European Communication Research and Education Association
October 15-17, 2025
Madrid and Salamanca (Spain)
Deadline (EXTENDED): August 20, 2025
ECREA CYM Mid-Term Conference
Children’s play is undergoing a profound transformation in a world increasingly shaped by algorithmic infrastructures. No longer confined to physical spaces or open-ended exploration, today’s play journeys are routed through opaque recommendation systems that curate stories, games, and peers according to commercial logic. What once fostered imagination and serendipity is now entangled in platforms that gamify interactions, influence tastes, and weave childhood experience into data-driven ecosystems.
At the heart of this transformation lies the architecture of algorithmic infrastructures. Research with young users shows how platforms like TikTok or YouTube Kids not only mediate choices but actively shape habits, preferences, and social bonds. Feeds become curated playgrounds where children’s agency is subtly engineered—reflecting not neutrality, but corporate interests.
Compounding this, we confront the datafication of childhood. Connected toys, wearables, and apps turn children into both data subjects and profitable data sources. Echoing Shoshana Zuboff’s concept of surveillance capitalism, children’s playful interactions now feed predictive analytics systems that anticipate and monetize their desires, reinforcing asymmetries of power and diminishing spaces for genuine, autonomous play.
Meanwhile, gamification strategies—such as points, badges, and infinite scroll designs—blur the lines between play, work, and consumption. Although they boost engagement, they also risk creating compulsive loops and fostering exploitative forms of participation, raising urgent ethical concerns around persuasive and addictive technologies.
In parallel, algorithmic personalization fosters polarization rather than just entertainment. Personalized feeds often create “echo chambers” that isolate children in homogeneous bubbles of opinion and taste. Surveys across Europe and North America show increasing parental concern about how these dynamics challenge civic dialogue, empathy, and coexistence, leading regulatory bodies like Ofcom to recommend interventions to mitigate divisive content exposure.
This algorithmic environment also heightens risks of exposure to hate, misogyny, and bias. Empirical studies reveal how quickly recommendation systems can escalate from benign content to extreme narratives, amplifying harmful discourses among adolescents. Simultaneously, the automated systems designed to moderate hate speech often replicate biases of race and gender, creating a double bind where marginalized voices are silenced even as harms proliferate.
The impact on mental health and privacy is equally profound. Teenagers themselves report links between heavy social-media use and challenges such as sleep disruption, anxiety, and declining self-esteem. Efforts by schools and parents to monitor and mitigate these risks—often through AI surveillance tools—introduce further tensions, raising fresh questions about trust, autonomy, and digital rights in educational and domestic spaces.
In response to these complex challenges, scholars call for a shift towards critical algorithmic literacy and reparative digital design. Instead of merely protecting young users through surveillance or restrictions, participatory approaches aim to empower them to interrogate and reshape the very infrastructures that mediate their digital lives. Such frameworks advocate for inclusive, plural, and rights-respecting online spaces that children and youth can co-create alongside educators, caregivers, designers, and policymakers.
This mid-term conference invites contributions that engage with these intertwined issues—algorithmic infrastructures, datafication, gamification, polarization, hate, mental health, critical literacy, and participatory design. We seek to foster a rich, interdisciplinary dialogue that advances our understanding of how play, pleasure, and participation are being fundamentally reconfigured under algorithmic conditions. We welcome submissions from scholars, educators, activists, designers, and practitioners working across media studies, childhood and youth studies, education, digital culture, AI, and ethics.
Key Topics (include but are not limited to):
Format and Participation
This CYM Mid-Term Conference 2025 will take place over three consecutive days, each with a distinct thematic and structural focus.
On 15 October, the event will open at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid with a day centered on youth participation and industry-academia dialogue. This first day aims to foreground the voices of children and to explore the intersections between research, media practice and policy through collaborative sessions and a special roundtable.
On 16 October, hosted at Universidad Villanueva (Madrid), the conference will feature the core parallel paper sessions, alongside two keynote lectures and an expert roundtable discussion on artificial intelligence and children’s media use. This central academic day will highlight critical perspectives on digital infrastructures, algorithmic mediation and well-being.
