Call for proposals 2026
The Inclusive Communication and People with Disabilities (ICO) Working Group 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.
Central theme and ICO
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 Inclusive Communication and People with Disabilities Working Group (ICO-WG) invites proposals for individual presentations, panels and workshops. We aim to promote inclusive communication for people with visible and invisible disabilities broadly defined, including persons with physical and sensory impairments, neurodivergent individuals, and those living with chronic (mental) health conditions. This call invites diverse perspectives, innovative practices, and exciting research to enhance inclusive communication.
The IAMCR 2026 theme Peripheries and Connections: Media, Communication, and Transformation emphasizes the power of communication to bridge margins and centers, showing how peripheral spaces in geographic, social, cultural, or embodied forms can become sources of creativity, innovation, and change. Within this framework, the Inclusive Communication and People with Disabilities Working Group invites proposals that examine how inclusive communication transforms the boundaries of media, technology, and society by turning marginality into connection, exclusion into participation, and difference into collective strength. For many persons with disabilities, the edges of communication and participation are places where barriers persist but where imagination and resilience also flourish. These experiences open new possibilities for rethinking how societies listen, represent, and connect. ICO welcomes contributions that demonstrate how inclusive communication can bridge individuals and systems, link local realities with global transformations, and integrate human experience with technological progress to advance equity, belonging, and transformation in media and public life.
However, we also welcome proposals that only focus on inclusive communication, the main focus of the working group.
Key themes and topics
1. Decolonising the Margins: Reframing the Peripheries of Disability
- Postcolonial, Global South, and Indigenous approaches to inclusive communication
- Reclaiming epistemic and cultural peripheries in disability narratives
- Translating decolonial and intersectional thought into media and advocacy practices
2. Digital Bridges: Accessible Media, AI, and the Human-Machine Interactions
- Digital inclusion, AI and accessibility, and algorithmic fairness
- Disability perspectives on automation, data justice, and human–machine interaction
- Evaluating “smart” infrastructures and digital transformation from a disability inclusion lens
- Co-creation of inclusive and multisensory media experiences grounded in universal design and accessible communication.
3. Representations from the Edge: Media, Identity, and Narrative Justice
- Self-representation and counter-portrayals of disability in news, film, and digital media
- Disability’s symbolic annihilation, stereotyping, and agency reclamation in media spaces
- Storytelling about disability as activism and re-centering of marginalised voices particularly resilience narratives amidst environmental disasters.
4. Interconnected Inequalities: Intersectionality and Inclusive Media Systems
- Gender, class, language, neurodiversity, and disability in communication structures
- Barriers and enablers for people with disabilities in institutional, educational, and civic communication
- Comparative and transnational studies on inclusive communication systems
5. Policy and Advocacy Networks: Transforming Institutions through Communication
- Communication rights and governance frameworks for disability inclusion
- International and local policy discourses on media accessibility
- Evaluating the CRPD, SDGs, and national media laws through an inclusive communication lens
6. Reimagining Academia: Inclusive Pedagogies and Knowledge Accessibility
- Disability-inclusive research and higher education communication practices
- Accessible conferences, publishing, and scholarly dissemination models
- Decolonizing knowledge production and academic participation
7. Networks of Care: Social Transformation through Community Media
- Community radio, participatory digital storytelling, and accessible local media
- Grassroots and civil-society communication initiatives empowering persons with disabilities
- Digital communities of support for people with disabilities
Guidelines for abstracts
Abstracts should be between 800 and 1000 words and must include:
Title, Author(s) names, affiliations, contact email(s), research objectives, theoretical framework, methodology, expected contribution, keywords, short bio, and any accessibility requirements.
Abstracts 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:
- Relevance to the ICO remit and to the conference theme
- Conceptual and theoretical quality
- Methodological clarity and rigor
- Originality and contribution to inclusive communication scholarship
- Overall coherence and clarity of expression
Acceptance of proposals may also be conditioned by programme diversity and balance criteria.
Languages
ICO accepts abstracts and presentations in English, but supplementary materials in other languages can be considered. ICO-WG values linguistic diversity and submissions from non-native English speakers are encouraged, if provided with English translations/sub titles.
Presentations in International Sign Language (ISL) are welcome if requested in advance.
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.
Accessibility and Inclusion
The ICO Working Group values accessible participation. Where possible, ICO will support real-time captioning, flexible presentation formats, and inclusive moderation practices. Participants are invited to share specific accessibility requests during submission; every effort will be made to accommodate reasonable needs.
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 Inclusive Communication and People with Disabilities Working Group
Learn more about the work and scope of the Inclusive Communication and People with Disabilities Working Group
Contact the Working Group
Email: pwdsworkgroup@gmail.com
Co-Chairs: Prof. Panayiota Tsatsou, Asst. Prof. Shahla Adnan
Vice-Chairs: Prof. Paula Saukko, Yan Yuqiao, Ying Lai
We look forward to your contributions to advancing the field of inclusive communication.
Join us in Galway
Let us continue the journey from manifesting the invisible to connecting the peripheries. Join ICO in Galway 2026 to shape inclusive futures where communication is not a privilege but a shared human right. We are keen to receive your proposals and look forward to collaborating on advancing inclusive communication for people with disabilities.
Note: kindly ensure that your submission adheres to the provided guidelines. Incomplete or late submissions will not be considered.
