[Air-L] Call for papers - Comparing Media Systems in the Iberian Peninsula

[Patrícia Dias da Silva]

Special issue of the International Journal of Iberian Studies (Intellect).

In the last years, comparative studies have quickly developed in the
field of communication studies. Specifically, the publication of
Hallin and Manciniís Comparing Media Systems has been a turning point
of cross-national research into the structure, politics and performing
of media systems. In this work, Spain and Portugal appear, alongside
other countries, under the umbrella of the Polarized Pluralist or
Mediterranean model. However, not all the literature agrees on these
similarities between Spain and Portugal. Equally, areas like those of
journalism, policies, texts and audiences, just to name a few, remain
largely unexplored from this comparative perspective.

The aim of this special issue is to stimulate the debate on
cross-national media research between Spain and Portugal. The Iberian
perspective on media studies is hardly developed. However, in the
context of increasing comparative research, it seems a logical step
forward. Among others, relevant questions include:
- Is there space for an Iberian dimension in Portuguese and Spanish
media systems?
- What are the difficulties faced by researchers when comparing the
Spanish and Portuguese media systems?
- Whatís the research agenda for an Iberian perspective on media
systems and its relation to political, economic or cultural systems?
- What is the theoretical and empirical justification for Iberian research?
- How do researchers interpret similarities and differences found when
studying both countries and media production, distribution and
consumption?
- Do media texts reflect the Iberian perspective? How do they reflect it?
- How the different languages spoken in the Iberian Peninsula affect
this Iberian dimension?
- Whatís the role of nations and regions within these systems and among them?
- Whatís the relationship and position of the Iberian media and
communication space with other systems in the context of
globalization?

To that end, possible topics include (but are not limited to):
journalism practices and cultures, structure of national broadcasting
systems, transborder texts, experiences and practices, audience
analysis, international communication, political communication,
communication and cultural policies, and media theory and sociology.

Cross-national studies will be privileged. Only articles written in
English will be sent out for review. Articles should be between 6,000
and 8,000 words including notes and references. The submission
guidelines can be downloaded from
http://www.intellectbooks.co.uk/MediaManager/File/IJIS%20Notes%20for%20Contributors.pdf.

The deadline for submissions is 20 September 2011. This special issue
will be published in 2012.

For further information and submissions, please contact the guest editors at:

David Fernandez-Quijada
Departament de Comunicacio Audiovisual i Publicitat I, Universitat
Autonoma de Barcelona
david.fernandez at uab.es

Jose Luis Garcia
Instituto de Ciencias Sociais, Universidade de Lisboa
jlgarcia at ics.ul.pt