Finally, on 17 October, a Doctoral Colloquium will be held at Universidad de Salamanca, exclusively dedicated to PhD students working on topics related to children, youth and media in digital environments. This session offers a supportive space for doctoral researchers to present their research projects, conceptual frameworks, and methodological approaches, whether they are in early or advanced stages of development. Each participant will receive constructive feedback from senior scholars in the field, as well as input from peers, with the aim of strengthening their academic work and expanding their research networks. The colloquium is designed to foster dialogue, mentoring and scholarly exchange, and to provide visibility for emerging voices within the CYM and ECREA communities.
This conference prioritizes in-person participation. All accepted presentations will be delivered onsite, fostering direct interaction, collaboration and networking. However, the Doctoral Colloquium on 17 October will exceptionally offer a hybrid participation option for PhD students, allowing for remote presentations in justified cases.
Submission Guidelines
Please submit an abstract of 300–400 words, clearly stating:
For the Doctoral Colloquium taking place on October 17, participants are invited to submit 300-400 words text clearly stating:
Submissions must be in English. Authors can only submit 2 proposals as first author.
Abstracts must be submitted exclusively via the following form:
https://forms.gle/kCMiFVbZ3eyAyvqAA
Submissions sent by email will not be considered.
Notification of acceptance: July 29th, 2025/ September 10th, 2025
For any questions related to this call or the submission process, please write to us at: ecrea.cym.2025.madsal@gmail.com
Organizers
This conference is a Mid-Term Conference of the Children, Youth and Media (CYM) Section of ECREA, supported by Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Universidad Villanueva and CÁTEDRA RTVE USAL (Universidad de Salamanca).
Chairs:
Organizing Team:
Scientific Committee
This CYM Mid-Term Conference 2025 is supported by a diverse and interdisciplinary Scientific Committee, composed of international scholars and experts in the fields of media, communication, childhood and youth studies and digital culture.
Fees (registration September 30th)
15, 16, 17 of October 2025
*Junior Scholars (PhDs, early career up to a year after finishing their PhD)
October 17-19, 2025
Cairo, Egypt
Deadline: July 20, 2025
In today’s high velocity digital media markets and accelerating AI revolution, competence in management and leadership are critical success factors. It is especially important to develop mastery in leveraging creativity as a strategic resource for strengthening competitive advantages in company processes, products, market relationships, and business models. The complexity of digital disruption makes innovation and creativity a necessity for long-term sustainability. Company success requires competencies in emerging digital technologies and fostering organizational cultures that encourage experimentation, agility and respect for ethical responsibilities. Strategic managers are challenged with demands to rethink orientations, practices, and structures, to redesign business models, and to boost productivity by improving efficiencies that can be gained by harnessing AI technologies. Doing so raises ethical and legal issues pertaining to intellectual property rights and managing human creativity.
The International Media Management Academic Association (IMMAA) invites submissions for its 19th Annual Conference, hosted by The American University in Cairo (AUC), October 17–19, 2025. Join global scholars and industry leaders to explore “Managing Innovation and Creativity for Sustainability in Media Companies” in the dynamic setting of Cairo, Egypt. Read full call for papers here (www.immaaegypt.com)
KEY THEMES
Topics include (but are not limited to):
IMPORTANT DATES
Keynote Speakers:
Charlie Becket: Director of Polis and the Polis/LSE JournalismAI project, London School of Economics;
Edson Tandoc: Associate Chair, Research and Strategy; Professor, Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
Noha Mellor: Media Professor at the University of Sharjah, UAE.
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
Papers: Extended abstracts (750–1,000 words) outlining focus, methods, and relevance to media management.
Panels: 300-word proposal + 300-word abstracts per presentation + panelist bios.
Submit via email to: immaaegypt2025@aucegypt.edu (Double-blind peer-reviewed).
REGISTRATION FEES
Early registration:
Late registration:
Discounted rates for global participation. Full details on conference website.
WHY ATTEND?
LINKS & CONTACT
Join us to advance media management scholarship amid Cairo’s historic wonders!
Journal of Media Business Studies (Special Issue)
Submission Deadline: October 24, 2025
Guest Editor: Eylem Yanardagoglu, Macromedia University
Inspired by the European Media Management Association’s (EMMA) “emmahub workshop” held in Berlin (November 13-15, 2024), this special issue in the Journal of Media Business Studies addresses the intersection of media management and migration.
