[ecrea] Perception Reception: the history of media in society. Call for papers for July 2012 conference

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*Perception Reception: *

*The history of the media in society *

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Call for Papers for a conference to be held between 4^th and 7^th July 
2012 at Aberystwyth University, Wales, UK.

The 4^th /Media History/ conference will focus on the ways in which 
people have understood the social, cultural and political roles of the 
media from the 15^th to the 20th century. The concept of 'the media' 
will be interpreted broadly, so as to include print culture (including 
the press and publishing), cinema, broadcasting, and other visual and 
electronic media.

A great deal of work has been done by scholars on the institutional, 
political and cultural history of various media. 'Perception, Reception' 
will build on this literature to explore the ways in which the media 
have historically been understood, conceptualised, and imaginatively 
represented. Thus the conference will not focus on the content of the 
media as such, so much as the depiction, perception and reception of the 
media in different contexts over time.

How have readers, consumers, and the respective media industries 
themselves framed arguments about the media as a force for good (or 
evil) at different points in time? Have contemporaries always seen the 
media as agents of change, or is there a counter-history of the media to 
be written in terms of promoting conservatism, deference and order? How 
have people understood and represented the media in terms of concepts of 
personal and geographical space, time, or changing belief systems?  Can 
we think 'internationally' about perceptions of the media in different 
states and nations over time, or is the media still best understood and 
examined in largely local or regional contexts?

We welcome proposals from a range of chronological, geographical and 
methodological backgrounds

Abstracts, of around 200 words for papers of between 20 to 25 minutes 
duration, should be sent by close of business on 30 September 2011 to 
(mediahist2012 /at/ aber.ac.uk) <mailto:(mediahist2012 /at/ aber.ac.uk)>

'Perception, Reception' is jointly organised by the Centre For Media 
History, Aberystwyth University 
<http://www.aber.ac.uk/history/research/centreformediahistory.html>, the 
journal /Media History 
<http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/carfax/13688804.html> /and the Trinity 
Long Room Hub <http://www.tcd.ie/longroomhub>, Trinity College Dublin. 
Additional enquiries can be directed to one or more of the following: Dr 
Sian Nicholas 
<https://exchange.aber.ac.uk/owa/redir.aspx?C=557d6e5685d244b4a8770e3cd5c78fc6&URL=mailto%3a%2520shn%40aber.ac.uk>, 
Professor Tom O'Malley 
<https://exchange.aber.ac.uk/owa/redir.aspx?C=557d6e5685d244b4a8770e3cd5c78fc6&URL=mailto%3atpo%40aber.ac.uk> 
or Dr Jason McElligott <mailto:(jmcellig /at/ tcd.ie)>.