[Air-L] Call for abstracts: DQComm2018 The Deliberative Quality of Communication Conference 2018

[C.H.]

Dear all,

As an update, please submit your abstract using this form instead.

https://www.mzes.uni-mannheim.de/DQComm2018/index.php/abstract-submission-form/

For details, please visit our website.
https://www.mzes.uni-mannheim.de/DQComm2018

Regards,
Chung-hong Chan



On Tue, May 8, 2018 at 8:37 AM, C.H. <chainsawtiney at gmail.com> wrote:
> Dear all,
>
> #DQComm2018 The Deliberative Quality of Communication Conference 2018
> Citizens, Media and Politics in Challenging Times: Perspectives on the
> Deliberative Quality of Communication
>
> November 8 – 9, 2018
> Mannheim Centre for European Social Research (MZES), Mannheim, Germany
>
> Keynote Speaker: Kaisa Herne (University of Tampere)
>
> Roundtable on the Future of Deliberation Research with:
> André Bächtiger (University of Stuttgart)
> Céline Colombo (University of Zürich)
> Christiane Eilders (University of Düsseldorf)
> Hartmut Wessler (University of Mannheim)
>
> Call for abstracts
>
> Western democracies nowadays face a number of challenges induced by
> political developments. These challenges have been affecting the way in
> which citizens, the media and political elites communicate about politics.
> Critical observers witness a deteriorating quality of political
> conversations between ordinary citizens. It appears no longer possible to
> discuss politics normally. A high-choice media environment facilitated by
> online and in particular social media enables citizens to refrain from
> exposing themselves to counter-attitudinal information and engaging in
> cross-cutting political talk. The polarization of opinions within society
> is promoted by increasingly fragmented media systems and a reporting style
> that favors sensational and scandalous over a balanced and multifaceted
> reporting. Rapid media cycles shorten time for balanced and thorough
> argumentation and media outlets are steadily confronted with the accusation
> of producing fake news. Political actors adapt to the media logic by
> employing ever more simplified and emotionally arousing communication.
> Instead of deliberating publicly on complex problems and finding
> compromises or solutions, political elites rather prefer to communicate
> through short soundbites and populist messages to promote their positions
> and eventually attract voters at election time. Overall, these dynamics
> indicate a deteriorating deliberative quality of political communication
> among and between citizens, the media and political elites. While this
> phenomenon has caused concern among scholars from both political and
> communication science, it still needs further empirical substantiation and
> demand a reflection on extant theories.
>
> This conference aims at addressing the deliberative quality of
> communication among and between citizens, media and political elites.
> Within this research context, we welcome both theoretical, empirical and
> methodological contributions focusing on the deliberative quality of
> communication. The proposals can address – but are not limited – to the
> following questions:
>
> * To which extent does ordinary citizens’ talk about politics come close to
> the genuine type of deliberation? Who participates in political talk, who
> does not and why? Do citizens talk to those with viewpoints that conflict
> with their own? What are the underlying motives and condition that give
> rise to homogenous or heterogeneous talk about politics? Which variables
> affect the quality of informal civic discussions? Do citizens’ daily
> exchanges resemble reasoned and well-argued debates or harsh fights at the
> expense of proper justification?
>
> * To which extent does the online sphere of political communication promote
> respectively impede deliberation? Are platform interventions (e.g.,
> Facebook’s proposed policy of removing hate speech and fake news) a panacea
> to improve the quality of online deliberation and to save deliberative
> democracy?
>
> * To which extent do different features of the media systems influence
> mediated deliberation? How does the increased polarization and
> fragmentation of media environments translate into the deliberative quality
> of the media? How deliberative is the media system as a whole? How
> deliberative are individual media types, formats, or programs?
>
> * How do political, national and cultural climates shape deliberation? To
> which extent do different types of the political system affect the
> deliberative quality within the public sphere? How does the increased
> polarization of the political environments affect formal deliberation? How
> do political elites engage with populist actors who decline to engage in
> reasoned and constructive dialogue?
>
> * Which opportunities and challenges do big data offer for the analysis of
> deliberation? What are the methodological challenges and pitfalls when
> measuring deliberation? To which extent, and if so how, may computational
> methods help in identifying the criteria for deliberation?
>
> Submissions are due by June 15, 2018 (23:59 CET) and must be submitted via
> this Google Form.
>
> https://goo.gl/forms/xazX7B2E9C64drhB3
>
> Abstracts must not be longer than 500 words (excluding title and
> references). A committee composed of communication and political science
> experts in deliberation will review each abstract. Only one proposal per
> first author can be accepted. Notifications of acceptance will be issued in
> July 2018. Limited funds are available to cover accommodation and travel
> expenses of conference presenters. In order to host a family-friendly
> conference, the parent and child room of the University of Mannheim can be
> used for self-provided childcare.
>
> Further questions, please visit the website
> http://mzes.uni-mannheim.de/DQComm2018/
>
> or contact the organizers directly: dqcomm2018 at mzes.uni-mannheim.de
>
> Christiane Grill, Anne Schäfer, Charlotte Löb and Chung-hong Chan
> Organizing Committee of The Deliberative Quality of Communication
> Conference 2018