[ecrea] cfp: The European Public Sphere: from critical thinking to responsible action

ECREA IIC Section

Call for Papers - Conference:

*"The European Public Sphere: from critical thinking to responsible action"*

Brussels, Committee of the Regions, 1^st week of February 2012

* *

*The Conference*

The Conference is organized by the International and Intercultural
Communication Section of ECREA (IIC), supported by ECREA (European
Communication Research and Education Association), by ECREA Sections on
Journalism Studies and Communication Law&  Policy and by the Committee
of the Regions. It will be hosted at the Committee of the Regions in
Brussels during the first week of February 2012 (the final date will be
communicated during the month of November 2011 once the calendar of the
Committee of the Regions for 2012 will be finalized).

*Rationale*

In order for the European Integration Project to develop further and
beyond its economic rationale, European citizens need a well-functioning
European Public Sphere (EPS) where they can discuss Europe and
participate in European debates and policymaking.

After years of debate on how the EU could and should better communicate
Europe to its citizens (e.g. Plan D for Democracy, Dialogue and Debate --
2005; White Paper on a European Communication Policy - 2006), the EPS is
still essentially a topic for academics and researchers rather than a
critical informed Public European space where citizens can fully
contribute to debate about the EU, its role, its politics and its
present and future challenges.

/_ _/

/_The conference will gather academics, policy makers, and practitioners
with the aim to generate a truly multi-stakeholders and multilevel
debate on the EPS. Within the scope of the Conference, the EPS will be
approached from its essential dimensions of 1) citizenship building, 2)
intercultural dialogue and 3) multi level governance. _/

*Conference's Topics and Call for Abstracts*

The conference is a one day event structured along 3 parallel thematic
sessions in the morning and 1 plenary session in the afternoon that will
discuss and further elaborate the topics treated in the parallel sessions.

The 3 parallel morning sessions will analyze and reflect upon the EPS
from the perspectives of:

1) Identity Building and Citizenship Building,

2) Communication and Information Strategies, and

3) Policies and Multiple Governance Structures and Actors.

The plenary session will elaborate on the results of the 3 parallel
sessions and reflect on concrete policy measures and actions to
implement the EPS and empower citizens within.

The 3 thematic panels will be structured around the presentation of 4
papers related to the specific theme of the panel._One paper_  will take
into consideration and will be based upon key concepts and models of the
EPS (i.e._academically focused paper_);_one paper_  will deal with the
policies and the institutional framework around the EPS (i.e. an
_institutionally focused paper_);_two papers_  will be based on good
practices and case studies and specific projects implementing the EPS
(i.e. _2 in-depth case studies_ analysis based possibly on European
projects).

The Scientific committee welcomes abstracts (academic, institutional,
and good practices) on the following 3 themes:

_EPS and European Identity Building and Citizenship Building _

/These three concepts mutually shape, reinforce and complement each
other. Papers in this panel aim at reflecting and analyzing their mutual
articulation and the necessity to develop holistic paradigms rather than
sector specific ones./

_EP Spheres, Communication and Information Strategies and Policies_

/European information and communication strategies are not always able
to reach the aims they are targeted to. The institutions are not only
confronted with political challenges but also with a constantly changing
media landscape. Different groups use different media in different ways
and with a certain degree of unpredictability. Papers in this panel
analyze the complex relationship between the societal appropriation of
media and the challenges this poses to the policy makers./

_EPS and Multilevel Governance Structures and Actors_

/Multilevel Governance structures and actors, especially if culturally
and linguistically dispersed over 27 Member States and a multitude of
political processes at European, National and Regional level, can
naturally lead to a cacophony of public spheres. Papers in this panel
analyze the relationship and the interplay between multiple European
Public Spheres (local, regional and European) and the new governance
mechanisms put in place at European level./

*Calendar, deadlines and modalities *

/_10 October 2011: Deadline for Submission of Abstracts_/

The deadline for submission of abstracts is 15 September 2011. Abstracts
should be sent (toluciano.morganti /at/ vub.ac.be), Chair of the IIC section
of ECREA. Abstracts should: 1) clearly indicate which theme is
addressed; 2) be between 300 and 500 words maximum; 3) clearly mention
the name of the author(s), their affiliation and their contact details.

/_20 October 2011: Communication to authors of short-listed abstracts_/

A Scientific Committee will evaluate abstracts and will come up with a
potential list of presenters and a reserve list. The Scientific
Committee will then invite _all those shortlisted (including those in
the reserve list) to submit a full version of the paper_.

The papers selected and those in the reserve list will be considered for
publication as part of an edited book that will follow the conference.

_Papers in the reserve list will be invited to present posters at the
Conference._

/_15 December 2011: Deadline for submission of Full Papers_/

_Failure to submit the full version of the paper in time will result in
exclusion from the list of presenters/posters_.

/_First week of February 2012: Conference_/

The final date of the conference will be confirmed by early November by
the Committee of the Regions, once its final institutional calendar is
constituted.

All inquiries regarding the conference and the call for paper should be
sent to:(luciano.morganti /at/ vub.ac.be).