PUBLIC SERVICE MEDIA POLICIES WORKING GROUP - CALL FOR PROPOSALS 2022

The Public Service Media Policies Working Group of the International Association for Media and Communication Research (IAMCR) invites the submission of proposals for papers and panels for IAMCR 2022, which will be held online from 11 to 15 July 2022. The conference will also have a national hub at Tsinghua University in Beijing. The deadline for submission is 9 February 2022, at 23.59 UTC.

See the CfPs of all sections and working groups >

Conference Themes

IAMCR conferences have a main conference theme (with several sub-themes) that is explored from multiple perspectives throughout the conference in plenaries, in the programmes of our sections and working groups, and in the Flow34 virtual cinema and podcasts stream. They also have many themes defined by our 33 thematic sections and working groups. Proposals submitted to sections and working groups may be centered on an aspect of the main conference theme as it relates to the central concerns of the section or working group, or they may address the additional themes identified by the section or working group in their individual calls for proposals.

The main theme for IAMCR 2022, “Communication Research in the Era of Neo-Globalisation: Reorientations, Challenges and Changing Contexts,” is concerned with possibilities for rethinking communication research agendas in the post-pandemic world, which has seen dramatic shifts in the way we interact and understand our physical, social, cultural, political and material environments.

Eight sub-themes of this central theme have been identified: Reorienting Media and Communication Research in the Era of Neo-Globalisation; Artificial Intelligence in Global Communication Contexts; Cultural Identities and Dis-Identities in the Era of Neo-Globalisation; Communication for Sustainability: Climate Change, Environment, and Health; Media Ethics and Principles in the Digital Age; Media, Communication, and the Construction of Global Public Health; Data/Digital Science and Intercultural Communication; Digital Platforms and Public Service: Science, Technology and Sustainability. See the complete theme description and rationale here.

The Public Service Media Policies Working Group invites proposals that address the general IAMCR conference theme "Communication Research in the Era of Neo-Globalisation: Reorientations, Challenges and Changing Contexts" in relation to current debates and issues about Public Service Media (PSM) around the world. We also invite proposals that address the following more specific Working Group theme: Evolutionary Strategies: public service media in an era of neo-globalisation, digitalisation and platformisation.

These proposals may explore issues such as:

PSM remit during global crises (COVID19, climate crisis, anti-terrorism etc.)

How are public service and state-administered media organisations evolving their remits and goals to meet crisis communications needs?
What types of PSM and state-administered media projects might further positive communications about public health, scientific advances, and environmental sustainability?
How can PSM and state-administered media contribute to intercultural understanding and social cohesion during times of global political polarisation?

Reorienting PSM theory for global media ecosystems and platformisation

How can we expand our understanding of the changing interdependencies and interactions of PSM and state administered media across national borders?
How can we effectively map and analyse the diversification of digital public service or state-administered platforms and ecosystems, beyond their broadcast roots?
What are the aims and undertakings of global, national, and local public sector media alliances and initiatives?

Developing public information infrastructures and policies

What steps are being taken to explore the need for public service social and digital media services and public information infrastructures?
What advances are being made in municipal, Indigenous, rural and community-driven public internet and data projects?
How are PSM and state-administered media responding to calls for improved data governance and Indigenous data sovereignty?

In addressing the above themes, and other themes of relevance to the Working Group, we welcome both empirical studies and contributions that are normative in character or aimed at conceptual/methodological development. Proposals can be about single national case-studies or be comparative/cross-national in scope. We also welcome historical studies that can contribute, through the lens of the past, to a critical understanding of contemporary issues facing PSM. Finally, we welcome papers from around the world and we strongly encourage submissions from researchers based in countries outside the heartlands of traditional PSM.

Guidelines for abstracts

Abstracts are requested for the Online Conference Papers component. Abstracts submitted to the Public Service Media Policies Working Group should have between 300 and 500 words and must be submitted online at https://iamcr2022.exordo.com. Abstracts submitted by email will not be accepted.

The deadline to submit abstracts is 9 February 2022 at 23h59 UTC.

See important dates and deadlines to keep in mind

It is expected that authors will submit only one (1) abstract. However, under no circumstances should there be more than two (2) abstracts bearing the name of the same author, either individually or as first author. No more than one 1 abstract can be submitted by an author to the Public Service Media Policies Working Group. Please note also that the same abstract or another version with minor variations in title or content must not be submitted to more than one section or working group. Any such submissions will be deemed to be in breach of the conference guidelines and will be rejected.

Proposals are accepted for both single Papers and for Panels with several papers (in which you propose multiple papers that address a single theme). Please note that there are special procedures for submitting panel proposals. You can find the detailed procedures when submitting your abstract online in the abstract submission system.

If your abstract is accepted, you will need to submit your full conference paper (1,000 to 4,000 words) by 7 June 2022, in order to be included in the programme.

Languages

The Public Service Media Policies Working Group can only accept abstracts in English for the 2022 conference. If you wish to secure help translating your abstract from French or Spanish to English, or if you are willing to help as a volunteer translator, please contact the PSM WG Co-chairs (see contacti details below).

For further information about the conference contact beijing2022 [at] iamcr.org

For further information about the Public Service Media Policies Working Group, its themes, submissions and panels please contact:

Co-chairs: Fiona Martin (fiona.martin [at] sydney.edu.au) and Anis Rahman (aniscom [at] uw.edu)
Vice-Chair: Yik Chan Chin (yik-chan.chin [at] bnu.edu.cn)