Dear OurMedia members, We're still accepting abstracts for 2 more days. Hope to see many of you in Istanbul! Gabi ---- Apologies for cross-posting ---- CALL FOR PAPERS International Association for Media and Communication Research (IAMCR) Community Communication Section (ComCom) IAMCR Conference 2011, 13-17 July 2011, Istanbul http://iamcr.org/congress/istanbul-2011 Proposal submission deadline: February 8, 2011 =============================================== The Community Communication Section invites submissions for the IAMCR 2011 Conference in Istanbul, Turkey. Any proposal within the research area is welcome, but we will consider with priority proposals for this yearıs thematic focus areas (details below). In addition to individual papers, we hope to receive proposals for panels, workshops and innovative session formats, including field trips and screenings. ======================================================== Open call: General proposals in the ComCom research area -------------------------------------------------------- The Community Communication Section is a major international forum for community, alternative, citizens' and civil society media studies. It focuses on media practices that differ significantly from government- and market-dominated paradigms. This includes do-it-yourself media, media for and by communities of locality or interest, communication practices of social movements, media that form a non-profit 'third sector' next to public service and commercial media, and a wide range of other non-governmental and non-commercial practices. These media incorporate a broad variety of communication technology uses, from newsletters to mobile phones, from community radio to online communities. Relevant research questions include the development, adaptation and appropriation of communication technologies by marginalized groups and sectors; the effectiveness, impact and sustainability of community and alternative media; innovative forms of media activism; non-profit media interactions with state and market; the social, economic, legal and political environment; and appropriate theories and research methods for these media. Theoretical approaches typically come from social movement research, community theory, communication rights, theories of political art, of civil society, citizenship and democracy, and theories from migration studies, among others. (Also see Submitting to the right sectionı below). =========================================================== ComCom focus areas for the IAMCR 2011 Conference ----------------------------------------------------------- 1. 'Cities, Creativity, Connectivity' The IAMCR 2011 conference stands under the general theme 'Cities, Creativity, Connectivity'. Cities are areas of social and economic activity, artistic and activist creativity, and inter-cultural dialogue and conflict, embedded in regional and global contexts. The theme emphasizes communities of geography, as well as inter-local interactions. Papers in the ComCom section may investigate the role of community communication and alternative media in redefining notions of citizenship and challenging traditional national allegiances. What is the role of such media in changing notions of placeı and belongingı? How do urban social groups and movements use various online and offline forms of community communication for their mobilizations and interventions? How does socially engaged art relate to urban social and cultural movements? What does community radio in the 21st century look like? What is the future of localı community media in the trans-local and global digital media environment? How do such media contribute to democratization and to new understandings of 'the public' in socially fragmented environments? What is their role in local communities marked by strife? What are the regional and global contexts for such media, and how are they transformed due to transnational migration? Investigations may include hybrid media forms and rhizomatic media that connect different communities. 2. Infrastructure and technology The section is interested in platforms, technologies, and spaces for alternative and community media, and more generally for forms of expression by social movements. How do activists combine production/distribution platforms and technologies? How can blogs and social networks (including commercial ones) complement traditional alternative media? What is the impact of the digital switchover on community radio and TV, and what are its social, technical, economic and policy implications? The section also encourages analysis of the flipside of technological innovation: the web hype and the over-enthusiastic use of new (and typically commercial) social networking platforms. What are the problems with Web 2.0 and citizen journalism from the standpoint of alternative media and community media practice? 