ECREA WEEKLY digest ARTICLES

September 22-23, 2025

Freie Universität Berlin, Germany

Deadline (EXTENDED): July 4, 2025

ECREA Philosophy of Communication Section, 2025 workshop

Institute for Media and Communication Studies

In an age acutely defined by digital fragmentation, the relentless logic of the attention economy, and increasingly polarized public spheres, dialogue emerges not merely as endangered but as an existential, epistemic, and civic necessity. This workshop seeks to radically revisit and reclaim the notion of dialogue, not only as a communicative ideal but also as a foundational philosophical practice, an ethics of relationality, a crucial means of co-constructing shared worlds, and an essential practice for cultivating positive freedom. We approach this exploration keenly aware that dialogue never occurs in a vacuum, but always within, and often constrained by, pre-existing discourses that articulate and enact power, shaping what is considered sayable, knowable, and legitimate.

The contemporary dominance of monological forms of expression, often performative, algorithmically amplified, and emotionally charged, threatens to erode the very conditions for authentic dialogical encounter. This erosion is compounded by inherent human tendencies: our reasoning is frequently driven by partisan loyalties and identity-protective cognitions, creating anthropological and psychological impediments that render the cultivation of genuine dialogue—and by extension, the exercise of positive freedom—both more challenging and more urgent. This necessitates a critical engagement not only with our own biases but also with the power structures embedded in our communicative ecosystems.

We propose to explore dialogue as a liminal space where understanding is not a pre-existing entity to be unilaterally imposed, but rather emerges processually and intersubjectively. This emergence is contingent upon profound openness, radical listening, and mutual recognition of the Other in their irreducible particularity – a feat requiring conscious effort against our more primal, self-justifying inclinations, critical vigilance towards how discourse itself can marginalize or silence, and an active exercise of our capacity to co-determine our shared realities.

Can dialogue, in its Socratic spirit of maieutic inquiry, still function as a robust method of philosophical investigation and critical thinking in a world increasingly structured by immediacy, curated visibility, and self-affirming echo chambers, especially when confronted with our innate biases and the subtle yet pervasive workings of discursive power? What does it truly mean to think with others, engaging in a shared pursuit of understanding that consciously strives to transcend motivated reasoning and actively challenges hegemonic narratives? How can dialogue serve not only as a method of inquiry but as a practice that cultivates positive freedom: the capacity to act, to participate meaningfully, and to co-shape our institutions and collective life, even against the grain of dominant discourses? How might embodied dialogical practices resist the pervasive atomization, the instrumentalization of communication, and the deficit of presence that characterize contemporary societies, while simultaneously fostering the self-awareness needed to navigate our own cognitive limitations and our complicity in, or resistance to, prevailing power dynamics? How can dialogue cultivate the phronesis (practical wisdom) needed to navigate complex ethical and political landscapes with humility, intellectual honesty, active agency, and a critically discerning eye for power? How can, in turn, cultural practices, such as art, open dialogues in an increasingly disaffected world?

This event is an invitation to collectively reflect, converse, and experiment with the multifaceted possibilities of dialogue: as a rigorous philosophical method, as an ethical praxis rooted in care and responsibility, and as a vital force for community-building, democratic renewal, and the empowerment of individuals to exercise their positive freedom by critically engaging with and seeking to reshape the discourses that define our world, fully acknowledging the profound challenges this entails.

We welcome contributions that engage with (but are not limited to):

• Ontological and Epistemological Foundations of Dialogue.
  
• The Epistemic Functions of Dialogue
  
• Psychological and Cognitive Barriers to Dialogue
  
• Dialogue and Positive Freedom.
  
• Dialogue and Recognition.
  
• Dialogue, Debate, Discussion, Conversation
  
• The Phenomenology of Listening and Encounter.
  
• Dialogue and Education.
  
• Dialogue in Digital Spheres.
  
• Dialogical Resistance and Praxis.
  