Diasporic communities, defined as groups of individuals who maintain cultural, social, or emotional ties to their country of origin while living abroad, present unique opportunities and challenges for the media industry. Despite their growing presence in Europe’s diversifying societies, the media needs of these communities are often inadequately addressed: they typically remain underrepresented or misrepresented in mainstream media coverage, and their specific interests are often not catered to. However, diasporic audiences also contribute significantly to media innovation through their entrepreneurial efforts to develop media offerings targeting their needs and fostering integration into their host societies. They also contribute to diverse consumption patterns.
This special issue aims to improve academic understanding and inform industry practice by focusing on the economic conditions and managerial as well as business consequences of effectively serving and representing diasporic communities. It will explore the creative and economic potential tapped by new media entrepreneurs, content creators, and established media companies from both the countries of origin and the host countries.
Scope and Possible Topics:
This special issue invites submissions that examine topics such as:
Submission Guidelines:
Expected Contributions:
This special issue aims to:
Contact:
For any inquiries regarding the special issue, please contact the special issue editor Eylem Yanardagoglu (e.yanardagoglu@macromedia.de) or the editor-in-chief Leona Achtenhagen (acle@ju.se).
NB: No payment from the authors will be required.
Polis (Special Issue)
Deadline: September 1, 2025
In recent years, the international landscape has been shaken by profound and rapid transformations: the war in Ukraine, the erosion of the US-led global order, increasing tensions within in transatlantic relations, and the proliferation of systemic challenges — Including climate change, energy crises, migration, digital disruptions — are reshaping the foundations of global governance. In this evolving scenario, the European Union (EU) is facing a critical political and institutional juncture, one that may mark a turning point in its historical evolution. These dynamics are testing the EU’s capacity to adapt, respond, and redefine its role on the global stage, while also prompting introspection about its internal cohesion, democratic legitimacy, and long-term strategic direction.
Beyond these institutional and international developments, social transformations, public opinion and media representations are also playing an increasingly central role. European citizens are responding in complex and sometimes contradictory ways: while many call for greater EU sovereignty and protection, others express growing mistrust towards supranational institutions and elites, oftentimes supporting Eurosceptic political parties. At the same time, profound social transformations are shaping the ways in which European societies perceive and engage with the idea of the EU. Changing social identities, shifting values, and new forms of collective action are central to understanding how legitimacy, belonging, and solidarity are constructed and contested. From everyday practices to broader public discourses, individuals and groups negotiate their relationship to European institutions through experiences marked by inequality, cultural tension, and symbolic recognition. These dynamics, which reflect deeper social structures and power relations, contribute to the polarization of attitudes but also open spaces for the emergence of new imaginaries of unity, resilience, and common purpose.
This ‘new political moment’ calls for a collective and multidisciplinary reflection on the EU’s capacity for reinvention, both internally and in its external projection. We thus invite empirical contributions that explore these developments and their implications for the EU.
The special issue aims to bring together emerging and innovative research that reflects on the EU’s capacity to reinvention in the face of shifting geopolitical dynamics and complex internal challenges. We encourage contributions that adopt interdisciplinary approaches, drawing from sociology, political science, international relations, economics, and other related disciplines.
We welcome empirical articles that critically examine the implications of recent global and regional transformations for the EU. Contributions may focus on, but are not limited to, the following themes:
Assessment of ongoing and proposed institutional reforms (e.g., ending unanimity, strengthening the European parliament, expanding shared competences, etc.) and the tensions between supranational integration and national sovereignty. What modes of governance can best meet the demand for democratic legitimacy and policy effectiveness? How are different member states positioning themselves in the debate on EU reform? What role do crises and external pressures play in accelerating or hindering institutional change?
Exploration of EU strategies in a multipolar world: strategic autonomy, common defense, relations with the US, China, Russia, and the Global South. What future lies ahead for the EU as a geopolitical actor amid conflicts, regionalization or deglobalization, and global competition? How do internal divisions and external pressures shape its ability to act coherently on the global stage? How is the EU navigating its pursuit of strategic autonomy, the development of common defense capabilities, and its evolving relationships with key global actors — including the United States, China, Russia, and the countries of the Global South?
Evaluation of major EU policies (e.g., NextGenerationEU, Green Deal and energy strategies) and their effects on territorial cohesion and multi-level coordination between EU institutions, member states, and regional authorities. How is European governance evolving to cope with complex and interrelated crises? What tensions or innovations are emerging in the interplay between national prerogatives and supranational priorities?
