[ecrea] CFC: The Branding of Post-Communist Nations

> Apologies for Cross-posting / Please Circulate Widely
>
> CALL FOR CHAPTER PROPOSALS
>
> The Branding of Post-Communist Nations
> (Edited Volume)
>
> In the aftermath of the communist system=92s collapse=2C Central and Eas=
> tern European countries were faced with the need to re-define themselves=
> =2E  This was equally daunting for previously established nation-states =
> and for newly-formed ones emerging after the dissolution of the Soviet U=
> nion=2C Yugoslavia=2C and Czechoslovakia=2E  New pressures from global p=
> olitical=2C economic=2C and cultural forces=2C combined with the unravel=
> ing of internal social structures=2C exacerbated the identity crises of =
> former communist nations=2E These countries needed new ways to assert th=
> emselves on the global map and new narratives of national unity at home=2E=
>   Furthermore=2C as they strived to emulate the capitalist West=2C forme=
> r communist countries needed to disentangle their national identities fr=
> om the ideological heritage of communism and recast them in terms of the=
>  new mantras of =93democracy=94 and =93markets=2E=94
>
> In a wider context=2C the historical realities of post-communist transit=
> ions unfolded alongside processes of globalization and EU enlargement=2C=
>  which were accelerated=2C at least in part=2C by the demise of a bi-pol=
> ar division of the world enforced by the Cold War=2E  One crucial dimens=
> ion of globalization concerns the proliferation of media technologies=2C=
>  discourses=2C and institutions that transcend national boundaries=2E  T=
> he global media environment emerging after the end of the Cold War allow=
> ed information to flow to and from former communist countries in an unpr=
> ecedented way=2E  At the same time=2C these countries found themselves e=
> xposed to the vagaries of global and commercially-oriented media that tr=
> aded in commodified symbols and meanings and operated according to a log=
> ic quite different from that of state-controlled media=2E =
>
>
> In this context=2C nation branding=2C a set of ideas rooted in Western m=
> arketing and management=2C gained popularity in the post-communist world=
>  by promising a quick fix for the identity malaise of =93transitional=94=
>  societies=2E  Since 1989=2C almost every country in Central and Eastern=
>  Europe has engaged in nation branding initiatives of varying scope and =
> sophistication=2C often creating a chaos of messages=2E  Although=2C pos=
> t-communist countries are certainly not the only ones investing in natio=
> n branding=2C the particular socio-historical challenges and conditions =
> they face set them apart and merit closer examination=2E  This is one of=
>  the central goals of this volume=2E
>
> In addition=2C while a growing body of literature on nation branding has=
>  emerged in the past decade=2C most published studies adopt applied or d=
> escriptive approaches and offer little by way of critical analyses=2E  T=
> hus=2C another goal of this volume is to address this gap by bringing to=
> gether studies that examine the discourses and practices of nation brand=
> ing in the post-communist context by drawing on critical theoretical tra=
> ditions=2E
>
> From this vantage point=2C this volume aims to address questions that fa=
> ll within three main areas=2C as follows=3A
>
> =95  Who are the key actors involved in the spread of nation branding di=
> scourses and practices in post-communist Europe and what are their stake=
> s in this process=3F  What local political and cultural conditions enabl=
> e nation branding to capture the imaginations of post-communist national=
>  elites=3F What is the relationship of nation branding to struggles over=
>  power both at national and the extra-national levels=3F
>
> =95  What kind of images for post-communist nations and/or regions emerg=
> e through=2C or are obscured by=2C the particular lens of nation brandin=
> g=3F  How do the discourses and practices of post-communist nation brand=
> ing relate to processes of globalization=2C mediatization=2C and commodi=
> fication=3F
>
> =95  What may be the cultural=2C political=2C and social implications of=
>  re-imagining post-communist nations as brands=3F  How may the study of =
> post-communist nation branding inform the broader study and critique of =
> post-communist transitions=3F
>
> Proposals that address these or related questions are invited=2E Ideally=
> =2C chapters should be both empirically grounded and theoretically infor=
> med=2E Proposals should clearly indicate how the work is situated in rel=
> ation to critical theoretical traditions=2E Chapters may focus on one or=
> e more countries=2E Various methodological and disciplinary approaches a=
> re welcome=3B interdisciplinary work is particularly encouraged=2E
>
> Please send chapter proposals of 500-800 words and a short author bio (o=
> r CV) to Nadia Kaneva (nkaneva=40du=2Eedu) by MAY 20=2C 2009=2E
>
> If accepted=2C completed chapters (about 8=2C000 words) will be due by N=
> OVEMBER 1=2C 2009=2E
>
> Nadia Kaneva=2C Ph=2ED=2E
> Assistant Professor
> Mass Communications =26 Journalism Studies
> School of Communication
> University of Denver
> 2490 S=2E Gaylord St=2E
> Denver=2C CO 80208
> Office=3A (303) 871-4574
> Fax=3A (303) 871-4949
> E-mail=<(Nadia.Kaneva /at/ du.edu)>

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Nico Carpentier (Phd)
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Vrije Universiteit Brussel - Free University of Brussels
Centre for Studies on Media and Culture (CeMeSO)
Pleinlaan 2 - B-1050 Brussels - Belgium
T: ++ 32 (0)2-629.18.56
F: ++ 32 (0)2-629.36.84
Office: 5B.401a
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European Communication Research and Education Association
Web: http://www.ecrea.eu
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E-mail: (Nico.Carpentier /at/ vub.ac.be)
Web: http://homepages.vub.ac.be/~ncarpent/
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