• Dialogue, Power, and the Public Sphere.
  
• Dialogue and Democracy
  
• Dialogue as Method
  
• Dialogue and the Arts
  
• Dialogue and Monologue
• Ethics of Dialogue
• Approaches to Dialogue in the History of Philosophy and Communication Theory

Please send your abstract by July 4 (deadline extended) to the Management Team of the ECREA Philosophy of Communication section via EasyChair at https://easychair.org/my/conference?conf=ecreaphilcomm2025 AND BY EMAIL ioan.suhov2@mail.dcu.ie  

Abstracts should be 300–500 words long.

Faculty of Humanities, University of Copenhagen

The Department of Communication, Faculty of Humanities, University of Copenhagen (UCPH), invites applications for a postdoctoral position in digital media and communication research beginning January 1, 2026, or as soon as possible thereafter.

The position is a fixed-term position for three years.

Introduction 

The successful applicant will become part of the project entitled, GREENWATCH – Green Surveillance: Imagining a Sustainable Internet of Things, funded through a European Research Council Advanced Grant, 2025-2029. The project examines the potentials and challenges of employing the Internet of Things (IoT) as a communication system monitoring the effects of human activities of Earth’s ecosystems, which further entails surveillance of human individuals and social institutions. The position represents a unique opportunity to participate in interdisciplinary and culturally comparative work covering China, Europe, and the United States, and to contribute to theory development on a strategic issue with global ramifications.

Duties and Responsibilities

The successful applicant will undertake computational and other quantitative analyses of public debate in China, Europe, and the United States regarding the pros and cons of employing the Internet of Things (IoT) as a communication system monitoring the effects of human activities of Earth’s ecosystems.

Qualification requirements and assessment criteria

Employment as a postdoc requires academic qualifications at PhD level.

Applicants must have specific theoretical and methodological competences in research on digital media and communicative practices, with a particular emphasis on computational approaches. Other things being equal, applicants with previous experience in methods such as natural language processing, representation learning, and/or large-scale text analysis will be preferred.

Applicants must be fluent in speaking and writing both English and Mandarin.

More information on careers at UCPH and the requirements for different academic positions is available at: Career at The University of Copenhagen – University of Copenhagen (ku.dk).

For more about postdoc positions and qualification requirements, see the Job Structure for Academic Staff at Universities: Ministerial Order on Job Structure for Academic Staff at Universities (in Danish only).

Applicants will primarily be assessed in relation to their research qualifications, including their publications, ability to conduct independent research and participate in research collaborations, and their experience with research management. In addition, the applicant’s research plan and research potential will be assessed in relation to the GREENWATCH project described above. 

Application

Applications must be submitted online in PDF or Word format. Click on the “Apply now” button at the bottom of this advertisement to apply.

Applications must be written in English and must include the following attachments:

• Letter of motivation
  
• CV 
  
• Documentation of qualifications (exam certificates and PhD diploma) 
  
• Complete publication list (attached publications must be marked with an asterisk). The list must be structured systematically and divided into the following categories:
  
• • Peer-reviewed publications:
  • • Monographs and anthologies
    • Articles in journals
    • Book chapters/anthology contributions, etc.
  • Non-peer-reviewed publications:
  • • Publications disseminating research findings, etc.

Applicants can attach a maximum of 3 publications. The publication dates must be clearly marked on the list. The selected publications must be uploaded as attachments and numbered 1-3. 

• Research plan.
  
• Documentation of other work on the dissemination of research.
  

Only documentation in English will be assessed.  

Applicants are invited to familiarize themselves with the Faculty of Humanities’ strategic landmarks here: Strategic landmarks – University of Copenhagen (ku.dk).

Salary and terms of employment

Terms of appointment and salary will be in accordance with an agreement between the Ministry of Finance and The Danish Confederation of Professional Associations (AC). The salary range for Postdocs starts at approximately DKK 38,700 (EUR 5,190) + a 18.07 % contribution to the pension scheme. It is possible to negotiate salary supplements on an annual basis.

