[Commlist] CFA ICA preconference on digital disconnection

REMINDER: CFA ICA PRECONFERENCE ON DIGITAL DISCONNECTIONAuthenticity, 
wellness, datafication and powerInternational Communication Association 
Annual Conference, Toronto, CanadaThursday, 25 May: 9:00-17:00, Victoria 
University - University of TorontoSponsored by the following ICA groups: 
Activism, Communication and Social Justice Interest Group; Intercultural 
Communication Division; Mobile Communication Division; Philosophy, 
Theory, and Critique Division
There is still time to resubmit to the preceonference on digital 
disconnection at this years ICA conference.
Deadline for Abstracts: January 20, 2023

The preconference explores the topic of authenticity in disconnection 
studies, as authenticity emerges as both a negative and positive motive: 
Citizens log off to avoid inauthentic social media and hope to achieve a 
more authentic life by engaging in offline activities. However, these 
motives are fraught with contradictions and ambivalence, to be explored 
at the preconference. In particular, the preconference addresses how 
these tensions aroundauthenticity are situated in a broader context, 
promoting the discussion around the key topics of wellness, datafication 
and power. Contributions are invited on how digital breaks are 
facilitated or prevented by communication industries, socio-economic 
status, social networks,cultural practices, and the relations between 
these different structures. The preconference especially welcomes 
studies of disconnection across different domains and across social 
groups. We are particularly interested in research focusing on a variety 
of sociopolitical contexts, beyond the Anglo-Saxon and European experience.

Building on a successful preconference in Paris in 2022, this second 
disconnection studies preconference has three main objectives:

1) Expand collaboration: the preconference in Toronto builds on the 
effort developedduring Covid years and in Paris, to invite scholars with 
fresh perspectives to contribute,namely to expand approaches and 
collaborations across disciplines, media and regions of the world.

2) Expand the range of topics and perspectives: the event stimulates 
studies that consider the links between macro, meso, and micro 
perspectives through four critical themes. Furthermore, the 
preconference aims to expand participation in the research area from 
non-western sites, as well as studies focused on intercultural perspectives.

3) Stimulate networking and career development among junior and senior 
academics: the fast development of the field calls for a need to 
facilitate contact acrossnational borders and disciplines that this 
event can foster.
We encourage abstracts emphasizing the following dimensions:
• Methodological approaches and empirical analyses of disconnection as 
it intersects with authenticity, wellness, datafication and power
• Theoretical and conceptual advances of disconnection studies with 
respect to thethemes of authenticity, wellness, datafication and power
• Cultural, cross-cultural and historical perspectives on disconnection
• Explorations of motivations and consequences of digital disconnection 
practices
• Studies of disconnection practices in understudied locations, social 
domains and amongunderstudied demographics.

ABSTRACT REQUIREMENTS AND PROCEDURES
The conference is based on non-anonymous abstracts of no more than 300 
words, exclud. references.Submit abstracts as Word documents to 
disconnection[at]hum.ku.dk  by January 20, 2023, including info on 
author name, position and affiliation.

The abstracts will be subject to a review process by the organizing 
committee and placed in thematic clusters for panel discussions and 
roundtable talks.

Decisions on acceptance will be communicated to applicants by February 17.

Authors of accepted abstracts are expected to attend the preconference 
in person.

Participation fee (including coffee break and lunch) is US $15 for all 
participants. Each

participant should cover their travel and accommodation costs.

The venue is Victoria University in the University of Toronto. It is 
located about 2km from the big conference hotels and accessible via Subway.


ORGANISERS:

• Trine Syvertsen, Professor, University of Oslo

• Gunn Enli, Professor, University of Oslo

• Tero Karppi, Associate Professor, University of Toronto (Local host)

• Anne Kaun, Professor, Södertörn University

• Ana Jorge, Associate Professor, Lusófona University

• Stine Lomborg, Associate Professor, University of Copenhagen

• Mariek Vanden Abeele, Associate Professor, Ghent University

• Victoria Andelsman, PhD candidate, University of Copenhagen

• Christoffer Bagger, PhD candidate, University of Copenhagen

• Sara Van Bruyssel, PhD candidate, Ghent University

• Tom De Leyn, postdoc, Ghent University

• Bert Verhulst, PhD candidate, Ghent University


SPONSORS

The preconference is sponsored by The Institute of Communication, 
Culture, Information and Technology at the University of Toronto; the 
research project Datafied Living, funded by the Independent Research 
Fund Denmark and the ERC, at University of Copenhagen; and the research 
project Digitox, funded by the Research Council of Norway, at the 
University of Oslo.

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