Call for proposals 2026
The Community Communication and Alternative Media (CAM) Section invites the submission of abstracts for its 2026 conference, to be held from 28 June to 2 July 2026 in Galway, Ireland, hosted by the University of Galway.
The deadline for submission is 3 February 2026 at 23:59 UTC.
Download this call for papers as a PDF file
Theme
IAMCR conferences cover a wide range of topics defined by our thematic Sections and Working Groups (S/WG). Each year, a central theme invites participants to engage in shared reflection across these diverse areas, fostering dialogue and collaboration.
The 2026 central theme, Peripheries and Connections: Media, Communication, and Transformation, addresses the complexities of contemporary media systems in a polarised and interconnected world. By interrogating the tensions between centrality and marginality—whether geographical, cultural, political, or conceptual—this theme aligns with IAMCR’s commitment to fostering critical and inclusive dialogues across diverse perspectives.
Consult a detailed description of the main theme
The Community Communication and Alternative Media Section (CAM) brings together research on community, alternative and citizens' media and communication forms, media and digital activism, and other kinds of civil society-based communication. It considers a wide range of non-governmental and non-commercial communication practices such as do-it-yourself media; media by, for, and with geographical communities and communities of interest; indigenous/First Nations media; social movements’ communication; digital resistance, techno-politics, and social media protests; counter-cultural and culture jamming expressions; media surveillance and watchdogs; and participatory communication and media that form a ‘third sector’ distinct from public service and commercial media. Such practices may use a variety of communication technologies and forms, from print newsletters to mobile phones, from group communication and demonstrations to community radio and (online) social networks.
The section asks questions such as:
- How do marginalised, minority, or vulnerable groups develop, adapt, use, and appropriate media and communication technologies?
- What makes citizen media and communication forms effective and sustainable?
- What are the innovative forms of media activism? Are the older forms still alive and useful?
- What are the social, economic, legal, and political contexts of community and alternative media?
- What are the most fruitful theories and research methods for studying these media and communication forms?
- Which kind of journalism do they practice? What are the links between journalism and activism?
- Do these media and communication expressions point us to new forms of networked publics, participatory democracy, and active citizenship? Are these concepts problematic?
- What do we learn from citizen & community media? How do we integrate community communication in the Higher education curriculum? Community engagement is central to our work: how does the neo-liberal context challenge or constrain scholarship in our area?
- How do alternative and citizen communication projects speak to the global and ecological crises that we face?
- How does community communication understand interculturality and create connections with communities in mobility: migrants, refugees, diasporas, etc.?
The section welcomes current research conducted with grassroots and systemically marginalised communities and social justice movements. CAM is a large, diverse, open, and friendly section. We are committed to the discussion of current practices and challenges facing social justice communications, the development of appropriate research approaches that can be useful for grassroots communities and social and environmental justice movements.
Community Communication and Alternative Media: Weaving Diversities, Building Solidarities
The Community Communication and Alternative Media Section welcomes contributions from all scholars and practitioners who research and work in this field and is particularly interested in submissions on the following themes, which intersect with the 2026 conference’s focus on peripheries and connections:
- Forging community solidarities and subaltern public spheres.
- Building environmental and data justice through pluralistic and inclusive dialogue across sectors, identities and narratives, and recognising the role of digital activisms.
- Exploring holistic models of the Pluriverse that move beyond the human-centred to a focus on Nature.
- Resisting and ‘re-existing’ hegemonic structures, including economic, political, social, cultural, and ecological systems, as a way to re-imagine alternative/progressive futures.
- Examining the role of pedagogy, including beyond the university, in responding to contemporary challenges.
In the spirit of our commitment to dialogue and community, we actively encourage proposals for roundtables and other formats, such as film screenings and (virtual) exhibitions, that will encourage active participation by conference attendees. Contact the Head of the section for proposals in different formats (details below).
Joint sessions
In 2026, the Section will be hosting joint sessions with the Emerging Scholars Network (ESN), and with the Participatory Communication Research section (PCR).
