[Commlist] Call for Papers: "Critical Junctures" in Democratic Media Systems -- medien & zeit

"Critical Junctures" in Democratic Media Systems — medien & zeit 2/2024*

/Editors: Tobias Eberwein, Christina Krakovsky, Christian Oggolder/

Critical junctures – seen as short-term events with a lasting impact on 
developments – manifest themselves historically when social and 
political conventions are shaken. They make far-reaching consequences 
based on decisions by individual actors likely (Cappoccia & Kelemen 
2007) – not only at an institutional, but also at an economic, political 
or ideational level (Collier & Munck 2017; Donnelly & Hogan 2012). In 
any case, critical junctures are times of crisis or stress that existing 
institutions and policies are not (or no longer) suitable to cope with. 
Thus, they challenge the existing order and generate strong pressure for 
changes that are abrupt, discontinuous, and path-dependent 
(Roberts 2015). Such turning points can be challenging for media systems 
in democratically organized states (McChesney 2007; see also Shepperd 
2021; Price 2021; Lamuedra, Martín, & Broullón-Lozano 2019).

In this context, journalism research focuses primarily on changes in 
news production. Here, for example, digitization should be mentioned, 
which has led to drastic changes for journalistic practices and for the 
entire profession. Equally important are the editorial handling of 
propaganda, dis-, mis- and false information, threats and hate news, or 
the encounter with recipients or the more active participation of the 
audience through social media. In a more holistic approach, research 
into critical junctures also considers social, economic, or political 
contexts. Thus, approaches in communication studies can also focus on 
effects that affect the entire media system: for example, the change 
of political systems in and from the late 1980s in Europe, such as the 
reunification of Germany or the collapse of the Soviet system, but also 
feminist movements, especially from the 1960s onwards, up to the 
economic crisis of 2008/2009.

This issue of /medien & zeit/ focuses on such critical junctures from a 
communication studies perspective. The aim is to reflect on and discuss 
specific turning points at the level of actors as well as in 
institutional and structural form, for individual states, supranational 
organizations or international contexts. We therefore invite original 
contributions on this topic, including theoretical as well 
as methodological reflections and case studies. Topics of interest include:

  * National, inter- and transnational critical junctures:
    Which critical junctures at the national and/or supranational level
    were significant for positive or negative developments of democratic
    media systems?
  * Communication historical comparisons: What patterns
    regarding critical junctures can be identified in a comparative,
    historical perspective? Which cases can be informative for
    current turning points?
  * Democratic and democratic-political structures: What do critical
    junctures in the media system indicate for democratic institutions
    and vice versa?
  * Social, political, economic, and technological developments: Which
    consequences of critical junctures can be identified for society as
    a whole, for the media system, and for journalistic practices?
  * Actor-centered approaches: Which role did actors’ actions and agency
    play in the course of critical junctures? What are the implications
    for democratic developments?
  * Audiences and democratic publics: Which critical junctures can be
    identified concerning the role of communicators and recipients?
    Which role does a critical, democratic public play
    in critical junctures?
  * Research and subject history: What is the significance of critical
    junctures in communication studies and in the context of the history
    of the discipline?
  * Narration, public sphere and historiography: How are critical
    junctures narrated in media or historiographic contexts? Which
    theoretical arguments, for example with concepts of
    change, hegemonies, etc., could be useful in the discussion
    of critical junctures?


Submissions are welcome in English or German. Submitted abstracts (no 
more than 500 words and a meaningful title) outlining a prospective 
contribution will be reviewed by the issue editors. On this basis, 
authors will be invited to submit full papers (6,000 words including 
title, abstract, tables, figures, and bibliography). All full papers 
will undergo a double-blind peer-review. In a possible revision 
phase after the review, authors can extend the length of the article to 
a maximum of 8,000 words, taking into account the suggestions of the 
reviewers and editors. /medien & zeit/ is fully open access and does 
not charge its authors any fees for editing the articles.

  * Submission of abstracts: /*31. July 2023*/
  * Submission of full papers: 31. December 2023
  * Publication of the issue: Issue 2/2024 at the earliest
  * Please send submissions by email: (cfp /at/ medienundzeit.at)
    <mailto:(cfp /at/ medienundzeit.at)>

More information: https://medienundzeit.at/call-for-papers-2-2024/ 
<https://medienundzeit.at/call-for-papers-2-2024/>


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