The recruitment process

Once the deadline for applications has expired, the Head of Department will consider advice from an appointment committee and select applicants for further assessment. All applicants will be notified whether they have been shortlisted. The Head of Department then sets up an expert assessment committee to consider the applications. The selected applicants will be informed who is serving on the committee, and will be offered the opportunity to comment on the committee’s assessment of their application before an appointment is announced.

Further information on the recruitment process at University of Copenhagen can be found here: Recruitment process – University of Copenhagen (ku.dk).

An Equal Opportunity Workplace

The University of Copenhagen is committed in its pursuit of academic excellence to equality of opportunity and to creating an inclusive working environment, and therefore encourages all qualified candidates to apply, regardless of personal background, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, ethnicity, etc. For more on the diverse working place environment at the University and the University’s participation in the HRS4R HR Excellence in Research, please see HR Excellence in Research – University of Copenhagen (ku.dk).

International applicant?

The University of Copenhagen offers a variety of services for international researchers and accompanying families, including support before and during relocation and career counselling for expat partners. Please find more information about these services as well as information on entering and working in Denmark here: For international researchers at the University of Copenhagen – University of Copenhagen (ku.dk).

Contact information

Further information about the recruitment process is available from HR email: hr-soendre@adm.ku.dk, please refer to ID number: 211-2222/25-2I #2.

Additional information about the position, including an outline of the GREENWATCH project, can be obtained from the PI of the project, Professor Klaus Bruhn Jensen, email: kbj@hum.ku.dk.

The deadline for applications is 23:59 [CEST] on September 12, 2025.  

Any applications or additional material submitted after the deadline will not be considered. 

Part of the International Alliance of Research Universities (IARU), and among Europe’s top-ranking universities, the University of Copenhagen promotes research and teaching of the highest international standard. Rich in tradition and modern in outlook, the University gives students and staff the opportunity to cultivate their talent in an ambitious and informal environment. An effective organisation – with good working conditions and a collaborative work culture – creates the ideal framework for a successful academic career.

Link to application system:

https://employment.ku.dk/faculty/?show=164371

November 19-21, 2025

Tübingen University, Germany

Deadline: June 30, 2025

https://uni-tuebingen.de/en/278964

Joint conference of the DGPuK Divisions of „Media, Public Sphere, Gender“ and „Visual Communication“

From baby monitors to livestreams, from migrants crossing borders to digital navigation systems in our pockets; from Black Lives Matter demonstrations to COVID-19 tracking apps, and from Woman, Life, Freedom to influencers staging their journeys through social media – these examples demonstrate how people get and are set in motion with and through "their" media.

But who or what is actually mobile? How do people on the move become visible through mobile, networked media technologies, and who or what remains invisible? What role do gender and power relations play in this? How do mobilities and visualities shape each other? To what extent do different social categories and inequalities shape regimes of mobility and visibility from an intersectional perspective? In addition, the discussion of methodological challenges will be given space: How can mobile media use be analysed when both people and media are constantly moving? How can research methods be flexibilised to adequately capture the ephemerality of visual content and the processuality of media practices? This conference invites to engage with the topic of mobility from a media and communication studies perspective, both theoretically and methodologically.

November 29-28, 2025

Masaryk University, Brno (Czech Republic)

Deadline (EXTENDED): July 6, 2025

Workshop on Aggression is a friendly, medium-sized conference and an annual event for all European and international researchers in the field of empirical aggression research, enabling a platform for the presentation and discussion of the newest research findings, theoretical advancements, and practical applications in aggression research. Workshop on Aggression is an ideal place for scientific exchange between researchers with different theoretical and methodological backgrounds concerning aggression. This year's focus is on Aggression, media, and digital technologies. In the face of the dynamic development of digital technologies and artificial intelligence, we are especially interested in submissions on basic and applied research on the intertwined relation of (communication) media, digital technologies and aggressive behaviour. Likewise, we welcome contributions that identify how to prevent and diminish cyberaggression. However, all submissions that cover the breadth of topics within the field of aggression research are invited.

