IAMCR Webinar Series
The Political Economy Section will sponsor a webinar to launch the book Intersectionality, Political Economy, and Media, by Carolyn Byerly.
When: Tuesday 11 March, 2025 @16h00 UTC / 09h00 Los Angeles / 12h00 New York / 16h00 London / 17h00 Madrid / 19h00 Nairobi / 21h30 Kolkata. The event will last 1 hour.
Pre-registration is required by 9 March. Pre-register here.
The webinar will explain the logic of integrating feminist theory, critical race theory, and critical political economy theory in order to develop an “intersectional political economy of media" theory. The discussion will explain how the theory can be used to take an inclusive approach in studying media policy, technology, and labor issues today. Examples will be drawn from a number of nations, with an emphasis on the United States where most of the largest media conglomerates are headquartered.
The webinar will situate the phenomenon of corporate conglomerate in communication within a historical framework, showing how the process of conglomeration has accumulated capital in the hands of a small number of extremely powerful oligarchs who use their power to shape policy and to marginalize those who work for them and who consume their products. This power relationship must be understood using a gender, race, and class analysis, such as offered by an intersectional political economy theory of media.
It would be easy to take a theory such as this and use it to emphasize oppression by the rich and powerful. In fact, there is (and has long been) a dialectic of resistance, with respect to media relations. The discussion will highlight some of the ways that media workers and citizens have resisted and contested the power of media oligarchs.
The book author, Carolyn Byerly, and chapter contributors, Sholnn Z. Freeman and Micky Lee, will share highlights of the book. Q&A will follow for the author and contributors to address pressing issues that face the media today.
Sponsored by: IAMCR's Political Economy Section
Moderator: Mandy Tröger (Hanover University of Music, Drama and Media, Germany)
Speakers
Carolyn M. Byerly, PhD, Professor Emerita, Howard University.
Byerly, who received her doctorate at University of Washington, is a feminist political economist who studies gender, race and class in media industries, both in the United States and internationally. She is the author or editor of 6 books, including Women and Media: A Critical Introduction, The Palgrave Handbook on Women and Journalism, and Intersectionality, Political Economy and Media. She is the recipient of numerous awards, and is an ICA Fellow.
Sholnn Z. Freeman, PhD, instructor, Syracuse University – Washington DC Campus and Johns Hopkins University – Washington DC campus.
Freeman, who received his doctorate at Howard University, is a critical race scholar who specializes in international political economy, ethnocentrism, and racism in news media and popular culture. He is a former journalist with the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and Washington Post. In the last position, he served as a correspondent in Baghdad during the US-Iraq War. He is originally from Austin Texas.
Micky Lee, PhD, Professor of Media Studies, Associate Dean of Core Experience at the College of Arts and Sciences, Suffolk University, Boston.
Micky Lee has published more than ten books and over 40 journal articles, book chapters, and essays on feminist political economy; information, technology, and finance; and East Asian popular culture.
Registration
Pre-registration is required by 9 March. Pre-register here.
Location: The meeting will take place on Zoom. Pre-registered participants will receive personal invitations 24 hours before the webinar begins.
Who can participate: The webinar is open to all IAMCR members but space is restricted. A limited number of guest invitations for non-members may be available. Fill out this form to request being added to the guest list.
Not sure if you're a member? Check the membership directory.
If you are not a member of IAMCR, you can join here.
About the series
The IAMCR Webinar Series aims to open-up channels for engagement and participation in addition to the annual conference, while echoing the great work that is done by Sections, Working Groups and IAMCR members. The series includes presentations, debates, book and project launches. The format is flexible, the connection is what matters. Join us!