[ecrea] CfP IIC Section: Conference "The European Public Sphere: from critical thinking to responsible action"

ECREA IIC Section

Call for Papers - Conference:

“The European Public Sphere: from critical thinking to responsible action”

Brussels, Committee of the Regions, 1st week of February 2012

The Conference

The Conference is organized by the International and Intercultural Communication Section of ECREA (IIC), supported by ECREA (European Communication Research and Education Association), by ECREA Sections on Journalism Studies and Communication Law&  Policy and by the Committee of the Regions. It will be hosted at the Committee of the Regions in Brussels during the first week of February 2012 (the final date will be communicated during the month of November 2011 once the calendar of the Committee of the Regions for 2012 will be finalized).

Rationale

In order for the European Integration Project to develop further and beyond its economic rationale, European citizens need a well-functioning European Public Sphere (EPS) where they can discuss Europe and participate in European debates and policymaking.

After years of debate on how the EU could and should better communicate Europe to its citizens (e.g. Plan D for Democracy, Dialogue and Debate – 2005; White Paper on a European Communication Policy - 2006), the EPS is still essentially a topic for academics and researchers rather than a critical informed Public European space where citizens can fully contribute to debate about the EU, its role, its politics and its present and future challenges.

The conference will gather academics, policy makers, and practitioners with the aim to generate a truly multi-stakeholders and multilevel debate on the EPS. Within the scope of the Conference, the EPS will be approached from its essential dimensions of 1) citizenship building, 2) intercultural dialogue and 3) multi level governance.

Conference’s Topics and Call for Abstracts

The conference is a one day event structured along 3 parallel thematic sessions in the morning and 1 plenary session in the afternoon that will discuss and further elaborate the topics treated in the parallel sessions.

The 3 parallel morning sessions will analyze and reflect upon the EPS from the perspectives of:

1)    Identity Building and Citizenship Building,

2)    Communication and Information Strategies, and

3)    Policies and Multiple Governance Structures and Actors.

The plenary session will elaborate on the results of the 3 parallel sessions and reflect on concrete policy measures and actions to implement the EPS and empower citizens within.

The 3 thematic panels will be structured around the presentation of 4 papers related to the specific theme of the panel. One paper will take into consideration and will be based upon key concepts and models of the EPS (i.e. academically focused paper); one paper will deal with the policies and the institutional framework around the EPS (i.e. an institutionally focused paper); two papers will be based on good practices and case studies and specific projects implementing the EPS (i.e. 2 in-depth case studies analysis based possibly on European projects).

The Scientific committee welcomes abstracts (academic, institutional, and good practices) on the following 3 themes:

EPS and European Identity Building and Citizenship Building

These three concepts mutually shape, reinforce and complement each other. Papers in this panel aim at reflecting and analyzing their mutual articulation and the necessity to develop holistic paradigms rather than sector specific ones.

EP Spheres, Communication and Information Strategies and Policies

European information and communication strategies are not always able to reach the aims they are targeted to. The institutions are not only confronted with political challenges but also with a constantly changing media landscape. Different groups use different media in different ways and with a certain degree of unpredictability. Papers in this panel analyze the complex relationship between the societal appropriation of media and the challenges this poses to the policy makers.

EPS and Multilevel Governance Structures and Actors
Multilevel Governance structures and actors, especially if culturally and linguistically dispersed over 27 Member States and a multitude of political processes at European, National and Regional level, can naturally lead to a cacophony of public spheres. Papers in this panel analyze the relationship and the interplay between multiple European Public Spheres (local, regional and European) and the new governance mechanisms put in place at European level.

Calendar, deadlines and modalities

15 September 2011: Deadline for Submission of Abstracts

The deadline for submission of abstracts is 15 September 2011. Abstracts should be sent to (luciano.morganti /at/ vub.ac.be), Chair of the IIC section of ECREA. Abstracts should: 1) clearly indicate which theme is addressed; 2) be between 300 and 500 words maximum; 3) clearly mention the name of the author(s), their affiliation and their contact details.

15 October 2011: Communication to authors of short-listed abstracts

A Scientific Committee will evaluate abstracts and will come up with a potential list of presenters and a reserve list. The Scientific Committee will then invite all those shortlisted (including those in the reserve list) to submit a full version of the paper.

The papers selected and those in the reserve list will be considered for publication as part of an edited book that will follow the conference.

Papers in the reserve list will be invited to present posters at the Conference.

15 December 2011: Deadline for submission of Full Papers

Failure to submit the full version of the paper in time will result in exclusion from the list of presenters/posters.

First week of February 2012: Conference

The final date of the conference will be confirmed by early November by the Committee of the Regions, once its final institutional calendar is constituted.

All inquiries regarding the conference and the call for paper should be sent to: (luciano.morganti /at/ vub.ac.be).




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