READ MORE:

We are proud to announce three interesting keynotes, delivered by established researchers and esteemed colleagues in aggression research:

• Brad J. Bushman, The Ohio State University, USA: Blood, gore, and video games: Effects of violent content on players
  
• Lenka Kollerová, Czech Academy of Sciences / Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic: When teachers intervene in school bullying: How morality and bias related to peer exclusion shape anti-bullying efforts
  
• Jörg Matthes, University of Vienna, Austria: Cutting one head, growing two: The struggle to combat digital hate 
  

Call for abstracts is now open with an extended deadline of July 6. See all the detailed information here: https://irtis.muni.cz/woa

November 11-14, 2025

Lusófona University, Portugal

September 26, 2025

The Media Literacy and Civic Cultures Lab – MeLCi Lab (Lusófona University, CICANT) is organising its V Autumn School from 11 to 14 November 2025 in the form of a bootcamp to boost research hands-on skills. 

The MeLCi Lab Autumn School invites applications from PhD students, postdoctoral researchers, and early-career scholars for a four-day intensive online program focused on innovative research methods at the intersection of AI, Communication, and Media Studies.

The School combines practical workshops and keynote lectures, allowing participants to develop hands-on skills with classical and AI-driven methodologies.

In 2025, the school’s AI tracks are specifically designed to meet the needs of media studies and PhD students, post-doctoral researchers, and early-career scholars. Participants will explore case studies and practical examples directly relevant to media analysis, digital journalism, and content curation. The sessions will address unique challenges in media-related research, such as bias in content classification, audience segmentation, and the interpretative complexity of multimedia annotation. Interactive workshops and tailored exercises will enable participants to apply AI tools to media-specific datasets, ensuring immediate applicability and facilitating deeper understanding through experiential learning.

In this sense, contributions for the following tracks (not exclusively) will be considered.

Track 1: AI in Research Practice: Foundations, Methods, and Ethics

1. Foundations of current AI tools → Recent natural language processing (NLP) breakthroughs, particularly through large language models (LLMs) such as GPT-4, Claude, and Gemini, have significantly transformed research methodologies across disciplines. The unprecedented accessibility and effectiveness of zero- and few-shot prompting techniques have led to widespread adoption, sometimes even replacing traditional human coders (Gilardi et al., 2023; Grossmann et al., 2023; Ziems et al., 2024). Yet, these powerful tools introduce critical concerns regarding reproducibility, transparency, and ethical use. Prompt stability and variability in LLM responses—affected by minor prompt adjustments—can challenge the replicability and accountability of research (Barrie et al., 2025). This subtrack equips researchers in communication science with essential knowledge of the theoretical foundations of contemporary AI tools, highlighting methodologies and best practices for their ethical and accountable use.

2. Accountable Literature Search Using AI Tools → AI-powered tools such as SciSpace and Litmaps have radically improved the efficiency and comprehensiveness of literature searches. However, the convenience of these tools requires heightened researchers’ accountability. This subtrack guides participants through strategies to validate AI-generated results, critically assess literature coverage, and maintain transparent documentation practices, ensuring methodological rigour and reliability in AI-assisted literature reviews.

3. AI-Assisted Data Annotation in Research Pipelines → Data annotation is a cornerstone in research pipelines, traditionally relying heavily on human coders. However, AI-based annotation tools are emerging as viable and highly effective alternatives, particularly for large datasets. Barrie et al. (2025) highlight that prompt stability—the consistency of AI-generated annotations across multiple semantically similar prompts—remains a significant challenge. This subtrack introduces participants to AI-driven annotation, focusing on practical approaches to enhancing annotation consistency through frameworks like Prompt Stability Scoring (PSS). Participants will gain hands-on experience in assessing and improving the reliability of AI annotations, integrating responsible AI practices into their research workflows.