The digital revolution — encompassing the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) and the broader digital transformation of societies and economies — represents a critical and complex dimension change. The role of the EU in shaping digital governance, including regulatory frameworks for data, platforms, AI, and emerging technologies. However, this transformation also risks deepening digital inequalities — between regions, generations, and social groups — if not guided by inclusive and human-centric policies. How does digitalization affect European sovereignty, competitiveness, and democracy?
Analysis of how EU institutions communicate and legitimize their policies and actions, both within the Union and on the global stage. What narratives are being promoted in response to global challenges? How is the EU’s role conveyed to citizens and international partners? To what extent are institutional communication strategies effective in fostering public engagement, countering disinformation, and strengthening the EU’s international visibility and credibility?
Investigation of changes in European public opinion: trust in institutions, European identity, support for integration, attitudes toward sovereignty, security and solidarity. How have recent crises shaped citizens’ connection to the European project? What divides and convergences emerge across member states, generations, or political orientations? What implications does this have for democratic legitimacy and participation?
Research on how the EU is portrayed in legacy and digital media, political discourse, and popular culture is particularly welcome. What images of Europe circulate in the public sphere, and how do they influence perceptions of the EU and its legitimacy? What role do social media platforms, algorithms, and influencers play in shaping attitudes toward the EU? Special attention may also be given to the imaginaries produced through entertainment media—such as television series, films, and online content—which increasingly contribute to the construction of narratives around European identity, solidarity, and geopolitical power. How do these media narratives reflect, reinforce, or contest dominant visions of Europe and its role in the world?
Submission guidelines/instructions Abstract submission instruction
Authors are encouraged to submit the title and an abstract of their planned article by September 1, 2025. The abstract (which can be written in English or Italian) should be 600 words (references excluded) and should include: aims/research questions, methodology, findings, main contribution, and a short statement of how the submission is related to this call for papers.
Please submit the title and long abstract by email to the guest editors (Marco Valbruzzi marco.valbruzzi@unina.it; Cecilia Manzo cecilia.manzo@unicatt.it; polis@cattaneo.org) with the subject line: “Special Issue Polis abstract”.
Submission instruction
The editors, with editorial board, will review the submission and invite the selected authors to submit a final manuscript. Final manuscripts will undergo the usual double-blind peer-review process.
Please refer to the Author Guidelines of Polis to prepare your manuscript: https://www.rivisteweb.it/issn/1120-9488/informazioni#come-si-sottopone
Timeline
Deadline to submit long abstracts: September 1, 2025 Abstract acceptance notification: September 22, 2025
Submission deadline of final manuscripts: February 28, 2026 Expected publication date: July 2026 (Polis 2/2026)
Guest Editors
Marco Valbruzzi, University of Naples Federico II, marco.valbruzzi@unina.it Cecilia Manzo, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, cecilia.manzo@unicatt.it
Polis: https://www.cattaneo.org/pubblicazioni/polis/
Cfp: https://www.mulino.it/riviste/a/issn/1120-9488/newsitem/442
November 3-7, 2025
Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic
Deadline: July 31, 2025
https://culcorc.fsv.cuni.cz/phd-course-on-discourse-theory/
We have reopened the call for applications to the Prague PhD Course on Discourse Studies and Method. A limited number of spots are still available, and the new application deadline is 31 July 2025.
Course coordinator and leader: Nico Carpentier
Course credits: 5 credits
Course location: Centrum Voršilská, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
Dates: 03 - 07 November 2025
Contact person: Mazlum Kemal Dagdelen
COURSE BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE
The course aims to discuss two methods in the field of discourse studies: Discourse-theoretical analysis (DTA) and Discursive-material analysis (DMA). Both are grounded in so-called high theory, with discourse theory as its main starting point, but with elements of actor-network theory and new materialism. This course will start with an introduction to these theoretical models but will then move on to their analytical deployment in communication and media studies research.
Special attention will be spent on the creation of a theory-grounded analytical model to guide the research. Apart from attending lectures, participants will be expected to participate in both theoretical and research-driven workshops.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
On completion of this course, successful students will be able to:
TEACHING AND EVALUATION
The one-week course will be organised in 10 teaching slots, combining lectures and workshops. These workshops are partially theoretical (presenting an article or chapter) and partially research-driven (presenting an analytical model).