- For the joint session with the Emerging Scholars Network (ESN), please submit your abstract to ESN and choose the topic CAM/ESN joint session on the submission platform. Papers submitted to this session should have as a primary author/presenter an individual who identifies as an emerging scholar and relate to one or more of the themes above.
- For the joint session with the Participatory Communication Research Section please submit your abstract to CAM and choose the topic PCR/CAM joint session on the submission platform.
New Books and Special Issues session
One session in the programme will be dedicated to new books and Special Issues of journals published in the past year. To have your book or Special Issue included, submit your abstract and select the topic tag: CAM New Book
Guidelines for abstracts
Abstracts for papers to be presented in person at one of the Community Communication and Alternative Media Section’s conference sessions should be between 500 and 800 words. They must be submitted exclusively through IAMCR’s submission system from 28 November 2025 through 3 February 2026 at 23:59 UTC. Abstracts submitted by email will not be considered.
It is expected that each person will submit only one abstract. However, no author’s name should appear on more than two abstracts, either individually or as part of any group of authors and authors should not submit more than one abstract to any single section or working group. The same abstract, or a version with minor variations in title or content, must not be submitted to more than one Section or Working Group. Such submissions will be deemed to be in breach of the conference guidelines and will be rejected. Authors submitting the same work to multiple Sections or Working Groups may be removed entirely from the conference programme.
Proposals are accepted for both single papers and for panels with several papers (in which several colleagues propose multiple papers that address a single theme).
NOTE: The Community Communication and Alternative Media Section is a postgraduate-plus section. Student submissions are accepted only from postgraduate students (Masters's level and above).
Evaluation criteria
Submitted abstracts will generally be evaluated on the basis of:
- Technical merit
- Readability
- Originality and/or significance
- Use of or contribution to theory
- Depth of knowledge of the research, theory and/or literature related to the proposed topic as evidenced in the submission
- Relevance to the section and current trends or controversies in its field
Acceptance of proposals may also be conditioned by programme diversity and balance criteria.
Languages
The Community Communication and Alternative Media Section accepts abstracts in English, French and Spanish. You can submit the abstract and the full paper (if accepted) in any of these three languages. Papers will be organized in groups according to the themes they have in common, and these will be multilingual.
In line with the section’s existing practice of facilitating ‘whisper translation’ of sessions where possible, we will make every effort to provide some form of informal translation support in our sessions. Presenters are asked to assist in this process by ensuring that supporting materials (e.g., slides) include text in a different official language to that of their oral presentation
Statement on use of AI tools
IAMCR does not encourage or condone the use of generative AI tools to prepare abstracts submitted for consideration for our conferences. IAMCR values originality, integrity, and transparency in academic work, and believes that human-authored contributions best support rigorous and innovative scholarship in media and communication research. Should an author choose to use a generative AI tool in the preparation of an abstract, we require that they include a clear statement within their submission disclosing the tool's use. This statement must specify: (1) the name of any AI tool used; (2) how the tool was used in preparing the abstract, and; (3) the reason for using the tool. Failure to disclose the use of generative AI in accordance with these guidelines may impact the evaluation and acceptance of the submission.
Intention to attend
Each abstract submitted to IAMCR represents a real cost to the Association and contributes to the workload of volunteer reviewers and organisers. As the number of submissions each year far exceeds the available presentation slots, we ask authors to submit only if they genuinely intend to attend and present their work at the conference if accepted.
Deadlines and key dates
The deadline to submit proposals is 3 February 2026, at 23:59 UTC. Other key dates. Dates are subject to change.
About the Community Communication and Alternative Media Section
Learn more about the work and scope of the Community Communication and Alternative Media Section.
Contact the Section
Co-Chair: Vinod Pavarala
UNESCO Chair on Community Media, University of Hyderabad, India
vpavarala@gmail.com
Co-chair: Andrew Ó Baoill
School of English, Media and Creative Arts, University of Galway
andrew.obaoill@universityofgalway.ie
Vice-Chair: Amparo Cadavid
School of Communication, UNIMINUTO, Colombia
amparo.cadavid@consultingecho.com
Vice-chair: Juan Ramos Martín
School of Communication and Language, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana
juanramosm@javeriana.edu.co