Track 2: Communication, Audiences, and Civic Cultures in the Age of AI

1. Civic Cultures and Artificial Intelligence → AI can play a crucial role in how citizens engage with the digital world in contemporary times, and a set of opportunities and challenges emerge from it (Sarafis et al., 2025). This subtrack explores the impact of AI-driven platforms and recommendation algorithms on civic engagement, activism, and media literacy.

2. Digital Citizenship and Media Literacy in an AI-Mediated World → Leveraging AI and overcoming its challenges requires the development of broad and critical skill sets, the definition of which is still fuzzy (Chiu et al., 2024). This subtrack intends to explore critical media literacy skills in the era of misinformation, deepfakes, and algorithmic personalisation.

3. Data Ethics, Equity, and Inclusivity in AI Research → Different biases can emerge from the use of AIs, and the ethical implications of using different tools for knowledge production are still unclear. While AI is frequently represented as either a magical solution or a looming threat, our Autumn School aims to demystify AI, exploring its realistic capabilities, limitations, and responsible use (Ferrara, 2024; Ntoutsi et al., 2020). This subtrack will focus on responsible research practices, equity grants, and inclusive research design for underrepresented communities.

Participants do not require previous experience with AI or data science, as introductory modules will provide a foundational understanding.

The Autumn School will be conducted online and in English.

For inquiries, please contact: melci.lab@ulusofona.pt

Call for proposals deadline

Deadline: 26th September  2025

Notification of Acceptance: 13th October 2025

Registration: 27th October

See details about how to submit a proposal at the bottom of this page.

Format

Online

Dates

11 to 14 November 2025 – V MeLCi Lab Autumn School

TIME (Lisbon time zone)

V MeLCi Lab Autumn School Schedule

Check here for details. 

How to apply 

Interested participants must send their application (in English) by 26 September 2025, including:

• Updated Curriculum Vitae (máx. 3 pages); 
  
• Candidate’s research statement that includes a description of their doctoral dissertation, research questions and methods (máx. 2 pages);
  
• Motivation letter describing your current perspective on AI, specific concerns or interests regarding AI’s role in media practices, and your preferred track/subtrack(s) máx. 1-2 pages;

Please send your application as a ZIP file to melci.lab@ulusofona.pt with the subject “Application for the V MeLCi Lab Autumn School”.

Target-group

PhD Students

Early Career Researchers (with a PhD obtained in the last five years)

Fee *

Lusófona University, CICANT PhD Students 70 euros

PhD students from other Institutions 100 euros

Others 150 euros

*The best participant will not pay the fee

Keynote Speakers

To be announced shortly.  

Organisers

Bruno Saraiva

Carla Sousa

Lúcia Mesquita

Manuel Marques-Pita

Maria José Brites

Zuil Pirola

December 11-12, 2025

Virtual

Deadline: July 30, 2025

Organizers: Filipa Subtil, LIACOM/ESCS-Politécnico de Lisboa, Portugal and Rafiza Varão, Universidade de Brasília, Brazil

Portuguese- and Spanish-language version of the call are available here: https://hms.mediastudies.press/pub/mundo-de-lingua-portuguesa

## Call for Papers

Communication and media studies have historically been narrated or recounted from canons centered on the Anglophone world, especially the USA, erasing intellectual traditions, voices, and contexts that have grown up outside of and challenged this hegemony. This symposium will give participants an opportunity to map, critique, and celebrate the histories of communication studies in the Portuguese-speaking world - including Portugal, Brazil, Portuguese-speaking African countries (PALOP), East Timor, Macau, and the diasporas - by inquiring into how the dynamics of colonialism, post-colonialism, dictatorships, and globalization have shaped the field. We have a twofold commitment: to decentre dominant narratives, highlighting epistemologies, institutions, and marginalized figures; and to connect the multiple Portuguese-speaking world traditions, exploring transatlantic dialogues and tensions and resistances. We encourage papers that explore connections among Portugal, Africa, Brazil, East Timor, and Macau, as well as connections with other countries and regions in the “Global South.”

