[Commlist] Workshop on Public Opinion and Democratic Civic Engagement: Expanding Reflection in Public Agendas

Workshop

31009 Pamplona, Spain

Date: 18/06/2026 - 19/06/2026
Call for papers ending on: 23/02/2026

A tribute to Maxwell McCombs and Esteban López-Escobar
This workshop honors the work of Maxwell McCombs and Esteban
López-Escobar, whose lifelong commitment to the study of agenda-setting and
media effects has left an enduring legacy in the field of communication
research and its links to democracy. Their contribution was not only
theoretical. Importantly, they reminded us that communication carries a
social responsibility: to strengthen democratic life and, ultimately, to 
help
create the conditions for better and more just societies.Now, by revisiting
the legacy of McCombs and López-Escobar, our workshop seeks to inspire new
directions in the study of public opinion, while reaffirming the political
mission that supports all meaningful communication research.

Following their meaningful influence, this workshop aims to foster a
collective discussion about the evolution of public opinion studies in anera
shaped by social media, emotional engagement, and polarization. In addition
to reflecting on the extent to which media and new communication platforms
contribute to the creation—and perpetuation—of a polarized society, we
would like to promote dialogue on how we, as scholars, can redefine the role
of communication in this context. Our goal is to explore together how we
could rebuild this fragmented landscape, addressing issues in public opinion
research and exploring new ways of enhancing civic engagement. This
reflection seems timely in the current context of international conflictsand
crises that threaten democracy and often appear to undermine rational
dialogue.

The starting point of this workshop is to return to the fundamentals of
public opinion dynamics. Understanding how opinions are formed, expressed,
and transformed requires revisiting the basic mechanisms that shape
collective judgment in contemporary societies. For this purpose, it is
essential to challenge some of the entrenched clichés that too often
underlie general explanations of current phenomena. Are we, as researchers,
engaging with social issues in a sufficiently critical and nuanced manner?
Can we expand the scope of our enquiry and seek the causes of this lack of
engagement?

Take, for instance, the term populism—a concept that is frequently invoked
yet often used in superficial or misleading ways. Such terms tend to
oversimplify complex social realities and obscure the deeper mechanisms
through which public opinion operates.

Moreover, we must ask whether the drive toward simplification—amplified by
digital communication—has become one of the main obstacles to meaningful
public discourse.

This raises several key questions: Is public opinion today more simplistic
than ever? Does the public arena still serve as a genuine space for
democratic debate, or has it come to be dominated by emotional 
narratives and
polarization? And if so, how can we regenerate the public sphere so that
meaningful dialogue is possible?

The distinction between what is considered true and what is dismissed
as fake news comes to the forefront. Public opinion can increasingly be
understood as a social construction that no longer necessarily refers to
reality itself. Instead, it is shaped by mediated representations, emotions,
and collective perceptions that circulate within the public sphere. As a
result, the boundaries among information, perception, and belief become
progressively blurred. How, then, can public opinion remain genuinely
informed in an environment shaped by echo chambers and algorithmic
reinforcement? What is the role of traditional media in this context? Howis
Artificial Intelligence shaping debates and content?

In sum, in a context where freedom of expression is often curtailed, and
public participation is facing growing disruptions, this workshop seeks to
discuss the conditions for a rational and open public sphere.

TOPICS FOR PROPOSAL

Possible topics for proposals include, but are not limited to:
• Media, old and new, effects on public opinion.
• Public attitudes. Role of Emotions in Public Opinion.
• Polarization, extremism, and information disorders.
• Public perceptions. Controversial issues and social perceptions.

• New media effects. Developments of Agenda-setting in the new media
context. Developments of Framing studies.
• New Directions in Electoral Campaigns.
• Effects of polls in democracies.
• AI effects on public opinion.
• Challenges to freedom of expression.
• Civic engagement.

One aim of the workshop is to identify and bring together scholars in
communication, sociology, and politics concerned about communication 
research
and public opinion studies.
For more information, and abstract submissions, visit
: https://www.unav.edu/web/public-opinion-and-democratic-civic-engagement/home


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