[Air-L] Call for Feature Topic Proposals – Media International Australia

[Crystal Abidin]

Dear AoIR crew,
I hope you are all keeping well. Please see below a call for Feature Topic
proposals for *Media International Australia. *For any queries or EOIs,
please write to me via my Curtin email crystal.abidin[at]curtin.edu.au. URL
version of the text below is here: https://t.co/r50QdYm5DU
Many thanks!
Professor Crystal Abidin
Editor, Media International Australia

//

MEDIA INTERNATIONAL AUSTRALIA
Expression of Interest for Feature Topic Proposals, released Q1 2023

INTRODUCTION
Media International Australia (MIA) publishes four issues a year, with one
issue reserved for a selection of papers from the annual ANZCA conference,
reflecting the important partnership between the journal and Australia and
New Zealand’s premier academic organisation for media and communications.
In each of the other three annual issues, as well as individually submitted
work of the highest standard, MIA also normally publishes a guest-edited
Feature Topic: a coherent themed collection of five to six articles, plus a
scholarly introduction, devoted to a specific, important issue
in contemporary media and communications research.

THE FEATURE TOPIC
A feature topic makes a significant contribution to international
scholarship, advancing our knowledge of media and communications, by
bringing a clear focus onto a specific set of questions and issues in the
field. A feature topic is a partnership between the journal’s editor and
the guest editorial team. It involves publication of the very best
selection of papers proposed by researchers in response to an international
call for contributions, following anonymous peer-review. Guest editors play
a vital role in careful curation and development of the collection, so it
represents both a series of individual voices, and a group of scholars
speaking together. The editorial introduction is itself an academic
contribution to the field and may be submitted for peer review. MIA
particularly welcomes topics that give voice to emerging issues and
perspectives on the changing socio-technological order of global media and
communications, and which positively encourage diverse perspectives.

Additional articles are also published in each issue, kept clearly distinct
from the feature topic. MIA is responsible for deciding which additional
articles are published in each issue. Where possible the individual
articles chosen will have different themes than those in the feature topic,
ensuring clear
differentiation between the feature topic and other articles. MIA is
committed to Online First publication: while each topic will be published
in print and online at the appropriate date for the issue, feature topic
articles (excepting the introduction) will be published online as soon as
they are finalised for production. In exceptional circumstances, MIA may
agree to hold back articles, so they only appear when the issue itself is
published.

PROPOSALS
There is an open call for guest editorial teams to propose feature topics
for the journal. Proposals are first discussed with MIA’s Editor, and then
presented to the MIA Executive Board for comment and approval. It is not
unusual for proposals to be amended and resubmitted based on the Executive
Board’s comments. We expect decisions to be made within four weeks. We
request the following format be used in making a proposal:

Proposal (Two pages maximum)
This proposal needs to include:
- Title of the topic
- A summary of the editorial team including relevant expertise / experience
- A summary of the topic’s theme, and any inherent arguments the collection
seeks to make
- A brief argument as to the benefit and timeliness of publishing on this
theme
- A brief argument as to the theme’s alignment with the overall aims and
scope of MIA
- Indicative list of referees — 6-8 people you expect to approach to do 2-3
reviews each

Call for Papers (One page maximum)
The draft CFP (for publication once approved) needs to include:
- Title of the topic
- Summary of the CFP (two sentences — suitable for social media and a stub
on MIA website)
- The main CFP — which likely includes elements also in the proposal
- Editor names, affiliations, contact details, etc

Exact dates and technical details (such as distribution of the CFP, email
address for submission) do
not need to be included in the proposal and can be arranged after approval.

The following timeline can guide your planning, once a proposal is approved:
- Allow six months from release of CFP to submission of papers, following
an initial selection from abstracts
- Allow six months for peer review, revisions, and any development after
further review and completion of introduction.
- Have production-ready content available to the publishers six months
prior to the issue date.
Please note that as at Q1 2023, MIA has approved feature topics through
until end-2024. The next available issue will be Q1 2025.

In most cases, issues proceed smoothly and are often completed ahead of
time (with papers appearing online first). The 18-month timeline ensures
unexpected complications can still be managed without running over time.

Occasionally, feature topics can be arranged to publish the best work
presented at conferences and symposia. MIA’s Editor can advise further on
how to align such events with MIA’s expectations noting that it would be
expected that the proposal is approved before the event is held. All
manuscripts will still undergo MIA’s anonymous peer review process.

KEY EXPECTATIONS OF GUEST EDITORS
Once approved by the MIA Executive Board, and in consultation with the
Editor, each feature topic will usually involve the following steps which
need to be overseen at all stages by the guest editors:
1. An international open call for contributions on the theme, with
abstracts submitted directly to the guest editors for assessment and, if
need be, further development.
2. Selection by the editors of the most suitable abstracts to proceed for
full paper submission, with selection reflecting both the inherent quality
of the proposal and its fit with the scholarly direction the editors wish
to take.
3. Submission by invited participants of their full papers via MIA’s
Manuscript Central (Scholar One) site.
4. Anonymous peer-reviewing of papers and further development of them based
on the outcomes of the review, led by the guest editors (including where
appropriate further review of revised papers): this work is done within
Scholar One with oversight from the Journal Editor.
5. Final acceptance of papers for inclusion and submission of the proposed
introduction (where appropriate) for peer review.

Manuscripts should be between 5,000-8,000 words in length (including notes,
references, accompanying reference list, and all other inclusions). The
total word count for the feature topic collection should be no more than
50,000 words.

Please note that feature topic editors need to ensure that enough papers
are selected, submitted and completed that the feature topic contains an
appropriate number of articles (at least five). Given that some papers may
be rejected after reviewing, or diverge from the intended topic, or are
not finished by their authors in time, we occasionally end up having to cut
one or two articles even after they have been reviewed. Editors should be
careful to make clear that articles are not guaranteed publication. Editors
may wish to have a ‘reserve list’ of one or two papers. Where appropriate
the journal may select any articles not included in the feature topic but
of sufficient quality for later publication, but this is not guaranteed.

The following expectations are worth bearing in mind:
● Editors will be assisted by MIA in publicising their calls for papers but
are expected to take the lead in ensuring a wide distribution of the
proposal once approved and active encouragement of scholars from diverse
backgrounds to submit work.
● The responsibility for arranging all reviewing rests with the feature
topic editors, assisted by the MIA Editor. Peer reviewers are to be
independent of the editorial team and authors, with editors able to act as
a final reviewer if required when reviews conflict
● While MIA reserves the right to make a final decision against publication
of a proposed article, feature topic editors are largely responsible for
the quality of the work published and should exercise leadership in this
regard.
● We ask feature topic editors to be conscious of their active role in
promoting diversity and inclusion throughout the process of completing the
work, including authors and reviewers.

FURTHER INFORMATION
For any assistance contact the MIA Editor, Professor Crystal Abidin,
crystal.abidin[at]curtin.edu.au

------------------------------------

Professor Crystal Abidin, PhD
wishcrys.com | Publications <https://wishcrys.com/academic-publications/>

ARC DECRA Fellow, Internet Studies, Curtin University
Director, Influencer Ethnography Research Lab

Deputy Director, Korea Research Centre

Associate Investigator, Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child

Founder, TikTok Cultures Research Network

Programme Lead of Social Media Pop Cultures, Centre for Culture and
Technology

Editor, Media International Australia

WA Young Tall Poppy / The Australian Top 40 Early Career Researchers / ABC
Top 5 / Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia / Pacific Standard 30 Under 30