Archive for November 2021

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[Commlist] cfp: Political Polarisation and the Role of Media workshop

Wed Nov 17 22:15:23 GMT 2021




*Political Polarisation and the Role of Media*

*/Centre for the Study of Ethnic Conflict, Queens University Belfast, March 10-11 2022/*

The viral and virulent spread of ethno-populism and nationalism around the globe including the countries on the democratic side of political continuum has encouraged considerable research exploring effects, causes and mechanisms of these phenomena. We invite papers investigating the role of media in creating social and political divisions where there were none, enhancing polarisation of and within societies, and compromising the quality of democracy. Comparative approaches are particularly welcome to assess whether and to what extent the level of democratic consolidation, relationship between the media and societies, societal segmentation along ascriptive criteria (i.e. ethnicity, language, religion etc) or ideological lines (i.e right vs left), etc increase the  likelihood ethnocentric polarisation. Does media stoke nationalist sentiments to encourage political realignment? Has the spread of 'us vs them’ rhetoric undermined the long standing social solidarities? How big of a role does economic interest of the media itself play in fuelling the perceptions of divisions?

Our workshop will take place in Belfast, Northern Ireland, the society with an experience of intergroup conflict and persistent societal division that is reflected in its media landscape. We seek to build upon the expertise from the ‘plural and divided places’ to reflect on:

1) experiences of research from social and political sciences on the lasting effects of conflict and identity-based antagonism when assessing opportunities and constraints for media outlets to reach across the socially and politically salient divide;

2) rich analysis of case specific material from communication studies, especially focussing the media systems and media communication to reflect on the impact of political polarisation on medias role in ushering in the democratic publics.

We invite single-case and comparative paper proposals that engage empirically, conceptually and normatively with a number of factors ranging from the historical roots of the divide, economic interests, media and political systems’ features, as well as socio-cultural factors in explaining the bridging or dividing role of the media in contemporary societies. We welcome proposals from social and political sciences, as well as communication and media studies scholars. Early career researchers are particularly welcome to apply.

We are especially interested in papers investigating (but are not limited to): societies differently placed along the democratic continuum, hence both consolidated and unconsolidated democracies; societies featuring ‘polarised pluralism’, divided along the right-left ideological commitments despite their relative ethnic homogeneity (i.e. Italy, Spain, Portugal); the ‘plural and divided societies’ , segmented either along ethnonational, religious, linguistic or multiplicity of these lines (i.e. Bosnia Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Northern Ireland, South Tyrol, Lebanon etc)

Possible topics include but are not limited to:

  * Media’s political role and political usages of media
  * Media’s polarisation, ethnopolitics, and authoritarian tendencies
  * Media, citizens’ participation and socio-political engagement
  * State capture and media capture
  * Traditional and new media’s role vis-a-vis increased political
    polarisation

Please submit your proposals using this link to save you from working throu all the emails! https://form.jotform.com/213186755287365 <https://form.jotform.com/213186755287365>  Alternatively send your proposal to: *Arianna Piacentini* (University of Milan), (arianna.piacentini /at/ unimi.it) <mailto:(arianna.piacentini /at/ unimi.it)>

Paper proposals should include contact details of the author(s), title, an abstract of no more than 200 words, and your preference for online or in-person presentation.

The workshop will take place in-person on *10th and 11th March 2022*, in Queen’s University Belfast, Northern Ireland. No fee is required. Depending on the development of the pandemic, the workshop organisers will seek to accommodate all participants willing to participate online: further updates on the format will be circulated to participants selected, in January.

Deadline for expressions of interest is *Tuesday 11th January 2022*, though we appreciate early expressions of interest.

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