IAMCR offers a range of awards and grants for authors of papers accepted for presentation at the 2026 conference. These include travel grants, the Herbert I. Schiller Memorial Award, and three thematic awards: for Urban Communication, Decolonising the Digital and the newly launched Reformulation of Media Production in a Global Context of Automation.
1.
The Urban Communication Award, offered in collaboration with the Urban Communication Foundation (UCF), will be offered to up to three outstanding papers that develop and explore innovative approaches to urban communication.
2.
The Decolonising the Digital Award, now in its second year, will be offered to outstanding papers that contribute to our understanding of the new global dynamics of digital politics, cultures, and infrastructures, with the aim of identifying modes of control and resistance, and ultimately, challenging digital colonialism.
3.
New in 2026, the Reformulation of Media Production in a Global Context of Automation Award will recognise outstanding academic work that advances our understanding of how automation reshapes media production practices worldwide.
4.
The Award in Memory of Herbert Schiller will be granted to graduate students and early-career scholars for work that combines scholarly excellence with a commitment to developing and extending the critical, innovative, and engaged spirit that characterised Herbert Schiller's own contribution to communications analysis. More information about the award will be posted in January.
The above awards require two-steps to apply:
- Step one is to submit an abstract to IAMCR 2026 by 3 February. Abstracts may be submitted to any section or working group.
- Step two is to submit a full paper by 31 March The final papers will be reviewed by selection committees and the winners will be notified at the beginning of May.
5.
A number of Travel Grants of up to USD 2,000 will be made available to early-career scholars and IAMCR office holders, who are members of IAMCR, reside in low and middle income countries and have papers accepted for presentation at the conference. More information about travel grants will be posted in January.
