[Commlist] 2019 ACS Summer Institute

Announcement of the 2019 ACS Summer Institute

“The Long Revolution and the Future of Publics”

22-27 July, 2019, Zeppelin University

Friedrichshafen, Lake Constance, Germany

The forthcoming Summer Institute will discuss the opportunities and 
challenges to the idea of “publics” brought forth by new communication 
and media technologies. It builds on Raymond Williams’ idea of a “long 
revolution” of culture in the course of economic and political changes 
and expands it to the digitalization of “public spheres”, in which these 
interactions become visible. Using online resources, such as social 
network sites, citizens can participate in public discourse and make 
their voices heard on political issues, thus making the public sphere 
more diverse. Easily accessible media technologies, such as weblogs and 
podcasts, enable and empower their users to produce media content, which 
might subvert hegemonic ideas and challenge asymmetrical power 
relations. Nevertheless, changes in communication technologies also bear 
challenges to public spheres: For example, in the course of the 
fragmentation of the public sphere and the segmentation of its 
audiences, the practices and norms of public communication become 
particularistic as well. Online, especially through social network 
sites, non-democratic ideologies equally get the opportunity to reach a 
wider audience through malevolent hackers or automated bots. Questions 
of public control and media regulation arise, as hate speech and fake 
news become part of the digital vernacular language.

The Summer Institute will provide a sustained opportunity for critical 
reflection on the cultural, technological and political trajectories of 
digitalization that might enable or endanger publics and public spheres. 
Working at the intersection of Cultural Studies and Media and 
Communication Studies, we will analyze recent changes in interpersonal 
and mediated communication and their implications for future societies 
and media cultures.

The Institute will provide an intense and rewarding academic experience 
for postgraduate students and postdoctoral researchers who will have the 
opportunity to spend the week attending a variety of seminars and 
lectures. Five keynote speakers and a faculty staff of leading Cultural 
Studies scholars from around the world will provide further 
comprehensive insights to the cultural and political consequences of the 
digitalization of the public sphere.

The key speakers represent the global perspective on the subject and 
include Margie Borschke (Macquarie University Sydney); Adam Haupt 
(University of Cape Town), Rolien Hoyng (The Chinese University of Hong 
Kong), Eric Maigret (Université Sorbonne Nouvelle) and Tanja Thomas 
(University of Tübingen).

The faculty members are representatives of European and German Cultural 
Studies and include Janneke Adema (Coventry University), Ursula 
Ganz-Blättler (University of St. Gallen), Udo Göttlich (Zeppelin 
University), Martin R. Herbers (Zeppelin University), Lothar Mikos 
(Filmuniversität Babelsberg), Giulia Pelillo-Hestermeyer (University of 
Heidelberg), Aljoša Pužar (University of Ljubljana), Gilbert B. Rodman 
(University of Minnesota), Helene Strauss (University of the Free State, 
Bloemfontein), Jeffrey Wimmer (University of Augsburg), Carsten Winter 
(Hannover University of Music, Drama and Media), Rainer Winter 
(University of Klagenfurt), Matthias Wieser (University of Klagenfurt), 
and Sebastian Rauter-Nestler (University of Klagenfurt).

The overall participatory and informal character of the Summer Institute 
will give voice to the participants by offering a forum which addresses 
issues related to their own work specifically on the topic of “the 
future of publics” as well as issues of general interest. In addition, 
social activities from receptions and meals to informal gatherings will 
provide opportunities for participants, lecturers and organizers to 
intermingle and stimulate further conversation. The Summer Institute 
takes place at Zeppelin University in Friedrichshafen, Germany. Set 
against the beautiful backdrop of Lake Constance and the German, 
Austrian and Swiss Alps, participants will further enjoy a varied social 
program.

Please find further information on participation, fees, accommodation 
and the travel process on our website: www.zu.de/acssi2019and on the 
website to register for the Summer Institute 
https://www.lyyti.fi/reg/Institute_2019

Those interested in participating are invited to take notice of the 
abovementioned dates. Email inquiries can be addressed to the local 
organizers Prof. Dr. Udo Göttlich and Dr. Martin R. Herbers at 
(mediatisierung /at/ zu.de)


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