Ethics of Society & Ethics of Communication Working Group

Call for Proposals

The Ethics of Society & Ethics of Communication (ETH) 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

ETH focus and themes

The Ethics of Society and Ethics of Communication Working Group welcomes abstracts that discuss any aspects related to the domain of ethics within the framework of the main topic and subthemes. We strongly encourage contributions that may be practical or theoretical in scope on issues relevant to all areas of communication and media studies. Researchers and practitioners working on the design or study of Codes of Ethics are also welcome, as are cross-sectoral proposals. Participants may present research on the following topics:

Reimagining Values and Media’s Role in Addressing Critical Challenges such as Climate Change, Migration, Representation, and Digital Inequalities
Media Responsibility in the Age of Techfascism: States, Big Tech and Far-Right Digital Cultures
Epistemic Justice, Ethical Pluralism and Global South Perspectives
Folk communication, Popular Cultures and the Recognition of Marginalized Voices
Independence and the Public Interest in Public-Service Media
Truthfulness and Transparency in Robotic Journalism and GEO (Generative Engine Optimization)
Social Media: Digital Citizenship and the Protection of the Public Sphere and of Privacy
Human–AI Relationships, Anthropomorphism and Ethical Agency
Free Culture, Hacker Ethics and the Democratization of Digital Infrastructures
Dignity at Work in Media and Communication Industries: Precariousness, Labour Rights and Social Protection
Women’s Voices and Gender Equality in Media and Communication Ethics
Data Justice in Media and Communication: Colonial Extraction, Data Sovereignty and Digital Commons
The Ethics of Dialogue and Social Cohesion: Polarization, Constructive and Solutions Journalism
The Ethics of Persuasion: Responsibility, Transparency and the Limits of Manipulation in Communication
Accountability in the Algorithmic Governance of Communication: Democratic Legitimacy and Public Oversight
Equity and Care in Health Communication: E-Health, Digital Rights and Health Inequalities
Public Interest and Digital Autonomy in Communication Infrastructure: Standards, Sovereignty and Global Cooperation
Critical Media Literacy and Educommunication for Democratic Participation
New Theoretical, Methodological and Interdisciplinary Approaches to Communication Ethics
Etc.

Note that this list is only a suggestion. Not all submissions have to address the central theme.

Guidelines for abstracts

Abstracts must be submitted exclusively through IAMCR’s submission system from November 2026 through 12 February 2027, at 23.59 UTC. Abstracts should be between 500 and 1000 words including references (preferably in APA 7^thstyle). 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.

Proposals are accepted for both single papers and for panels with several papers (in which a group of colleagues propose multiple papers that address a single theme). Please note that there are special procedures for submitting panel proposals. You can find the detailed procedures when submitting your abstract online in the abstract submission system.

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 Ethics of Society and Ethics of Communication Working Group welcomes abstracts, panel proposals, and full papers in English, Spanish, Portuguese, and French. If you plan to present your research in either of the two official IAMCR languages (French and Spanish), or in Portuguese, please prepare your presentation slides in English. This will help ensure that a wider audience can understand your contribution and participate in the discussion.

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 Ethics of Society & Ethics of Communication Working Group

Learn more about the work and scope of the Ethics of Society & Ethics of Communication Working Group

Contact the Working Group

If you are a young researcher and need support do not hesitate to contact the WG Heads or our delegate for ETH WG Young Researchers Network, Ben-Hur Demeneck, b.demeneck@gmail.com

For further information about the Ethics of Society and Ethics of Communication Working Group, CfP, its themes, submissions, and panels, please contact:

Chair: Yanick Farmer, farmer.yanick@uqam.ca
Vice-Chair: Marta Martin Llaguno, marta.martin@gcloud.ua.es
Vice-Chair: Ben-Hur Demeneck, b.demeneck@gmail.com