JCOM: Journal of Science Communication
Call for articles for a special issue on
The future of science journalism: knowledge and power
http://jcom.sissa.it/archive/09/04/call-journalism-2011
The deadline for abstract submissions is March, 31
Since its inception, the Internet has quickly become a crucial factor =20
in shaping the ecosystem of information. Today, science journalism =20
finds itself in the middle of a deep cultural, economic and political =20
change in which technological evolution has a prominent role. In =20
particular, old forms of journalism are threatened in the new =20
information ecosystem, and a re-definition of the social and =20
professional role of information producers is needed in order to avoid =20
a loss of the journalism?s democratic, social and cultural function. =20
Indeed, the Web is the theatre where knowledge and power are being =20
re-distributed among different actors and social groups, and new forms =20
of expertise need to be integrated in the scientific information =20
system. A future special issue of the Journal of Science Communication =20
aims to discuss:
* How participatory practices of the Web 2.0 are changing the =20
ecosystem of information. Are democracy claims supported by evidence? =20
Are these practices actually re-orienting social, cultural, political =20
and economic powers?
* The evolution of the professional practice of science =20
journalism and the changes needed for it to adapt and flourish in the =20
new ecosystem of information.
* The epistemology of science communication. Which are its new =20
social functions in the social media age? How are the relationships =20
between producing and sharing scientific knowledge evolving? Does =20
science journalism posses any specific knowledge in this rapidly =20
changing scenario? Do science journalists know how they know?
* The role of new and emerging actors controlling information =20
fluxes, such as search engines, intellectual property owners, sharing =20
platforms. How are these actors re-distributing power in the new =20
ecosystem?
* How is the concept of ?proprietary information? changing? What =20
is the role of incumbents and new companies? Which new possible =20
business models could be useful in order to ensure economical survival =20
for science writers and science communication professionals?
We would like to collect both theoretical contributions and research =20
articles which address, for example, case studies in citizen =20
journalism, platforms of peer production and sharing, relationships =20
between different institutions and actors, and the leading and =20
emerging roles of these actors in the new ecosystem.
Interested authors should submit an extended abstract of 1000 words =20
(in English) by March 31, 2011. Authors of accepted papers will be =20
notified by the end of April. Abstracts should be sent to the JCOM =20
Editorial Office ((jcom-eo /at/ jcom.sissa.it)) by email and NOT via the =20
regular submission form.
--=20
Alessandro Delfanti
ICS, Innovations in the Communication of Science
Sissa, Trieste, Italy
(delfanti /at/ sissa.it)
http://people.sissa.it/~delfanti/