A certificate (with a grade “Pass”) is given after 1) attendance of a minimum of 8 meetings, 2) a working group theoretical presentation, and 3) an individual case study presentation.
AVAILABLE PARTICIPANT SLOTS AND COSTS
A total of 20 participant slots are available. Following the first round of applications, only a limited number of places remain.
Participants are required to pay for their travel and accommodation costs, and all other expenses.
APPLICATION AND REGISTRATION
To apply to this course, the following three documents have to be submitted:
Please use the form on the CULCORC website to submit your application. If you need assistance regarding registration, please get in touch with Mazlum Kemal Dağdelen, mazlum.dagdelen@fsv.cuni.cz
The new deadline for the application submission is 31 July 2025. The accepted applicants will receive further details for registration and payment in due time.
COURSE READINGS
Main reading:
Carpentier, Nico (2017). The Discursive-Material Knot: Cyprus in Conflict and Community Media Participation. New York: Peter Lang.
Secondary readings:
Butler, Judith (1993). Bodies that matter. On the discursive limits of 'sex'. New York, London: Routledge.
Dolphijn, Rick, van der Tuin, Iris (2012). New materialism: Interviews and cartographies. Ann Arbor: Open Humanities Press.
Glynos, Jason, Howarth, David (2007). Logics of critical explanation in social and political theory. London and New York: Routledge.
Howarth, David (2000). Discourse. Buckingham, Philadelphia: Open University Press.
Howarth, David (2012). "Hegemony, political subjectivity, and radical democracy", in Simon Critchley and Oliver Marchart (eds.) Laclau: A critical reader. London: Routledge, pp. 256-276.
Howarth, David, Stavrakakis, Yannis (2000). “Introducing discourse theory and political analysis”, in David Howarth, Aletta J. Norval and Yannis Stavrakakis (eds.) Discourse theory and political analysis. Manchester: Manchester University Press, pp. 1-23.
Laclau, Ernesto, Mouffe, Chantal (1985). Hegemony and Socialist Strategy: Towards a Radical Democratic Politics. London: Verso.
Latour, Bruno (2005). Reassembling the social. An introduction to Actor-network theory. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Mouffe, Chantal (2005). On the Political. London: Routledge.
Philips, Louise, Jørgensen, Marianne W. (2002). Discourse Analysis as Theory and Method. London: Sage.
Spivak, Gayatri Chakravorty (1988). "Can the subaltern speak?", in Cary Nelson and Lawrence Grossberg (eds.) Marxism and the Interpretation of Culture. Urbana and Chicago: University of Illinois Press, pp. 271-313.
Torfing, Jacob (1999). New Theories of Discourse: Laclau, Mouffe, and Zizek. Oxford: Blackwell
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September 9, 2025
The University of Sheffield
Deadline (EXTENDED): July 27, 2025
Online presentations are also accepted.
R. Murray Schafer said that “the sense of hearing cannot be closed off at will. There are no earlids. When we go to sleep, our perception of sound is the last door to close and it is also the first to open when we awaken” (Schafer, 1977, p. 11). The experience of “Thinking through sound” is not only a sensory experience but also its a phenomenon that shapes how we perceive the society and the world, and make meaning of life. This notion also intersects with different fields: media, philosophy, cultural studies, gender, acoustic ecology, musicology, audio accessibility, urban sounds, artificial intelligence, among others. But what is the conception of thinking through sound in the different areas of studies? Sound manifests itself in various formats and shapes across different times and spaces. How can we think through sound in both everyday life and broader societal issues? How can we think our research through sound -even if sound is not the center of the research? In what ways does sound contribute to other disciplines and vice versa? How can sound shape our methodologies? Can sound play a role in how we reflect on and within our research practices? Can sound play a role in revealing the archive of resistances, tracing the history and building identity? Keeping this in mind, how can sound be used as a tool in research? These questions are an invitation to explore the multiplicity of sound—as medium, metaphor, method, and memory. We are inviting paper abstracts, proposals that revolve around, but not limited to, the following areas:
Deadline for Abstracts (EXTENDED): July 27, 2025
Format: 300-500 word abstract
Include: Name, institutional affiliation, short bio (max 100 words), and indication if you prefer to present online or in person
Submit to: https://forms.gle/vhRNBpNegTiMx8RdA
This event is an opportunity to engage in interdisciplinary dialogue, share your research, and contribute to a growing field of radio and sound. We look forward to hearing from you
With warm regards,
ECREA Postgraduate Conference Team
SFU School of Communication in the area of Journalism and Platforms
The School of Communication at Simon Fraser University (SFU) is inviting applications for a one-year Postdoctoral position as an integral part of a SSHRC funded Insight Grant, with the possibility to extend to a second year. This post is a unique opportunity for a researcher who has completed their PhD or will have their degree completed by September 1st 2025 and works at the intersections of media and communication policy, governance, journalism and platform studies. The successful candidate will work together with Associate Professor Dr. Sarah Ganter. Deadline to apply is August 15th, the position is open to Canadian and international candidates. SFU is an equity employer and strongly encourages applications from all qualified individuals including women, Indigenous Peoples, visible minorities, people of all sexual orientations and gender identities, persons with disabilities, persons with English as additional language and others who will further diversify the university.
