Call for proposals 2026
The Communication in Post- and Neo-Authoritarian Societies (CPN) Working Group of the International Association for Media and Communication Research (IAMCR) invites the submission of abstracts for its 2026 conference, which will be held in Galway, Ireland, from 28 June to 2 July 2026, 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 is Peripheries and Connections: Media, Communication, and Transformation. It foregrounds the tensions between centrality and marginality, inviting explorations of how marginality and global interconnectedness shape media and communication systems.
Consult a detailed description of the main theme
The Working Group on “Communication in Post- and Neo-Authoritarian Societies” welcomes papers and panel sessions related to the conference theme, including topics such as:
- Post- and neo-authoritarian contexts as sites of tension between dominant centers and marginalized publics
- Media and communication in negotiating transitional challenges between centers and peripheries in post-/neo-authoritarian contexts
- The circulation of authoritarian discourses and the marginalization of alternative epistemologies
- Epistemic inequalities and the production of knowledge about transitional societies
- De-/postcolonial, gender/feminist, and comparative approaches as analytical frameworks for examining authoritarian communication and/or communication in post-/neo-authoritarian contexts
Papers and panels addressing other dimensions of authoritarian communication, as well as media and communication research in post- or neo-authoritarian contexts, are also welcome – including, but not limited to, the following topics:
- Media structures, media systems, media technologies and journalism cultures in transition
- Representations and narratives of authoritarianism, resistance, and transformation
- Comparative perspectives on media, democratisation, and authoritarian legacies
- Publics, counter-publics, resistance, and the reconfiguration of the public sphere under authoritarian pressure
- Digital authoritarianism, surveillance, and the politics of online communication
- Symbolic and physical violence, inequality, and illiberal measures in media discourses and communicative practices
- Memory, trauma, and nostalgia in transitional contexts
- Theoretical and conceptual critiques of authoritarianism, illiberalism, and related terms in media and communication studies
Further topics aligning with the Working Group’s scope are also welcome.
Guidelines for abstracts
Abstracts for papers to be presented in person at one of the Communication in Post- and Neo-Authoritarian Societies Working Group’s conference sessions, should be between 800 and 1000 words. Submissions do not have to address the central theme.
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.
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 working group and current trends or controversies in its field (please see the Working Group’s mission statement)
Acceptance of proposals may also be conditioned by programme diversity and balance criteria.
Languages
The Working Group accepts abstracts and programme sessions in English and French.
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 Communication in Post- and Neo-Authoritarian Societies Working Group
Learn more about the work and scope of the Communication in Post- and Neo-Authoritarian Societies Working Group.
Contact the Working Group
Chair: Anke Fiedler (University of Greifswald, Germany) [Contact]
Vice-chair: Carola Richter (Freie Universität Berlin, Germany) [Contact]
Vice-chair: Alexander Gatilin (Lomonosov Moscow State University, Russian Federation) [Contact]
