An IAMCR pre-conference
Description
This pre-conference, organized in conjunction with the forthcoming Handbook of Journalism and Emotions (IAMCR/Wiley), seeks to address the growing global interest among media professionals and scholars in the relationship between journalism and emotion. Both the handbook and the event highlight a rapidly expanding body of research spanning disciplines, theoretical perspectives, and cultural contexts, emphasizing the central role emotions play in journalistic practice and audience engagement. Once considered incompatible with objectivity and impartiality (Orgeret, 2020), emotions are now recognized as fundamental to perception, understanding, and communication, shaping both news production and reception. This "emotional turn" in journalism studies (Wahl-Jorgensen, 2020) underscores their inevitable and constructive influence.
The pre-conference welcomes submissions from all media sectors—television, film, radio, print, and digital platforms. We encourage proposals that explore the role of emotions in journalism from sociological, historical, psychological, or professional perspectives, examining their impact on news conception, production, and reception. Production studies investigating how emotions shape journalistic decision-making and storytelling are also welcome. Additionally, we seek research on the use of emotion as a narrative tool, particularly how journalists’ emotional engagement influences reporting, source relationships, and audience connection. The event will also feature cutting-edge studies on audience responses to emotion in journalism across different media forms.
The pre-conference is a joint effort of two different sections of IAMCR: Audience Section (AUD) and Crisis, Security and Conflict Communication Working Group (CRI).
Location
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at the National University of Singapore.
Date and time
Sautrday 12 July, 2025
09h00 – 16h00
Participation and registration
Download the call for proposals
Researchers and professionals working on this topic—particularly contributors to the Handbook of Journalism and Emotions and members of AUD and CRI— are invited to submit proposals for inclusion in the sessions.
While attendees are welcome, priority will be given to presenters. Submissions will be reviewed based on academic quality, thematic relevance, and diversity, with efforts to encourage early career researchers’ participation.
Each accepted presentation must be delivered by at least one registered author who pays the 100 SGD (75 USD or 71 Euros) conference, which will primarily support organizational costs. Students and participants from low income countries might receive a fee grant or a reduced price based (50 SGD (37 USD or 35 Euros).
Convenors and organisers
- Maria T. Soto-Sanfiel, Associate Professor (Department of Communications and New Media), Principal Researcher (Centre for Trusted Internet and Community), National University of Singapore. Vice-chair of the Audience Section.
- Virpi Salojärvi, Assistant Professor in Digital Media, University of Vaasa, and Senior Researcher (Helsinki Hub on Emotions, Populism and Polarisation, HEPP), University of Helsinki. Chair of the Crisis, Security and Conflict Communication working group.
Contact
María T. Soto-Sanfiel, cnmmtss@nus.edu.sg (organizer)
Virpi Salojärvi, virpi.salojarvi@helsinki.fi (organizer)
Department of Communications and New Media
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
National University of Singapore
BLK AS6, #03-41. 11 Computing Drive. Singapore 117416.
cnmsec@nus.edu.sg
