[Air-L] Call for Papers: Strategies for Media Reform

[PHILIP M NAPOLI]

   Call for Papers

   Strategies for Media Reform: An International Workshop

   International Communication Association Pre-conference

   London - June 17, 2013


   Sponsored by: Philosophy, Theory and Critique division, Communication
   Law and Policy division, and Global Communication and Social Change
   division


   Hosted by: Department of Media and Communications, Goldsmiths,
   University of London and Coordinating Committee for Media Reform
   (CCMR).


   Supported by: Department of Communication, University of Illinois at
   Urbana-Champaign, Donald McGannon Communication Research Center,
   Fordham University, Global Media and Communication, Communication,
   Culture and Critique.


   Given the crises of accountability, accessibility, legitimacy and
   funding facing media systems across the world, there are currently
   unprecedented opportunities for media reform: for re-imagining,
   restructuring and reviving our means of communication in the public
   interest. In a whole range of countries, from Australia to Argentina
   and from China to the US, we are seeing campaigns--from the hyper-local
   to the national--to secure more democratic, responsive and
   representative media systems and forms of media coverage. The need to
   redistribute cultural resources on a more equitable and transparent
   basis is rapidly becoming associated with wider movements for social
   justice not just in opposition to concentrated ownership but also in
   resisting the corporate grab of the internet, supporting
   public-oriented journalism and pressing for more accountability and
   diversity in our media systems.


   This pre-conference will highlight efforts across a range of countries
   to build vibrant and viable media reform movements and offer all
   participants the chance to reflect on the strategies required to grow
   and sustain campaigns for media democracy.  It will attempt to gather
   together significant examples of theory, advocacy and activism and to
   answer some of the most familiar questions facing media reform
   activists such as:

   o              How do activists and academics generate interest in
   media reform?

   o              How do we build meaningful coalitions that can secure
   progressive change?

   o              What is the role of academics in generating research and
   providing support to media reform networks?

   o              What are the intellectual and political foundations of
   media reform?

   o              What are the common threads that link reform movements
   internationally?

   o              Is media reform enough? How do we link with other
   campaigns for social justice?


   Concrete outcomes of the pre-conference will include:

   o              Strengthening an emerging international network of media
   reform scholars;

   o              Mapping of common themes in terms of national, regional
   and global scope (e.g., cross-media ownership, digital freedom of
   expression);

   o              Ideas for collaborative and comparative research
   projects; and

   o              Potentially contributing chapters for an upcoming edited
   volume on Communication Research in Action: International Perspectives
   (working title, to be proposed for Fordham University Press).


   Call For Papers


   This pre-conference calls for contributions from scholars and activists
   reflecting on pressing concerns and complementary challenges facing
   media reform movements throughout the world. This could include:

   o              The use of social media to build reform movements

   o              Successes and challenges of movements for democratic
   media legislation

   o              Key principles and paradigms that underpin media reform
   campaigns

   o              How to prioritize media in wider movements for social
   justice

   o              How to resist the threat of unaccountable media power

   o              How best to theorize the democracy and activism that
   will empower media reformers

   o              How best to understand and apply historical battles for
   media democratization.


   Abstracts of 300 words (maximum) should be submitted no later than 30
   November 2012. Send abstracts to: Philip Napoli at
   [1]mcgctr at fordham.edu  Authors will be informed regarding
   acceptance/rejection for the pre-conference no later than December 20,
   2012. Full papers will need to be submitted no later than May 15, 2013.


   This pre-conference will be held at Goldsmiths, University of London,
   9.30-17:30 hrs, followed by a public rally in central London at 7pm for
   ICA and non-ICA delegates addressing key issues facing the
   international media reform movement.


   Cost: $30 (includes morning and afternoon refreshments and lunch).


   For informal queries, please contact Des Freedman,
   d.freedman at gold.ac.uk

References

   1. mailto:pnapoli at fordham.edu