Your qualifications
Your work
What we offer
You can find information about the different activities of the research group you willbe part of here: https://www.sfu.ca/communication/research/labs/independent-journalisms-edit/team-edit.html;https://www.sfu.ca/communication/research/labs/cultural-industries-in-acute-crisis.html;
Application Requirements
Interested candidates are invited to submit the following documents in a single PDF file:
1.Letter of interest: outlining your reasons for applying, your qualifications, and fit for the position, as well as potential start date (1-2 pages)2.A short research portfolio: outlining your research agenda plans beyond your PhD (1-2 pages)3.Academic curriculum vitae: Include academic degrees, achievements, research experience, and professional background. If applicable, include a list of your research publications and conference presentations.4.Three academic reference letters5.Transcripts: Provide academic transcripts of all your degrees.6.Two samples of academic writing (these can be published, forthcoming or in progress)7.
Deadline: August 15th
Application Process
Please send your complete application as a single PDF file to sganter@sfu.ca with the subject line: Post-doctoral Position—[Your Name]. The applications will be reviewed after the deadline and interviews will be conducted online where feasible.
About the SFU School of Communication
Located in Metro Vancouver, Canada, the SFU School of Communication is a leading school for research and education in communication studies. Our faculty is committed to fostering a vibrant, diverse academic community that addresses critical issues of public concern through interdisciplinary and collaborative research.
For questions about this call, please contact sganter@sfu.ca.
We look forward to receiving your application and welcoming you to the School of Communication at SFU!
January 8-9, 2025
Bournemouth University, UK
Deadline: September 26, 2025
You are warmly invited to submit papers for presentation at the joint annual conference of the Political Studies Association’s Media and Politics Group & Technology, Information and Policy Group
This year’s conference theme, “Navigating Digital Democracy,” will explore the intersection of technology, media, and politics in shaping democratic practices and governance.
As the digital landscape continues to evolve, technology plays a central role in influencing political discourse, policy development, citizen engagement, and the broader democratic process. From the amplification of polarizing and anti-democratic voices to the facilitation of political campaigning and pro-democracy movements, the dynamics of digital technology are both challenging and enriching the foundations of democratic societies. This conference seeks to critically examine the opportunities and risks technology presents in these areas.
We welcome paper submissions that address any of the following topics*:
We encourage submissions from a variety of disciplinary perspectives, including but not limited to political science, media studies, communication, sociology, law, and technology studies. Submissions are welcomed from scholars at all career stages, including PhD candidates and early-career researchers, as well as practitioners engaged in media, politics or related fields.
*While the main theme of this conference is navigating digital democracy, the MPG and TIP operate an open and inclusive policy, and papers dealing with any aspect of media, technology and politics are welcomed. Papers may focus on areas from political communication and journalism to data, artificial intelligence, social media and tech policy; but also include a broader view of the political sphere within such areas as television, cinema and media arts, both factual and fictional. In addition to academic research, the conference will also welcome practice-based work in art, film and performance related to the area of media and politics.
There are two ways to attend this conference. There is an in-person conference held in Bournemouth, UK, on 8-9 January 2026. For those who cannot make it in person but who wish to participate, we will host an online conference on 7th January 2026. Both will include a keynote presentation (TBA).
