Transforming Communication – Old and New Borders

The Political Communication Section of ECREA welcomes the submission of abstracts for presentation at the next Interim Conference to be held in Poznań on 12 to 13 September 2019. Local host will be Agnieszka Stępińska from the Faculty of Political Science and Journalism at Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Poland.

The organizers call for proposals in all sub-fields of political communication research but particularly invite conceptual, empirical, and methodological proposals on changes, shifts, and developments in political communication and their consequences. Experience of transformation in the Central and Eastern European countries as well as the current situation in other parts of Europe clearly stress the important role of communication in the fall of old borders as well as in creating new ones. Undoubtedly, communication was and still is used to overcome borders within and between countries in Europe (e.g., in the context of the peaceful revolution in East Germany and Roundtable negotiations in Poland in the past, or with regards to establishing and strengthening European integration and a European Public Sphere). The most recent digital transformation of the media has resulted in an environment where political actors, journalists, and citizens may easily and quickly disseminate messages across borders in order to achieve their goals. Undoubtedly, these new communication channels are often used to intensify communication accross borders, to solve problems and to fight for demoractic values. At the same time, however, communication is used to build new borders between (e.g., in the European debate on refugees) or within countries (e.g., when populist parties and politicians aim at mobilizing support for their goals at the expense of polarizing and dividing society). Communication clearly can cause problems when it is used to spread misinformation and hate speech or when it is used to discriminate against certain groups in society, thereby contributing to new borders.

How can the mechanisms of using political communication for building or tearing down borders be described theoretically and empirically, referring to examples from the present and the past? Which kinds of communicative tools and strategies do different political actors use to build or tear down borders? Which transnational, cross-border patterns of such forms of political communication do we find around the world? Which contextual conditions favor or hinder the use of political communication for building or tearing down borders? Which methods do we need to investigate questions like these?

The conference will feature both individual research papers and thematic panels. Paper submissions will be grouped in sessions of 4-5 papers by the conference program chair. A limited number of slots will be available for coherent panels where one topic is addressed in four to five presentations, followed by a respondent. Preference will be given to panels with presenters from diverse backgrounds and affiliations.

Submissions
Submissions should be sent by registration form no later than 15 February 2019. Submission deadline has been extended until 25 February 2019.
Paper submissions: Please include in the email (a) the title of your paper, (b) an abstract of no more than 400 words, and (c) names and affiliations of the authors.
Panel submissions: To submit a panel proposal, a 300 words rationale should be sent alongside a 150 words explanation per presentation (up to 5 presentations), as well as the names and affiliations of presenters.
Submission will undergo scholarly peer-review.
Only one proposal per first author can be accepted.
Notifications of acceptance will be issued at the earliest appropriate time.
Important dates
Submission deadline for individual presentations and panels: 25 February 2019
Notification of acceptance for all submissions: 15 April 2019
Registration for conference and payment deadline: 15 July 2019
Local Host
Agnieszka Stępińska (Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Poland)
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Section Management Team
Andreas Schuck (University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Chair)

Melanie Magin (Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway; Vice Chair)

Vaclav Stetka (Loughborough University, United Kingdom; Vice Chair)