The IAMCR Digital Divide Working Group invites proposals for papers to be presented at the annual conference for the International Association for Media & Communication Research at the University of Leicester, UK, July 27 -31, 2016.
Conference theme: "Memory, Commemoration and Communication: Looking Back, Looking Forward"
See the conference key dates and deadlines: http://iamcr.org/leicester2016/keydates
See all Calls for Papers for IAMCR 2016: http://iamcr.org/leicester2016/cfp
Visit the conference website: http://iamcr.org/leicester2016
The overarching conference theme in 2016 is “Memory, Commemoration and Communication: Looking Back, Looking Forward”. The theme seeks to explore the relationship between memory, commemoration and communication from different angles.
One of the aspects that should be discussed in this context is the role of inequality in the creation, sharing and preserving of memory. Digital Divide Working Group aims at providing a forum for scholars researching various aspects of digital inequality, including inequality in the preserving and reproducing of cultural memory. Our working group is particularly interested in discussing technological means of access to the ICTs in different countries and the role of ICTs in preserving memories; the level of audience’s skills and competences for using technical affordances and the importance of these skills for memory creation and preserving; public policies aimed at overcoming digital gap in different countries and the role of these policies in keeping cultural memories.
Digital Divide Working Group welcomes new theoretical approaches and empirical findings resulted from the research of digital inequality as a multi-dimensional phenomenon influencing various aspects of social life. In this respect we are also interested in stimulating fruitful discussions about co-relation of such factors as age, gender, income, education, location and technical skills to use ICTs, as well as the co-relation of media literacy and social inclusion in the modern society.
For the 2016 annual conference we invite paper proposals on any of the following key topics:
- The role of digital divide in the creation, sharing or preserving of memory in different countries;
- The role of technological means in preserving and reproducing of cultural memory;
- The process of historicizing digital divide at national and international levels;
- Digital divide as a challenge for memory preservation;
- Digital and analogue generations: different mediations of cultural memory;
- Ways to overcome the gap between digital and analogue cultures and to preserve analogue cultures in the digital society;
- Digital skills in the modern era: how they are created, preserved, passed on, and archived;
- Storing cultural heritage of ethnic groups in countries with different access to digital technologies: current challenges and opportunities
Abstract submissions
Abstracts should be submitted only via IAMCR's Open Conference System (OCS) from 1 December 2015 – 15 February 2016. Early submission is strongly recommended.
Deadlines
The deadline for submission of abstracts is 15 February 2016. The OCS system will close at midnight GMT on 15 February 2016.
Decisions on acceptance of abstracts will be communicated to applicants by the Working Group Head no later than 1 April 2016.
Conference registration will open in March 2016.
For those whose abstracts are accepted, full conference papers are to be submitted by 30 June 2016.
Guidelines for Abstracts
Abstracts should be between 300 and 500 words in length.
All abstract submissions must be made via IAMCR's OCS. There are to be no email submissions of abstracts addressed to any Section or Working Group Head.
It is expected that for the most part, only one (1) abstract will be submitted per person for consideration by the conference. However, under no circumstances should there be more than two (2) abstracts bearing the name of the same applicant either individually or as part of any group of authors. Please note also that the same abstract or another version with minor variations in title or content must not be submitted to other Sections or Working Groups of the Association for consideration, after an initial submission. Such submissions will be deemed to be in breach of the conference guidelines and will be automatically rejected by the Open Conference System, by the relevant Head or by the Conference Programme Reviewer. Such applicants risk being removed entirely from the conference programme.
Upon submission of an abstract, you will be asked to confirm that your submission is original and that it has not been previously published in the form presented. You will also be given an opportunity to declare if your submission is currently before another conference for consideration.
Submitted abstracts will generally be evaluated on the basis of:
- theoretical contribution
- methods
- quality of writing
- literature review
- relevance of the submission to the work of the Working Group
- originality and/or significance of the work
For further information, please consult the conference website at: http://iamcr.org/leicester2016
Important dates and deadlines to keep in mind:
- 1 December 2015 Open Computer System (OCS) available for abstract submission
- 15 February 2016 Deadline for submissions
- 1 April 2016 Notification of acceptances of abstracts
- 15 April 2016 Deadline to apply for travel grants and awards
- 28 April 2016 Deadline to confirm your participation
- 20 May 2016 Last day to register at discounted early-bird fee
- 30 June 2016 Deadline for full paper submission
- 7 July 2016 Final conference programme published on the website
- 27-31 July 2016 IAMCR 2016 Conference
Digital Divide Working Group
Chair:
Olga Smirnova
ddwg.iamcr[at]gmail.com
Vice Heads:
Zarqa Ali
zsha016[at]aucklanduni.ac.nz
Liangwen Kuo
lwkuo[at]mail.nctu.edu.tw
Secretary:
Anna Gladkova
ddwg.iamcr[at]gmail.com
Contact us:
Official email address of Digital Divide Working Group: ddwg.iamcr[at]gmail.com
Official website of Digital Divide Working Group: http://digital-divide.ru/
Join Working Group in social media: https://www.facebook.com/groups/795651687209460/?fref=ts
See the conference key dates and deadlines: http://iamcr.org/leicester2016/keydates
See all Calls for Papers for IAMCR 2016: http://iamcr.org/leicester2016/cfp
Visit the conference website: http://iamcr.org/leicester2016