation and mobilisation, the 2020 meeting of the PSA aims to provide a propitious arena for kickstarting processes of re-imagining politics.

While the main theme of this conference is Re-Imagining Politics, the Media & Politics

Group operates an open and inclusive policy, and empirical, theoretical, and practice-based research dealing with any aspect of media and politics is welcomed. This may include areas of political communication and journalism, but also includes a broader view of the political within such areas as online media, television, cinema and media arts, both factual and fictional.

Possible areas include:

• How have our understandings of media and politics been changed by recent political and economic crises?
• How useful are seminal theories for understanding contemporary political communication?
• The methodological challenges of researching media and politics in a changing environment
• The role of affect, emotion, and authenticity within political communication
• Disinformation, misinformation and threats to democratic health
• The opportunities and challenges of digital campaigning
• The media's changing role in political communication practices and/or public diplomacy
• Datafication and challenges to democracy
• The rise of alternative political media and changing public attitudes towards mainstream media
• The media's role in reporting terrorism
• Identifying discourses of authoritarianism/populism/racism
• Regulation possibilities for social media platforms
• Climate change and the media
• Activism, social movements and the media
• The power of political satire, cartoons and memes
• The politics of representation across media genres
• The role of political communication scholars in a changing world
• Media, communication and inequality
• Political fandom and re-imagining citizen engagement

Further information on registration fees and conference location can be found here: https://www.psa.ac.uk/psa20

Further information on the PSA Media and Politics Group and details on how to join can be found here: https://www.psa.ac.uk/specialist-groups/media-and-politics

Follow the PSA Media and Politics Group on Twitter: https://twitter.com/psampg

PSAMPG Convenors Dr Jen Birks (University of Nottingham), Professor Alec Charles (University of Winchester), Dr James Dennis (University of Portsmouth), Dr Emily Harmer (University of Liverpool), Dr Katy Parry (University of Leeds)