[Commlist] CFP ICA 2020 Preconference Digital Cultures in South Asia

_Call for Papers_

*International Communication Association 2020 Preconference*____

Gold Coast, Australia____

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***Digital Cultures of South Asia: Inequalities, Infrastructures, 
Informatization***____

__ __

Link to online CFP: Preconference Digital South Asia 
<https://drive.google.com/file/d/1o4L5Ii3z1FHwkbPUdAigkcAwNmXOcXSl/view?usp=sharing>____

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*Date & Time*: 9:00 am to 5.00 pm, Thursday, May 21, 2020____

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*Location*: Onsite, 2020 ICA Main Conference Venue, Gold Coast, 
Australia____

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Organizers: Radhika Parameswaran ((rparames /at/ indiana.edu) 
<mailto:(rparames /at/ indiana.edu)>, Indiana University), Sangeet Kumar 
((kumars /at/ denison.edu) <mailto:(kumars /at/ denison.edu)>, Denison University), 
Kalyani Chadha ((kchadha /at/ umd.edu) <mailto:(kchadha /at/ umd.edu)>, University of 
Maryland), Adrian Athique ((a.athique /at/ uq.edu.au) 
<mailto:(a.athique /at/ uq.edu.au)>, University of Queensland) and Pradip 
Thomas ((pradip.thomas /at/ uq.edu.au) <mailto:(pradip.thomas /at/ uq.edu.au)>, 
University of Queensland). ____

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Conference Coordinator: Roshni Susana Verghese,(roshnisusana /at/ gmail.com) 
<mailto:(roshnisusana /at/ gmail.com)>____

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ICA Division Affiliations: Global Communication and Social Change, 
Popular Communication, Intercultural Communication, Ethnicity & Race in 
Communication, and the South Asian Communication Association (SACA).____

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Institutional Sponsors: The Media School, Indiana University, 
Bloomington, USA; The Philip Merrill College of Journalism, University 
of Maryland, College Park, USA; Department of Communication, Denison 
University, Granville, Ohio, USA; School of Communication and Arts and 
the Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities, University of 
Queensland, Australia.____

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*Preconference Description*____

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Characterized by a mobile phone led connectivity boom and the  cheapest 
data prices in the world (McCarthy 2019), South Asia has emerged as a 
region with the greatest potential for the future growth of Internet 
users. Indeed, as such, the area is not only central to any attempts at 
imagining the future of digital media globally, but it also constitutes 
a fertile territorial and cultural space for scholarly inquiry into the 
various dimensions of expanding digital life in the region. 
Consequently, this preconference focuses on exploring digital 
developments and their political, economic, social and cultural 
implications in the context of postcolonial South Asia and its global 
diaspora. The preconference draws inspiration from scholars who have 
sought to de-westernize digital media studies through their granular and 
interdisciplinary accounts of varied aspects of digital life in 
non-western countries. It is also grounded in the notion that the 
historical, political and social specificities of postcolonial South 
Asia necessitate the production of knowledge on digital culture— both 
conceptual and empirical— that explores the heterogeneities and 
complexities of the diverse nations that constitute the region. We 
envisage this preconference to be a forum for illuminating the varied 
dialectical forces that are at play in South Asia in shaping digital 
culture in ways that are similar to but also quite different from other 
parts of the world.____

____

In pursuit of these objectives, we invite submissions that cover a broad 
range of topics set in South Asia, including, but not limited to 
scholarly areas such as:____

__•__Issues of digital access, connectivity and inequality (social 
asymmetries of caste, gender, sexuality, religion, language, and class)____

__•__Online mobilization by activist communities to protest inequities 
and advocate for social change____

__•__Nature and implications for sovereignty of governance and 
infrastructure regimes emerging across the region, particularly as they 
relate to data collection and commodification, security and privacy____

__•__The political economy of digital media and the impact of digital 
technologies on the mainstream media landscape in entertainment and news 
media____

__•__Rise of new genres of informational and artistic representation— 
including parody, satire, and humor—in online spaces such as YouTube____

__•__Role of digital and social media in the transformation of 
contemporary politics, including campaigns and elections____

__•__Transformations in the business and content of journalism, the rise 
of fake news, misinformation as well as hate and extreme speech____

__•__Vernacular community formation in local, national and 
transnational/diasporic South Asian digital spaces____

__•__New transnational digital circuits of cultural production and 
consumption—fueled by affinities of caste, gender, class and 
sexuality—within and beyond South Asia____

The preconference aims to bring together ICA participants as well as 
scholars from around the world who are interested in digital culture in 
the Global South, with a particular focus on South Asia. Presentations 
and conversations at the preconference will be geared to achieve the 
following broad goals: build theory sensitive to the nuances of the 
region, strengthen analytical frameworks, foster interdisciplinarity, 
encourage critical thinking, and address empirical gaps in research.____

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** Keynote speakers to be determined and announced in Spring 2020. **____

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*Submission and participation details*____

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/_Extended abstract due_/: Monday, January 20th, 2020____

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/_Final decisions on acceptance_/: Friday, February 14th, 2020____

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At this time we invite authors to submit extended abstracts (700 to 
1,000 words) that describe the main thesis and arguments, research 
goals, theoretical influences/frameworks, and to the extent possible, 
the methodological background and findings of their papers. The 
preconference organizers welcome diverse theoretical and methodological 
approaches and varied modes of analyses.____

Please make sure you include a title for your abstract. We request you 
to anonymize your document by removing all identifying information from 
it. Very poorly written abstracts as well as those that do not relate to 
South Asia will be automatically rejected. Abstract submissions will be 
reviewed and final decisions communicated by February 14th, 2020.____

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/_Please submit your extended abstracts to conference coordinator Dr. 
Roshni Susana Verghese (atroshnisusana /at/ gmail.com) 
<mailto:(roshnisusana /at/ gmail.com)>_/.____

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Based on the volume and the quality of submissions, we intend to explore 
a potential thematic publication of preconference materials as a special 
issue in a journal or as an edited volume.____

____

/_Registration fees_/: With financial support from institutional 
sponsors and ICA Divisions, the registration fees for the preconference 
will be under $20. The registration fees will cover refreshments for two 
breaks and lunch. This is a flat fee for anyone who wishes to present at 
or simply attend the preconference (without a presentation), including 
all ICA student and faculty members. There are no prerequisites for 
submitting abstracts, registering for and participating in the 
preconference. All attendees will need to create an ICA profile to 
register.____

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Finally, we expect all presenters will attend the preconference event 
for the full day. If you are traveling from overseas, we advise you to 
arrive on Wednesday, May 20, 2020, and make appropriate accommodation 
arrangements for that night.



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