[ecrea] CFP - PSA Media and Politics Group Annual Conference. 3-4 November 2011. Bournemouth University

Call for Papers

Political Studies Association Media and Politics Group (MPG) Annual
Conference

3-4 November 2011

Bournemouth University, UK

Civic and Audience Empowerment

Deadline for Abstracts: 3 June 2011

Conference website: http://blogs.bournemouth.ac.uk/media-politics/

The PSA is the UK¹s leading association in the study and research of
politics. The MPG is one of its largest specialist groups, and is one of the
world¹s largest political communications groups. The main theme of its
annual conference is civic and audience empowerment focusing, in particular,
on the ways and means through which (all and any) media can empower or
dis-empower citizens, i.e. act as vehicles of or obstacles to civic change.
While the conference is themed on civic and audience empowerment, the MPG
group always operates an inclusive policy, and papers dealing with any
aspect of media and politics are welcomed.

Technological, cultural and economic forces are profoundly transforming
political communication posing historic challenges and opportunities for
politicians and media organisations. At the same time, important questions
are emerging about the role and power of citizens, challenging traditional
notions of the passive audience, but opening new questions around power and
digital labour. It is therefore a good time to reflect upon some of the
consequences of these developments for both the construction and reception
of political communication, in all its forms. For instance, how much and
what sorts of civic and audience empowerment are most desirable, and how
does this differ cross-nationally? How do citizens relate to private and
public spaces? How do citizens function in online, networked, liminal and
alternative spaces? How do audiences of Œnon-political¹ media spaces relate
their experiences to politics? How are political parties and movements
utilising audiences as co-creators of political communication and what are
the consequences for democracy?

We invite theoretical and empirical papers that draw specific attention to
reassessing the theories, methods and issues that inform our understanding
of citizens and audiences in contemporary politics. These may include, but
are not limited to the following themes:

-       New forms of campaigning, political communication, networking and
mobilisation
-       How news organisations are speaking to their audience: continuities
and change
-       Citizen journalism and political audiences as Œknowledge
communities¹
-       Civic consumerism and the Œpolitics of the everyday life¹
-       Media literacy and journalism education
-       Usability of political websites and user empowerment
-       Global citizen empowerment and social movements
-       The geography and spatiality of audiencehood in the context of the
political
-       The relationship between art, creativity, entertainment and civic
culture
-       Resistant audiences and alternative interpretive communities

The aim of this conference is to encourage new thinking and original
approaches to political communication with a particular emphasis (where
problems are articulated) on solutions, recommendations and ways forward.
The conference organisers are in talks with publishers and intend to publish
selected conference papers as part of an edited collection. To be considered
for this, conference presenters are encouraged to submit a full version of
their paper before or soon after the conference.

The keynote speech will be delivered by Professor Stuart Allan.

Proposals for 15 minute papers should include the following: title and name,
institutional affiliation and address, and preferred email address; together
with, a paper title and abstract of not more than 300 words; and, whether or
not you are a postgraduate student.
Proposals should be sent on or before Friday 3rd June 2011 to Dr Dan Jackson
(jacksond /at/ bournemouth.ac.uk). All abstracts will undergo peer review and
decisions on papers will be given within 3 weeks of the submission deadline.

Full papers submitted by postgraduate students will be entered into the
James Thomas Memorial Prize. This award is presented to the most outstanding
paper by a graduate student at the Media and Politics Group Annual
Conference.

For further information about the conference, please visit (and join!) the
MPG facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=13215335223, and
see the conference website: http://blogs.bournemouth.ac.uk/media-politics/

Dan


Dr.  Dan Jackson
 Senior  Lecturer in Media and Communications
 UG Degree Framework Leader for Corporate and Marketing Communications group
 Programme  Co-ordinator, BA Public Relations
 The Media  School
 Bournemouth  University
 W410  Weymouth House
 Talbot  Campus
 01202  961297
(jacksond /at/ bournemouth.ac.uk)



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