We invite proposals that address, but are not limited to, the following topics:

1. Field Genealogies

* National or regional histories of communication and media studies in Portugal, Brazil, Angola, Mozambique, Guinea-Bissau, Cape Verde, São Tomé and Príncipe, East Timor, and Macau;

* Influential figures, forgotten pioneers,(e.g. women and members of other marginalized groups), as well as intellectual networks;

* The role of universities, associations, and scientific journals in establishing the field.

2. Colonialism, dictatorships and resistances

* Communication as an instrument of power during Portuguese colonialism and the dictatorships of the 20th century;

* Communication theories and practices developed in contexts of anti-colonial struggle and post-independence;

* The place of the portuguese language as a vehicle of domination and/or emancipation.

3. History of the transatlantic dialogues and hegemonies

* The influence of Anglo-Saxon, French, and German traditions on the Portuguese-speaking world;

* Circulation of ideas between Brazil, Africa, Asia and Portugal: appropriations, adaptations, and resistances;

* The myth of the “universality” of North American models and their local critiques.

4. Alternative epistemologies

* Decolonial, feminist, and anti-racist perspectives in Portuguese language studies;

* Indigenous, Afro-diasporic, and community knowledge in the history of communication research;

* The impact of social movements (e.g. land struggles, Indigenous rights, Black feminisms) on communication theory.

5. Contemporary challenges

* The place of the Portuguese-speaking world in global debates in the history of communication;

* Digitalisation, platforms, and new forms of exclusion/epistemocide;

* Pedagogical proposals for decolonizing communication education.

In this way, we hope to contribute to a broader global understanding of the history and traditions of communication research in the Portuguese-speaking world as well as to foster new opportunities for collaboration between researchers and academics from different parts of the world.

### Organization

This symposium is an initiative of LIACOM/Escola Superior de Comunicação Social, Politécnico de Lisboa, ICNOVA and the Faculdade de Comunicação, Universidade de Brasília, in partnership with Associação Portuguesa de Ciências da Comunicação, Associação Moçambicana de Ciências da Comunicação e da Informação, Sociedade Brasileira de Estudos Interdisciplinares da Comunicação, and with the scholar-run US journal History of Media Studies. Our aim is to strengthen critical research networks in the Portuguese-speaking community.

### Calendar

Extended abstracts (3.000 characters including spaces and excluding bibliography) must be sent in Portuguese, English or Spanish by 30 July 2025 to:

historia.dos.estudos.de.com.pt@gmail.com

Decisions will be announced by 30 September 2025.

Registration for the symposium will run from 1 October to 15 November 2025. To help with the costs of simultaneous translation and the organisation of the event, a symbolic registration fee will be charged (20 euros/120 reais). If the participant does not have institutional support, he/she/they should contact the organization in order to assess a possible waiver from the registration fee.

Papers must be sent to the organizers by 30 November in order to be circulated among commentators.

### Other relevant information

Potential publication in History of Media Studies journal: http://hms.mediastudies.press

Selected papers may be considered for publication in a special issue of the open access, scholar-run journal History of Media Studies. The deadline for submitting full articles for peer review will be 30 May 2026.

November 20, 2025

Polytechnic Institute of Lisbon, Portugal

Deadline (EXTENDED): July 4, 2025

Dear colleagues,

We hereby announce the new deadline for submitting abstracts for the I LIACOM International Conference, under the theme “The (Un)Sustainability of the Media”, which will be held on November 20, 2025, at the School of Communication and Media Studies – Polytechnic Institute of Lisbon (ESCS-IPL).

