[Commlist] cfp: Political Polarisation and the Role of Media

*Political Polarisation and the Role of Media*

*/Centre for the Study of Ethnic Conflict, Queens University Belfast, 
March 10-11 2022/*

The viral and virulent spread of ethno-populism and nationalism around 
the globe including the countries on the democratic side of political 
continuum has encouraged considerable research exploring effects, causes 
and mechanisms of these phenomena. We invite papers investigating the 
role of media in creating social and political divisions where there 
were none, enhancing polarisation of and within societies, and 
compromising the quality of democracy. Comparative approaches are 
particularly welcome to assess whether and to what extent the level of 
democratic consolidation, relationship between the media and societies, 
societal segmentation along ascriptive criteria (i.e. ethnicity, 
language, religion etc) or ideological lines (i.e right vs left), etc 
increase the  likelihood ethnocentric polarisation. Does media stoke 
nationalist sentiments to encourage political realignment? Has the 
spread of 'us vs them’ rhetoric undermined the long standing social 
solidarities? How big of a role does economic interest of the media 
itself play in fuelling the perceptions of divisions?

Our workshop will take place in Belfast, Northern Ireland, the society 
with an experience of intergroup conflict and persistent societal 
division that is reflected in its media landscape. We seek to build upon 
the expertise from the ‘plural and divided places’ to reflect on:

1) experiences of research from social and political sciences on the 
lasting effects of conflict and identity-based antagonism when assessing 
opportunities and constraints for media outlets to reach across the 
socially and politically salient divide;

2) rich analysis of case specific material from communication studies, 
especially focussing the media systems and media communication to 
reflect on the impact of political polarisation on medias role in 
ushering in the democratic publics.

We invite single-case and comparative paper proposals that engage 
empirically, conceptually and normatively with a number of factors 
ranging from the historical roots of the divide, economic interests, 
media and political systems’ features, as well as socio-cultural factors 
in explaining the bridging or dividing role of the media in contemporary 
societies. We welcome proposals from social and political sciences, as 
well as communication and media studies scholars. Early career 
researchers are particularly welcome to apply.

We are especially interested in papers investigating (but are not 
limited to): societies differently placed along the democratic 
continuum, hence both consolidated and unconsolidated democracies; 
societies featuring ‘polarised pluralism’, divided along the right-left 
ideological commitments despite their relative ethnic homogeneity (i.e. 
Italy, Spain, Portugal); the ‘plural and divided societies’ , segmented 
either along ethnonational, religious, linguistic or multiplicity of 
these lines (i.e. Bosnia Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Northern Ireland, 
South Tyrol, Lebanon etc)

Possible topics include but are not limited to:

  * Media’s political role and political usages of media
  * Media’s polarisation, ethnopolitics, and authoritarian tendencies
  * Media, citizens’ participation and socio-political engagement
  * State capture and media capture
  * Traditional and new media’s role vis-a-vis increased political
    polarisation
Please submit your proposals using this link to save you from working 
throu all the emails! https://form.jotform.com/213186755287365 
<https://form.jotform.com/213186755287365>  Alternatively send your 
proposal to: *Arianna Piacentini* (University of Milan), 
(arianna.piacentini /at/ unimi.it)

Paper proposals should include contact details of the author(s), title, 
an abstract of no more than 200 words, and your preference for online or 
in-person presentation.

The workshop will take place in-person on *10th and 11th March 2022*, in 
Queen’s University Belfast, Northern Ireland. No fee is required. 
Depending on the development of the pandemic, the workshop organisers 
will seek to accommodate all participants willing to participate online: 
further updates on the format will be circulated to participants 
selected, in January.

Deadline for expressions of interest is *Tuesday 11th January 2022*, 
though we appreciate early expressions of interest.


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