Call for Papers
Political Studies Association Media and Politics Group (MPG) Annual Conference
3-4 November 2011
Bournemouth University, UK
Civic and Audience Empowerment
Deadline for Abstracts: 3 June 2011
The PSA is the UKâ??s leading association in the
study and research of politics. The MPG is one
of its largest specialist groups, and is one of
the worldâ??s largest political communications
groups. The main theme of its annual conference
is civic and audience empowerment focusing, in
particular, on the ways and means through which
(all and any) media can empower or dis-empower
citizens, i.e. act as vehicles of or obstacles to civic change.
Technological, cultural and economic forces are
profoundly transforming political communication
posing historic challenges and opportunities for
politicians and media organisations. At the same
time, important questions are emerging about the
role and power of citizens, challenging
traditional notions of the passive audience, but
opening new questions around power and digital
labour. It is therefore a good time to reflect
upon some of the consequences of these
developments for both the construction and
reception of political communication, in all its
forms. For instance, how much and what sorts of
civic and audience empowerment are most
desirable, and how does this differ
cross-nationally? How do citizens relate to
private and public spaces? How do citizens
function in online, networked, liminal and
alternative spaces? How do audiences of
â??non-politicalâ?? media spaces relate their
experiences to politics? How are political
parties and movements utilising audiences as
co-creators of political communication and what
are the consequences for democracy?
We invite theoretical and empirical papers that
draw specific attention to reassessing the
theories, methods and issues that inform our
understanding of citizens and audiences in
contemporary politics. These may include, but
are not limited to the following themes:
- New forms of campaigning, political
communication, networking and mobilisation
- How news organisations are speaking to
their audience: continuities and change
- Citizen journalism and political
audiences as â??knowledge communitiesâ??
- Civic consumerism and the â??politics of the everyday lifeâ??
- Media literacy and journalism education
- Usability of political websites and user empowerment
- Global citizen empowerment and social movements
- The geography and spatiality of
audiencehood in the context of the political
- The relationship between art,
creativity, entertainment and civic culture
- Resistant audiences and alternative interpretive communities
The aim of this conference is to encourage new
thinking and original approaches to political
communication with a particular emphasis (where
problems are articulated) on solutions,
recommendations and ways forward. The conference
organisers are in talks with publishers and
intend to publish selected conference papers as
part of an edited collection. To be considered
for this, conference presenters are encouraged
to submit a full version of their paper before or soon after the conference.
While the conference is themed on civic and
audience empowerment, the MPG group always
operates an inclusive policy, and papers dealing
with any aspect of media and politics are welcomed.
The keynote speech will be delivered by Professor Stuart Allan.
Proposals for 15 minute papers should include
the following: title and name, institutional
affiliation and address, and preferred email
address; together with, a paper title and
abstract of not more than 300 words; and,
whether or not you are a postgraduate student.
Proposals should be sent on or before Friday 3rd
June 2011 to Dr Dan Jackson
(jacksond /at/ bournemouth.ac.uk). All abstracts will
undergo peer review and decisions on papers will
be given within 3 weeks of the submission deadline.
Full papers submitted by postgraduate students
will be entered into the James Thomas Memorial
Prize. This award is presented to the most
outstanding paper by a graduate student at the
Media and Politics Group Annual Conference.
For further information about the conference,
please visit (and join!) the MPG facebook group:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=13215335223.
Dan
Dr. Dan Jackson
Senior Lecturer in Media and Communications
UG Degree Framework Leader for Corporate and Marketing Communications group
Programme Co-ordinator, BA Public Relations
The Media School
Bournemouth University
W410 Weymouth House
Talbot Campus
01202 961297
(jacksond /at/ bournemouth.ac.uk)