We inform you that the call for papers has been extended until July 4, 2025, for the following parallel sessions:

• Journalism: Sustainability in an ecosystem looking for solutions
  
• Media Literacy and Communication: Challenges for Citizenship
  
• Brands, Advertising, and Consumption in the Age of Media (Un)Sustainability
  
• Mobilizing for Change: The Role of Public Communication Campaigns
  
•  Disruptions and continuities in communication professions
  

For more information about the conference and details on submitting proposals, please do not hesitate to contact us (conferencia.liacom@escs.ipl.pt), or visit the official conference website: https://liacom.escs.ipl.pt/en/conferencia-liacom/

We look forward to your participation and would like to thank you in advance for sharing the new deadline with your networks and institutions.

Best regards,

Jorge Veríssimo and Sandra Miranda

Participations (special issue)

Deadline: September 30, 2025

The European audiovisual landscape is complex, with a huge variety of content providers and a traditionally strong public service. While only about 10% of all European providers feature public ownership, these play a key role as facilitators of original European productions across the continent (Fontaine, 2024:7; Antoniazzi et al., 2022). However, the US has a substantial and increasing influence on the European audiovisual sector (Schneeberger, 2024:7). The SVOD segment, as the most concentrated market segment in Europe, has the highest share of US (84%) and private (99%) interests (Ene Iancu, 2024:10). In terms of SVOD consumption, a lion part of what is watched originates from the US (Grece & Tran, 2023; Iordache et al., 2023), and earlier concerns on US cultural imperialism have been revived (Davis, 2023; Lotz, 2021). 

Recently, public service media across Europe have experienced dire economic conditions. For example, in Sweden, budget cuts were announced for public service in the spring of 2024 with the argument of unfair competition, while diversity and democratic arguments are downplayed (SOU 2024:34). This development is in line with the European Commission’s focus on competition and on creating a single market. Ultimately, this bypasses opportunities for cultural objectives such as media pluralism, cultural protection or social regulations (Humphreys, 2008:154). Although the European Audiovisual Media Services Directive (2018) has sought to level the market between domestic and transnational platform suppliers and protect the production of film and television in Europe (Kostovska et al. 2020), the political space to discuss streamed content as culture seems to have shrunk. This has far-reaching consequences for European content and democratic values such as equality and diversity (Jansson et al., 2024). In this special issue for the journal Participations, we aim to investigate what these developments mean for audiences, as fiction consumers, but also – and especially – in their role as citizens. 

On a theoretical level, there is a range of conceptualizations of how fiction (and culture) shapes citizens, including the “political self” (Van Zoonen, 2007), the cultural public sphere (McGuigan, 2005), and civic cultures (Dahlgren, 2009). Scholars have focused on identity formation, articulations of community (Askanius, 2019:273) and  “public connection” (Couldry ea., 2007; Nærland 2019:652), as well as the creation of “lifeworlds” (Bengesser, 2023: 63) to denote more complex orientations of the audience toward the public and the political. 

On an empirical level, the link between fiction and democracy is often presupposed in research relating to democratic values or “the political” (Van Belle, Aitaki and Jansson, 2025). Audiovisual fiction has been argued to directly correlate with political engagement (e.g. Fielding, 2014; Cardo, 2011) and opinion-formation or political attitudes (e.g. Hermann et al., 2023; Swigger, 2017; Adkins et al., 2014; Butler et al., 1995). Indirectly, identities and bodies are assumed to be the glue between connecting audiences and democracy through the viewing of fiction (e.g. Smith, 2020; Yea, 2014). On a more structural level, fiction is seen as contributing to imagined worlds (Randall, 2011) or discourses (Kato, 2015). Regardless of theoretical belonging, most studies have a rather crude understanding of the audience and its agency (see e.g. La Pastina, 2004). This activates questions about how democratic values and political topics are negotiated in relation to the fictional content audiences watch. Further, it includes exploring audiences’ understandings of fiction in relation to their roles as citizens in a democratic European context.

