From the President’s Desk

IAMCR Newsletter | June 2013

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From the President’s Desk

Dear Colleagues,

Soon, many of us will meet in Dublin to share our work and consider the conference theme, “Crises, ‘Creative Destruction’ and the Global Power and Communication Orders.” Crisis has been a reoccurring theme that has haunted the halls of IAMCR conferences during the last few years. Thus, it may not be surprising that the theme for our next gathering incorporates this concept, weaving it into Schumpeter’s oft-cited notion of “creative destruction.”

When Schumpeter wrote of the “gale of creative destruction,” he was referring to the ways in which processes of innovation can devalue previous forms of wealth, thereby opening up new markets for investment and growth.  This process was viewed as an inherent and incessant characteristic of capitalist economic development, which Schumpeter ultimately viewed as unsustainable. Indeed, we have been living through some unsustainable innovations in the past few years, many of which led to the great financial crisis that began in late 2007 and continues to wreak havoc in many parts of the world.

Schumpeter also reminded us that times of crisis also may present possibilities for transformative changes. Within the field of communication and media studies, some technological innovations like mobile telephony, social networking platforms, and other information and communication technologies, have even been referred to as “revolutionary.” Indeed, some claim that these technologies have the potential to radically transform the balance of power within media and communication industries.  Thus, the conference theme incorporates the issues of global power and communication orders, encouraging us to consider actual changes and continuity in these areas.

Again, the Dublin conference theme offers the possibility to consider a wide range of issues related to media and communication and we look forward to another opportunity to gather, share our work, and further strengthen the global friendships that we have developed through IAMCR -- the worldwide association representing media and communication scholars.

See you in Dublin!

Janet