The Gender and Communication Section of the International Association for Media and Communication Research (IAMCR) invites the submission of proposals for papers and panels for IAMCR 2023, to be held in Lyon, France, from 9 to 13 July (Lyon23) with an Online Conference Papers (OCP23) component from 26 June to 5 July.
The deadline for submission of proposals is 9 February 2023 at 23h59 UTC.
See the CfPs of all sections and working groups >
Conference themes
IAMCR conferences have a main conference theme that is explored from multiple perspectives throughout the conference in plenaries and other moments, including the programmes of the thematic sections and working groups. Additionally, each section and working group also defines some of its own themes, which are described in their individual calls for proposals. Proposals for contributions to the conference are submitted to the sections and working groups and may focus on an aspect of the main conference theme as it relates to the concerns of the section or working group, or address a theme identified by the section or working group.
Main theme – Inhabiting the planet: Challenges for media, communication and beyond
The main theme for IAMCR 2023, “Inhabiting the planet: Challenges for media, communication and beyond,” is concerned with possibilities for rethinking communication research agendas at a time when the irreversible effects of climate change is compounded by stark geopolitical, sociocultural and religious tensions in human communities. At this juncture, urgent reflection and research is needed on how we can hope to flourish today and in the future, and also how media and communication tools and environments can be positive forces and spaces for change.
Five sub-themes of this central theme have been identified: Humanity and progress; democracy; media, information and communication; cities and territories; and environmental accountability.
Consult a detailed description of the main theme and its sub-themes
The Gender and Communication Section (GEN) seeks research that addresses theory and practice, and explores the relationship between gender, media, and communication. In recent years, the sessions have included papers on representation, body image, (digital) feminism, queer theory, LGBTIQA+, pop culture, hook-up apps, inclusive reporting, power struggles and relations, identity, (emotional digital) labor, health, HIV/AIDS, pandemic, violence, human rights, social change, activism, media production, reception, consumption, monitoring, elections, development, and culture. The papers examine diverse forms of media such as film, television, radio, print, social media, advertising, and the Internet.
In keeping with our philosophy of inclusivity, we welcome contributions without regard to empirical, theoretical, disciplinary, and/or philosophical perspectives.
We welcome submissions on any topic involving gender, media, and communication. However, we give special consideration to papers and panel proposals that examine connections to the conference theme: Inhabiting the planet: Challenges for media, communication and beyond.
We would like to encourage scholars to tackle the intersections of gender, identity, dignity and sexuality with media and communication processes. Themes suggested, which seem more consonant with our current section, include (but are not limited to):
- Gender, voice, and visibility
- Gender, identity, and equality
- Gender expression and social participation
- Gender rights and the achievement of universal dignity
- Gender and sustainability
- Gender and social equity, economic prosperity, or health
- Gender and climate change
- Gender and the environment
- Gender in higher education and pedagogy
- Gender and social movements
- Gender and (eco)territorial conflicts
- Social media campaigns of women and non-binary people
- Sexism and body as battlefield
- Femme resistance
- Queer and LGBTQIA+ resistance
- Gender and conflict
- Gender, misrepresentation, and authenticity
- Gendered health, history, or politics
- Gender and development
- Gender, consumption, and aspiration
- Sexuality and technology
- Marginalised sexualities: representation and resistance
- Gender, sexuality, and violence
- Technology and/as gender
- Representations of gender
- Gendered identities and experiences online
- Gender and inclusion
- Queer theory and culture
- Gendered experiences and futures
The Gender and Communication Section will be putting together a panel with the Emerging Scholars Network. If you are interested in this session, see the ESN CfP and submit your proposal according to the criteria of both GEN and ESN sections. Abstracts submitted to this joint session should include "GEN/ESN Joint Session" in the title.
Contributing to the conference: Lyon23 and OCP23
There will be two ways of joining IAMCR2023:
- If you are not able to or don’t want to join the face-to-face conference in Lyon but do want to submit an online-only paper, submit your abstract to OCP23 only. If accepted, you’ll later submit your full paper to the online platform, which will be open for discussion from 26 June to 5 July.
- If you do want to join the face-to-face event, submit your abstract to Lyon23 and OCP23. If accepted you’ll submit your paper to the online platform and present it at the face-to-face conference.
Guidelines for abstracts
Abstracts submitted to the Gender and Communication Section should have 300 to 500 words and must be submitted online here. Abstracts submitted by email will not be accepted.
The deadline to submit abstracts is 9 February 2022 at 23h59 UTC.
It is expected that authors will submit only one (1) abstract. However, under no circumstances should an author submit more than two abstracts as a single author or as the lead author of a co-authored paper and no author will submit more than one abstract to the Gender and Communication Section. The same abstract or another version with minor variations in title or content must not be submitted to more than one section or working group. Any such submissions will be deemed to be in breach of the conference guidelines and will be rejected.
Proposals are accepted for both single Papers and for Panels with several papers (in which you propose multiple papers that address a single theme). Proposals for panels can only be submitted to Lyon23 and OCP23. Panel submissions must include an abstract for each paper submitted here and a description & supplemental information submitted via this form on the conference website.
If your abstract is accepted, you will need to submit your full conference paper (up to 8,000 words), to be included in the programme.
Only registered conference participants may chair or moderate a panel discussion.
See important dates and deadlines to keep in mind
Evaluation criteria
Abstracts will generally be evaluated on the following criteria:
- Theoretical contribution
- Methods
- Quality of writing
- Literature review
- Relevance of the proposal to the work of the Section or Working Group
- Originality and/or significance
Languages
The Gender and Communication Section accepts abstracts and programme sessions in English, French, and Spanish. We sometimes consolidate Spanish/French presentations in special sessions. We encourage the presenters interested in scheduling their Spanish/French presentations in regular sessions to invite their bilingual colleagues to interpret their presentations in English.
If you wish to help in reviewing abstracts including those in French or Spanish, please contact the GEN Section Co-Chairs and Vice Chairs.
For further information about the Gender and Communication Section, or its themes, submissions and panels, please contact:
Co-Chairs: Wajiha Raza Rizvi (wajiharaza@fulbrightmail.org) and Carolina Matos (Carolina.Matos.1@city.ac.uk)
Vice Chairs: Patricia Nunez Gomez (pnunezgo@ccinf.ucm.es) and Faiza Rafique (faizarafique@uowdubai.ac.ae); (faizasrafique@gmail.com).