This special issue is interested in contributions that could, but are not limited to, illuminate some of the following topics: 

- The relation between SVODs, reception and citizenship or democracy

- Public service audiences and society

- Fiction and political activism from an audience perspective

- Viewers’ negotiation of identities via fiction, in relation to democracy and politics

- Viewers’ negotiation of political and democratic values in relation to fiction, such as equality, solidarity, community, or freedom

- Fiction audiences and political trust

- Missing audiences/citizens 

- Media pluralism, cultural protection, social regulations, or diversity from an audience perspective

- SVODs’ conceptualizations of audiences and audiences’ conceptualizations of SVODs

- Fiction, ethics, and democracy from an audience perspective

Those with an interest in contributing should submit an abstract (max. 750 words) where the main theme (or argument) of the intended article is described along with an indication of the theoretical and methodological approach of the article. The abstract should contain the preliminary title and five keywords. A clarification on how the article fits into the overall scope of the issue should be included.  

Send your abstract to the editors by 30 September 2025 on jono.van-belle@oru.se, georgia.aitaki@kau.se and maria.jansson@oru.se. 

Scholars invited to submit a full manuscript (maximum 8000 words including footnotes, bibliography, tables and appendices) will be notified by e-mail after the abstracts have been assessed by the editors. All submissions should be original works and must not be under consideration by other publishers. The reference system should be Harvard author-date format. More information on style and formatting can be found on the Participations website: https://www.participations.org/submissions/ 

Deadline for submission abstract: 30 September 2025

Deadline for full paper: 30 January 2025

Estimated publication date: November 2026. 

December 5, 2025

Online

Deadline: October 27, 2025

Continuing our series of research meetings focused on specific issues in mediatization research — chaired in past years by eminent experts such as Göran Bolin (2017), Johan Fornäs (2018), Andreas Hepp (2019), Mark Deuze (2020), André Jansson (2021), Andrew Hoskins (2022), Kirsten Frandsen (2023), and Carlos A. Scolari (2024) — this year’s workshop will be held online on 5 December 2025.

It will be led by Michael Skey from Loughborough University.

The title of this year’s edition is: Youth, Sports, and Media.

We invite researchers who wish to discuss their current projects within a focused and closed group of media scholars, under the guidance of an expert.

Important dates: 

• 27 October 2025 – Submission of abstracts
  
• 5 December 2025 – Closed online workshop
  

Details and registration form: 

https://www.umcs.pl/pl/towards-development-of-mediatization-research-ix-youth-sports-and-media,32378.htm?fbclid=IwY2xjawJ1eVpleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFYVmd3MVhPdXh2U0NDM1VVAR6n83CD81hTEs8jIjkc1w33VqH2zVxwWR3It2-6kgtBwj4oIKyUPWl12AoMZA_aem_yo4EG_k9V-m5jI6jjoWMbg

For any substantive questions about the workshop, please contact:

Katarzyna Kopecka-Piech

Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin

katarzyna.kopecka-piech@umcs.pl

September 24-26, 2025

University of Pamplona (Spain)

Deadline (EXTENDED): June 30, 2025

ECREA’s section for Interpersonal Communication and Social Interaction (ICSI) is delighted to announce that the 8th bi-annual meeting of the ICSI section of ECREA will take place in University of Pamplona in Navarra, Spain at 24.-26.9.2025.

Overcoming differences celebrates the spectrum of research themes, metatheories, methods and paradigms that have created a fruitful soil for understanding mutual interaction in interpersonal encounters. Overcoming differences means accepting differences, respecting them and seeing the huge possibilities and synergies that we have as interpersonal, interaction and communication scholars. ICSI2025 conference creates a platform for being together and discussing the nuances and potential that our discipline provides. During the conference a Young Scholar’s workshop will also take place.
Call for abstracts is now open. See all the detailed information here: https://www.unav.edu/web/instituto-cultura-y-sociedad/actividades/overcoming-differences-icsi-conference-2025 Notice the extended deadline June 30.

If you have any questions, please contact: ICSI2025@tuni.fi