3. Community Communication Policy Many countries have recently legalized community broadcasting, and many more are considering it. We call for critical investigations into these processes, the impact of civil society interventions, positive examples of new legislation around the globe, comparative country level studies, reviews of the emergence of international/regional norms and standards, but also critiques of the normalization and mainstreaming of community media. At the same time, alternative media continue to be subject to attacks by both commercial and state forces, and access to communication infrastructure is curbed both online (e.g., through challenges to net neutrality) and offline (e.g., through radio frequency auctions). We encourage investigations into these issues, and relations between community communication and other policy fields, such as Internet governance and intellectual property rights. 4. Theory for Community and Alternative Media The section seeks to advance theoretical and conceptual development. This includes investigating, continuing and challenging the theoretical directions laid out by key thinkers in the field; developing understandings of relevant emerging concepts, such as the commonsı; and questioning the meanings and practices of established concepts, such as 'participation'. 5. Alternative models of researching, teaching and publishing What are the methods, experiences and key concerns for researching and teaching alternative and community media? How does the political economy of research and publishing affect the work in our field? What would be alternative publishing models for research? ---------------------------------------------------- Submission Guidelines ---------------------------------------------------- Submission Format: Submit proposal(s) online at http://iamcr2011istanbul.com/ You must include: (1) Title, author/coordinator name(s), institutional affiliation(s) and full contact information (mailing address, email address, and telephone number). (2) Topic area (open session or special session in one of the 5 above areas). (3) Type of proposal: (a) Individual or co-authored paper: Applicants must submit a 300 word abstract that describes the topic of their paper and its significance, the theoretical framework, and research methods. Please indicate if you would be willing to chair a session. (b) Panel proposal: The panel coordinator must submit a well-defined statement of purpose, a complete list of panel participants, and full abstracts for each presentation in one document. (c) Other format (workshops, screenings, field trips, forums, etc.): The coordinator must submit a well-defined statement of purpose and a detailed description of activities, as well as any infrastructure requirements (space, projectors, etc.). If your submission lacks any of the information above, it may be rejected on technical grounds. Multiple Submissions Our section accepts only one paper abstract submission per person (as main author). You may additionally act as coordinator or discussant in a session, present a short contribution in a panel or other format session, or be listed as secondary author in another paper. Do not submit the same paper abstract to more than one IAMCR division. You are allowed to submit up to 2 different abstracts (as main author) to different sections, but we encourage you to limit yourself to presenting one paper at the conference. Please consider that if you present more than once, there is less room for discussing your work and others have less opportunity to present. Deadlines February 8, 2011: Submission of abstracts (papers will be assessed by double blind review of abstracts). March 25, 2011: announcement of acceptances. June 3, 2011: Full papers due. Submitting to the Right Section You are only allowed to submit the same abstract to one section. Please consider carefully if our IAMCR section is most appropriate for your paper (check the list of sections at http://iamcr.org ). If you submit your proposal to the wrong section, it may be rejected (time permitting, we may try to forward papers to the appropriate section). Please contact us well before the deadline if you are unsure. - Researchers examining community media for development purposes should consider applying to the Participatory Communication Research Section. - Researchers studying ethnic community media within a Diaspora framework should consider applying to the Diaspora and Media Working Group. - Researchers using a market-based perspective or focusing on the hobbyı aspect of personalized media are not encouraged to apply to this section. Language You can submit your abstract and your paper in English, French or Spanish. If at all possible, please supply an English translation (even a brief summary) of your abstract and your paper. For the conference, please try to prepare some material (a computer assisted presentation, a handout etc.), at least partly in English. This will help you get better feedback and contribute more to the international discussion. The section has no funds to hire translators. We are looking for volunteer translators/interpreters for abstracts, sessions and papers. If you can contribute in this way, please contact us. ================================================== Further information IAMCR: http://www.iamcr.org/ ComCom: http://www.iamcr.org/content/blogcategory/51/201/ 2011 Conference: http://iamcr2011istanbul.com/ ComCom online contact form: http://www.iamcr.org/component/option,com_contact/task,view/contact_id,122/I temid,3/ emails: Gabriele Hadl (chair) k70[at]mac.com Ellie Rennie (vice-chair) ERennie[at]GROUPWISE.SWIN.EDU.AU Arne Hintz (vice-chair) arne.hintz[at]mcgill.ca