[Commlist] IAMHIST Conference 2027: Call for Papers

*‘Media that Serve’*
*International Association for Media and History Conference 2027*
*FAMU & Charles University (Prague, Czech Republic)*
*12–15 July 2027*

***

*Deadline for submissions:*
10 December 2026

*Organized by:*
IAMHIST, FAMU, Charles University Prague; with support of NFA
Conference organizer: doc. Tereza Czesany Dvořáková, Ph. D.

*Contact email:*
(Iamhist2027 /at/ gmail.com)

***

IAMHIST is the International Association for Media and History, an 
organisation of scholars, filmmakers, broadcasters and archivists 
dedicated to historical enquiry into film, radio, TV and other related 
media. Its next biennial conference will take place in Prague, Czech 
Republic, between 12 and 15 July 2027.

FAMU is one of the oldest film schools in the world and one of the most 
well-known film schools in Europe. Today, hundreds of students are 
enrolled across twelve departments, studying on dozens of degree 
programmes — ranging from feature film directing to game design. Charles 
University is the oldest and largest university in the Czech Republic. 
Film studies are taught at the Faculty of Arts and media studies are 
taught at the Faculty of Social Sciences. The National Film Archive 
belongs to the oldest and, in terms of its collections, one of the 
largest film archives in the world. In addition to preserving the 
audiovisual heritage, it is involved in a range of other activities — 
from restoration to the oral history or publication of books.

The conference theme this year is 'Media that Serve'. Audiovisual and 
media content can be approached from multiple perspectives, one of which 
is purpose: what does it mean for media to “serve,” and whom — an 
audience, a state, a sponsor, a market, or particular notions of the 
public good? These are not always compatible aims, and the tension 
between them runs through a wide range of areas relevant to media 
developments across most countries. These can be traced across several 
axes: production models (production on demand, production as a service, 
predictable cycles or series), institutional structures (public service 
media, state or nationalised media), and ethical or political framings 
(promotion versus propaganda, independent media, creators serving their 
audience). The concept of “useful media” — media made in service of an 
instrumental, often non-theatrical purpose, whether educational, 
industrial, or governmental — offers a particularly productive lens 
here, as do documentary and animation produced explicitly in the service 
of a cause. The role of archives, as both custodians and shapers of what 
counts as media in service of memory or knowledge, further extends this 
inquiry.

The theme can be approached both politically and practically, though the 
two are rarely separable: how media are funded is itself a political 
choice, shaping what gets served and to whom. Historically, these 
questions trace a shift from state-monopoly broadcasting toward 
platformised, market-driven “service” media, a trajectory that has 
unfolded unevenly across Western Europe, post-socialist states, and the 
Global South. We invite contributions that examine these dynamics from 
historical, theoretical, or practice-based perspectives, critically 
engaging with the meaning and consequences of media and audiovisual 
production made in service of a purpose.

The conference invites academics and practitioners from all relevant 
disciplines to take part in a timely conversation about the historical 
role of film and broadcasting industries, but also new media and 
advertising, which serve specific purposes, ideas and objectives. In 
addition to presentations, the conference will include film screenings, 
social events, and – finally – the event will be the commemoration of 
the 50th anniversary of the founding of IAMHIST, which we will mark with 
a special panel discussion on the history of the association.

Proposals are welcome on, but not limited to, the following topics:

  *
    The historical role and representation of public service media,
    media serving specific purposes
  *
    Production on demand; national and international contexts,
    significance of the phenomenon
  *
    Case studies on independent, commercial, and state-funded
    broadcasters and production companies
  *
    Production aimed at specific audience groups; the evolution of
    audience engagement from a historical perspective
  *
    Case studies of propaganda across different media types and in the
    context of media convergence
  *
    Documentary and animation: in and out of the service of a purpose
  *
    The narrative of the independent artist and its relationship to the
    modernist conception of artistic representation
  *
    Independent production and its path to the audience
  *
    State and nationalised media – their political and cultural context
    and practical specifics
  *
    The role of archives and other memory institutions and projects in
    the development of film and media history
  *
    And, especially for the 50th anniversary of IAMHIST: contributions
    dedicated to the history of the association, its key figures and
    milestones
  *

The deadline for proposals is 10 December 2026; you can submit proposals 
through the form at *Media that Serve: IAMHIST Conference 2027 
Registration Form* <https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/64VhDn0gc4>.

Individual paper proposals should consist of a title, an abstract of 150 
to 300 words and a short biography. Panel proposals (of three papers) 
are welcome; they need to be registered by the individual presenters who 
must flag up the title of the panel. We also appreciate proposals for 
archival, artistic or multimedia projects.

Notifications of decisions will be sent alongside additional information 
on travel and accommodation by January 2027; registration will be open 
by that day. Conference attendees are expected to be members of IAMHIST 
– there will be an opportunity to join at the time of registration via 
IAMHIST Membership Page <https://iamhist.net/membership/>.

***
The conference fees are as follows:
Attendees presenting a paper:

  * Standard fee: € 170
  * Early birds (payment before the end of March 2027)*: € 140
  * Early-career researchers (within five years of completing their
    Ph.D.) and self-funded scholars*: € 140

Attendees not presenting a paper**:

  * Standard fee*: € 80
  * One-day-entrance: € 30
  * Students (incl. PhD. students): € 0

*/Self-funded scholars and students with an annual income of less than 
€25,000 may apply for an individual discount on the fee. Please state 
the reason for your discount application in the ‘Comment’ field in the 
registration form./
**/Registration starts in January 2027. Attendees have access to the 
conference panels without accompanying programme. If you do not plan to 
give a presentation and wish to attend the full conference programme, 
please register for the €80 Standard fee (instead of the title and 
abstract, please state ‘participant without a paper’)./

***

Website link to Call for Papers: 
https://iamhist.net/iamhist-conference-2027-call-for-papers/
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