[Commlist] CfP - Journalism: "Bridging the Gap: The Impact of Academic Work on Journalistic Practice"

Call for Papers *Special Issue for Journalism: Theory, practice and 
criticism*
*
*
*Bridging the Gap: The Impact of Academic Work on Journalistic Practice *

Guest Editors:

Anna Schjøtt Hansen, University of Amsterdam
Tomás Dodds, Leiden University
Claudia Mellado, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso
Nadja Schaetz, University of Hamburg

Academic work and journalistic practices share a strong interconnection. 
Media organizations, on the one hand, depend heavily on educational 
institutions for educating and training prospective industry 
professionals and researching emerging trends and transformations in the 
media landscape. On the other hand, academics rely on news organizations 
to grant them access to valuable empirical data, which enables them to 
conduct their research effectively.

The relationship between academics and media professionals can be both 
complicated and conflictual due to the different cultural norms and 
objectives of the two fields. However, when successful, it can be highly 
rewarding for both parties. Tensions can emerge in varying ways. 
Scholars have pointed out how critical findings regarding media 
practices are often dismissed and lead to minimal impact on their daily 
practices. Equally, media professionals criticize scholars for being 
extractive in their data collection practices rather than collaborative 
or disconnected from the practices on the floor. Another tension can 
arise due to emerging ethical questions relating to the research. This 
can be especially problematic when academic work risks deepening 
pre-existing inequities and/or fails to protect disadvantaged and 
vulnerable communities.

With an aim to address this gap, this special issue focuses on exploring 
the relationship between academia and journalism. Our goal is to 
showcase how academic research could impact and shape the professional 
field of journalism in a fruitful way and also highlight concrete 
methodologies for collaborations. We welcome submissions that cover 
different theoretical, methodological, and empirical topics and formats 
to provide a thorough understanding of this critical relationship and 
how to improve it in the future. With this aim in mind, we also 
encourage media professionals who work in this intersection to submit 
for this special issue, as it will be imperative to hear from the 
industry how they envision this relationship.

The special issue aims to bring together innovative, thought-provoking 
contributions from different national and regional contexts, exploring a 
range of topics, including, but not limited to:
How can academic research better connect and dialogue with the current 
needs of professional journalism? (This could also include examples of 
how attempts at such connections have failed).
How could academic research enhance journalistic reporting? (e.g., How 
can scholarly research contribute to uncovering complex journalistic 
stories, including exposing corruption and holding power accountable? 
How does academic research influence or assist in the journalistic 
coverage of scientific topics?)
How are journalistic organizations appropriating or dialoguing with 
academic research?
What could new models of data collection look like (e.g., combining 
interviews with other scholars or shared workshops)?
How can universities and other educational institutions successfully 
collaborate with journalistic organizations?
What are the limitations for possible collaborations between academia 
and journalism, including biases, conflicts of interest, and the 
accessibility of academic research for journalists?
How does the dissemination of academic research in journalism impact 
public understanding?
How can ethical challenges of journalism research be addressed and 
negative or harmful impacts be minimized?
How can scholars adequately envision the impact of academic work on 
journalistic practice in grant proposals?


*Information about submission*

This is a call for extended abstracts (500-800 words) accompanied by a 
100-150-word bio. Abstracts should be sent no later than September 4, 
2023, to *(bridgingtheimpact /at/ proton.me)*.

Upon selection, scholars will be invited to submit full papers. We 
welcome two types of submissions. The first is case studies and 
methodological papers that highlight concrete challenges, best 
practices, or methodologies for collaborations and should be between 
3,000 and 5,000 words, including references. The second is research 
articles that can be both empirical and conceptual. These should be no 
more than 8,000 words in length, including references. In your abstract, 
please state which of the formats you will provide.

All submissions are subject to full blind peer-review, in accordance 
with the peer-review procedure of Journalism. Manuscripts will be 
submitted through the journal’s ScholarOne website. Authors must 
indicate their wish to have their manuscript considered for this Special 
Issue. *No payment from the authors will be required*.

*Timeline*
September 4, 2023 – Deadline for abstract submission
September 18, 2023 – Notification to authors
January 18, 2024 – Deadline for submission of full papers
January 25, 2024 – Selected papers sent to full peer-review
March 7, 2024 – Decisions and revisions on papers
April 18, 2024 – Final version of each paper submitted by the authors

*Guest editors*
*
*
*Anna Schjøtt Hansen*

Anna Schjøtt Hansen is a PhD Candidate in the Media Studies department 
at the University of Amsterdam. Anna has a background as a technological 
anthropologist, and during her master’s degree in Denmark, she became 
interested in the use and design of AI in the media sector – and 
particularly how qualitative decisions around AI are made during the 
processes of designing AI systems for media and the implications of 
these decisions.

*Tomás Dodds*

Tomás Dodds is an Assistant Professor in Journalism and New Media at 
Leiden University and a Faculty Associate at the Berkman Klein Center 
for Internet & Society at Harvard University. He is also a researcher in 
the AI, Media & Democracy Lab in the Netherlands and the Artificial 
Intelligence and Society Hub [IA+SIC] in Chile.

*Claudia Mellado*

Claudia Mellado is Professor of Journalism in the School of Journalism 
at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Chile. Her 
research focuses on the study of journalism cultures, journalistic role 
performance, and comparative studies. She is the principal investigator 
of the cross-national study “Journalistic Role Performance” (JRP) Project.

*Nadja Schaetz*

Nadja Schaetz is a doctoral candidate and research associate at 
Universität Hamburg, where she does research on journalism under 
datafication, with a focus on communicative dimensions of inequality. 
She is particularly interested in the social and political implications 
of datafication and AI.


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