Please note this is not a hybrid conference and the in-person conference will not be streamed online.
Key dates:
Submitting proposals
We welcome both paper and panel proposals for this conference.
Paper proposals should be for 15 minute presentations. Submitted abstracts should be no more than 300 words (excluding references).
If you wish to propose a panel, please note for following stipulations:
Please submit all proposals through this online form: https://forms.gle/i5wtmmWKeJexva2m8
Registration fees
For PSA members, the cost of in-person attendance is £125 for salaried academics and £75 for PGR/low waged.
For non-PSA members, the cost of in-person attendance is £150 for salaried academics and £85 for PGR/low waged.
This covers lunches, coffee breaks, a drinks reception and the annual dinner. It also includes access to the online conference.
For the online conference the cost of attendance for participants is £30 for salaried academics and £20 for PGR/low waged.
Financial support
The PSA offers a limited number of travel subsidies (up to the value of £100) to support postgraduate student participation in this event. Postgraduate students interested in applying for these subsidies should please note this when submitting.
James Thomas Memorial Prize
Extended abstracts of a maximum of 2000 words submitted by postgraduate students will be entered into the James Thomas Memorial Prize. This annual award is presented to the most outstanding paper by a postgraduate student at the Media & Politics Group Annual Conference. Postgraduate students wishing to be considered for the prize should send extended abstracts to Dan Jackson: jacksond@bournemouth.ac.uk by 19th December 2025.
About Bournemouth
Bournemouth is a coastal town and resort located in the South West of England, in the county of Dorset. Bournemouth is about 94 miles (151 km) southwest of London. It has good transport links with its own airport, and rail links to Southampton Airport (35 minutes), Heathrow Airport (2 hours) and London Waterloo (2 hours).
Famous for its sandy beaches, Bournemouth attracts 3.5 million visitors every year and is home to a vibrant nightlife, international cuisine, and a Premier League football team. Bournemouth is also one of the fastest digital and creative hubs in the UK with some 400 digital, creative communication agencies operating in the area.
The award-winning Faculty of Media & Communication at Bournemouth University (BU) comprises over 4,000 students and more than 250 academic staff across four Departments. The Faculty is one of the leading destinations for the study of creative media in the United Kingdom, based on a combination of top-quality education, world leading research and industry-standard professional practice.
About the PSA
The Political Studies Association (https://www.psa.ac.uk/) is the UK’s leading association in the study and research of politics. The Media and Politics Group and Technology, Information and Policy Groups are welcoming and inclusive. The conference welcomes contributions both from members and non-members of the Political Studies Association.
Organising committee
Dan Jackson. Bournemouth University
Sarah Ledoux. University of Manchester
Darren Lilleker. Bournemouth University
Liam McLoughlin. University of Liverpool
Amy Tatum. Bournemouth University
Anastasia Veneti. Bournemouth University
Deadline (extended): July 31, 2025
The 9th issue of Mediatization Studies is on the horizon – and it’s shaping up to be one of our most exciting yet!
Mediatization Studies is an open access, peer-reviewed academic journal published by Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin (Poland). The journal ensures a double-blind review process and does not charge any publication fees.
This upcoming edition will explore some of today’s most urgent and thought-provoking themes:
If your research lies at the intersection of mediatization and artificial intelligence, we invite you to join—and shape—this timely scholarly conversation.
Author guidelines are available here: https://journals.umcs.pl/ms/about/submissions#authorGuidelines
University of Leipzig, Germany
29–30 September 2025
In its 50th year, Communications: The European Journal of Communication Research invites to reconsider what European communication research is – and what it can be. From its start in 1975, the journal’s mission has been to serve as a forum for scholarship and academic debate in the field of communication science and research from a European perspective. But what is in fact a European perspective?
The conference program includes:
- Keynotes by Keith Roe, Maria Kyriakidou, Göran Bolin & Bernie Hogan
- A reflection by Friedrich Krotz
- Panels on comparative traditions, crisis narratives, AI & creativity, and digital infrastructures
Further information and the full program are available online. Registration is open via the conference website: https://www.sozphil.uni-leipzig.de/en/institut-fuer-kommunikations-und-medienwissenschaft/professuren/professur-fuer-medien-und-kommunikationswissenschaft/european-communication-research-what-whence-and-whither
SUBSCRIBE!
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