The Political Communication Research (POL) Section of the International Association for Media and Communication Research (IAMCR) invites the submission of proposals for papers and panels for IAMCR 2024, which will be held in Christchurch, New Zealand, from 30 June to 4 July 2024.
The deadline for submission is 7 February 2024, at 23h59 UTC.
See the CfPs of all sections and working groups
Theme
IAMCR conferences address many diverse topics defined by our 33 thematic sections and working groups. We also propose a single central theme to be explored throughout the conference with the aim of generating and exploring multiple perspectives. This is accomplished through plenary and special sessions, as well as in some of the sessions of the sections and working groups.
The 2024 central theme is Whiria te tāngata / Weaving people together: Communicative projects of decolonising, engaging, and listening.
Whiria te tāngata, weaving people together in English, is a Māori proverb (whakataukī) about the strength that comes through common purpose. The whakataukī highlights multiple issues that we invite conference participants to explore.
1. It invites analysis of commonality in mediated communication, given the weaker power of place-based mass media, the rise of algorithmic culture, the challenges of engaging with difference in multicultural contexts and the crises facing neoliberal globalisation.
2. The use of a Māori proverb also invites particular attention to analysis of indigenous communication and other attempts to challenge or rework colonial structures.
3. More broadly, the theme invites reflection on the terms and models appropriate to describe contemporary communication, including the political and moral goals embedded in them. It therefore also points to alternative ways of theorising or evaluating communication alongside dominant imaginaries such as the public, and of the colonial and gendered histories that are part of those imaginaries.
The Political Communication Research Section aims at bringing together state-of-the-art scholarship addressing (digitally) mediated communication and its intertwining with political actors, discourses, practices, and publics. Furthermore, the section encourages works that explore the political within cultural and artistic practices.
We invite cutting-edge, original submissions that broaden our theoretical and/or empirical understanding of a range of contemporary debates at the intersections of politics and communication.
The Political Communication Research Section is particularly interested in:
(1) Comparative research projects.
(2) Works from underrepresented regions and communities.
(3) Interdisciplinary approaches.
(4) Innovative methodological approaches.
(5) Papers that contribute to theory-building.
The range of approaches includes, but is not limited to:
- Communicating global challenges in times of crises
- Elections and political campaigning
- Communicating war, propaganda, anddiplomacy
- Authoritarian and illiberal movements across the globe
- Diversifying the field of political communication
- Underrepresented identities and actors in politics
- Disinformation campaigns and truth-making
- Digitally mediated political communication
- The datafication of political communication
- Rethinking populist communication
- Political communication and popular culture
- Political performances and aesthetics
- Protests, digital activism, and advocacy communication
- Polarization and mediated hate speech
- Communicating effect and emotions
- Audience engagement and political participation
Guidelines for abstracts
Abstracts are requested for papers to be presented in person at the conference in Christchurch. Abstracts submitted to the Political Communication Research Section should have between 300 and 500 words and must be submitted online here. Abstracts submitted by email will not be accepted.
The deadline to submit abstracts is 7 February 2024, at 23.59 UTC.
No more than one abstract can be submitted by one single author to the Political Communication Research Section.
Please also note that 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). Please note that there are special procedures for submitting panel proposals. If you are thinking of submitting a panel, please note that we encourage panels that take participants’ diversity into account.
See important dates and deadlines to keep in mind
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
- Relevance to the Section
Languages
The Political Communication Research Section accepts abstract submissions in English, Spanish and French. However, the short conference papers (1000-4000 words) should be written in English.
See resources for IAMCR conference preparation and participation
For further information about the Political Communication Research CfP, individual submissions, and panel sessions, please contact our team:
Chairs:
Yuan Zeng (University of Leeds, UK), y.zeng@leeds.ac.uk
Martin Echeverría (Autonomous University of Puebla, Mexico), martin.echeverria@correo.buap.mx
Vice Chairs:
Sara Garcia Santamaria (University of Bristol, UK), sara.garciasantamaria@bristol.ac.uk
Amélia Aben Athar Olinto Ramos (Fluminense Federal University, Brazil), ameliaab@hotmail.com
