Comic Art Working Group

Call for Proposals

The Comic Art (COA) Working Group invites the submission of abstracts for its 2027 conference, to be held from 18 to 22 July 2027 in São Paulo, Brazil, hosted by the School of Communications and Arts at the University of São Paulo (ECA/USP) in partnership with the Associação de Apoio à Arte e Comunicação (ARCO).

The deadline for submission is 12 February 2027 at 23:59 UTC.

Download this call for papers as a PDF file

Central theme

The 2027 central theme, Multilateralism, Democracy, Diversity: Communication for a More Just World, is a globally resonant and critically urgent call to action. It centers communication as the pivotal force in navigating three interconnected crises defining our contemporary moment: 1) the fraying of global governance, 2) the erosion of democratic institutions, and 3) the deepening of social fragmentation. By uniting these concepts, the theme invites a comprehensive, interdisciplinary inquiry into how media and technology either perpetuate global injustice or serve as instruments for building equitable systems.

The 2027, marking 70 years since the first IAMCR conference held in Paris in 1957, will serve as a platform to challenge hegemonies, prioritizing the decolonization of media studies and communication for social justice and create a truly inclusive space for global dialogue: a space that not only showcases the diversity and creativity of communication scholarship, but also strengthens collective capacities to imagine fairer, more sustainable, and democratic communicational futures.

Consult a detailed description of the main theme

COA focus and themes

For the Comic Art (COA) Working Group , this offers an exciting opportunity to explore how comics, cartoons, graphic narratives, animation and visual storytelling operate within, across, and against boundaries. How they transcend marginality through while shaping media and communication systems. And how they challenge climate change, migration, representation and digital inequalities, among others. A key issue to reflect on is how comic art can foster democracy and diversity, while shaping a more just world.

We invite submissions that investigate the peripheral and connective dimensions of comic art, its transformative capacity, and its contribution to understanding the complex networks of media and communication today. Works may address, but are not limited to, the following topics:

Peripheral voices and marginalised perspectives in comics and cartoons
Global networks and transnational flows of comic art
Comics as media of resistance, solidarity, and transformation
Decolonial and feminist readings of comic narratives
Hybridity and cultural translation in global comic practices
Comics and the reconfiguration of centre–periphery relations
Artificial intelligence (AI) and new technologies in comic creation and circulation
Comics in postcolonial and post digital contexts
Comics, visual storytelling, and digital inequalities
Indigenous, local, or community-based comic productions
Comics, gender, and intersectionality
Construction of identity through Comics
Political cartoons and activism across borders
The economics of the comic industry in a connected world
Comics and the ecology of visual media
Comics as educational or didactic tools
Comic and children consumption
Preservation and archiving of comic cultural heritage
Comics journalism and visual reportage
Webcomics, manga, anime, and emerging visual cultures
Hermeneutics, semiotics, and philosophy of comics

Academic and independent scholars are equally welcome to participate. The Comic Art Working Group encourages interdisciplinary, cross-cultural, and collaborative perspectives. Together, we aim to illuminate the many ways comic art connects people around the world and redefines media communication in our transforming world.

Guidelines for abstracts

The COA welcomes abstract proposals between 800 and 1000 words for papers in line with the conference and COA themes, and must be submitted through IAMCR's submission system from 9 December 2026 through 12 February 2027 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 co-author. Authors may not submit more than one abstract to any given section or working group nor may they submit the same abstract, or a version with minor variations in title or content, 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:

Technical merit
Readability
Originality and/or significance
Use of or contribution to theory
Depth of knowledge of the research, theory and/or literature related to the proposed topic as evidenced in the submission
Relevance to the working group and current trends or controversies in its field

Acceptance of proposals may also be conditioned by programme diversity and balance criteria.

Languages

The Comic Art Working Group accepts abstracts in English and Spanish. Researchers presenting in Spanish are required to prepare their presentation slides in English to facilitate discussion and engagement across audiences

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.

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.

Accepted papers must be presented in person by the authors designated as PRESENTING authors in the submission platform. For co-authored papers, at least one of the authors must attend and present the paper. Only authors or co-authors of an accepted paper are permitted to present it. If none of the authors is able to attend and present, the paper will be removed from the conference programme.

Deadlines and key dates

The deadline to submit proposals is 12 February 2027, at 23:59 UTC.

Other other key dates to keep in mind. Dates are subject to change.

About the Comic Art Working Group

Learn more about the work and scope of the Comic Art Working Group

To keep the dialogue flowing, please visit our group page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/iamcrcomicartwg

Contact the Working Group

For further information, please contact:

Chair

Iván Facundo Rubinstein (National Autonomous University of Mexico) - irubinstein@politicas.unam.mx

Vice-chairs

Shamala Ramappa (Central University of Tamil, India) - shamala.cuk@gmail.com
Levi Obonyo (Daystar University, Kenya) - lobonyo@daystar.ac.ke
Citlaly Aguilar Campos (Mexico) - citlaestrella@hotmail.com