[ecrea] YECREA Mini-Workshop: Is there future in communication history?

*YECREA organizes a Young Scholars Mini-Workshop as a part of the 
Communication History Section 2011 Conference at Dublin City University, 
Dublin Ireland*

*Workshop Date: Wednesday, September 7, 2011. 3pm – 6pm.*

*"Is there Future in Communication History? Perspectives, Challenges, 
Careers and Dead Ends at the Crossroads of Communication and History."*

Some of the main concerns of young scholars making the first steps into 
the world of academia and researches in the early stages of their 
careers are similar in all areas: How to find a promising way into the 
field of research they are interested in as well as how to become a 
visible member of the respective scientific community? And even more 
troublesome: How can they build an academic CV that allows them not only 
to get in but also to stay in academia and to ascertain their future in 
the field and as scholars?

This fundamental challenge experienced by all young scholars may even be 
more accentuated when specializing in communication history, a field at 
the crossroads (or in the no-man’s-land) of different disciplines, 
mostly communication studies and history, but also cultural studies, 
other social sciences and disciplines of the humanities. What is the 
actual situation of professionals, what are opportunities and hindrances 
for a professional future in communication history?

The workshop aims to learn how scholars in different stages of their 
careers confront these specific challenges that communication history 
poses (and whether they truly are so specific). It shall be tried to 
unravel similarities and peculiarities of the nature of these challenges 
in different European settings as well as inquired how experiences and 
preconditions differ in European countries and what experiences scholars 
have made and which strategies they have followed in their personal careers.

To provide helpful insights and to address personal issues of the 
participants’ the workshop will combine initial statements by invited 
scholars in different stages of their careers, with a plenary discussion 
forum.

*Invited Speakers:*

Prof. Dr. Klaus Arnold (Chair of ECREA Communication History Section, 
University of Trier)

Prof. Dr. Carlos Barrera (Chair of IAMCR History Section, University of 
Navarra)

Prof. Dr. Frank Boesch (University of Gießen)

Dr. Gabriele Balbi (University of Lugano / Columbia University)

Brigitte Martens, MA (Vrije Universiteit Brussel)

Christian Schwarzenegger, MA (Chair, YECREA Representative in the 
Communication History Section. RWTH Aachen University)

Places are limited, so if interested to participate or for any further 
information please contact Christian Schwarzenegger: 
*(c.schwarzenegger /at/ isk.rwth-aachen.de) 
<mailto:(c.schwarzenegger /at/ isk.rwth-aachen.de)>*
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*Topics that will be addressed in the workshop will include but are not 
limited to:*

***Identity and Self-perception as a scholar*

Do scholars in communication history consider themselves historians or 
communication researchers? And what would be the difference? Which 
communities and associations do they identify with? How did and do they 
deal with the interdisciplinary character of their research? How well do 
they feel accepted in the respective fields they engage in? Is it rather 
communication history or media history that they are interested in, what 
appears to be more promising?

*Education, Qualification, Understanding of History*

What is the disciplinary background of the scholars doing communication 
history? How did they get into this field of research? What are their 
conceptions of history and their ideas of the purpose of historical 
research? How are historical perspectives applicable for research on the 
contemporary and how important is this in order to plan a career?

*Publishing strategies*

Given the crossroads character of communication history, what are 
promising strategies to have one’s research noticed? Where to publish? 
What to publish? Does one have to decide which path is to be followed 
and is it necessary to focus on the publishing platforms of one discipline?

*Visibility and Cooperation*

What are the right strategies to make one’s work and oneself visible, 
both inside the home department and in the field? Does one need to 
follow a plan or will “time tell” what to do? How to build a network of 
professional contacts (and who should be part of it)? Who should one try 
to cooperate with (e.g. other scholars doing communication history, 
historians, communication scholars focusing on the contemporary)? What 
are the trending topics that will require research on their historical 
foundations.

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*The objectives of the workshop are:*

- To provide young scholars with counsel, inspiration, solace and warnings

- To address peers and experienced scholars with personal concerns, 
questions, ideas, plans

- To provide peer-contact, networking and contacts

- To “demand a better future”

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