[Commlist] cfp: Challenging the Visual: Distrust, Emergency, Uncertainty (II International Conference on Visual Motifs in the Public Sphere)

Challenging the Visual: Distrust, Emergency, Uncertainty
II International Conference on Visual Motifs in the Public Sphere
Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona
March 13th-15th, 2024
Deadline for proposals: February 2nd
CFP 
<https://eventum.upf.edu/108914/section/47507/challenging-the-visual-distrust-emergency-uncertainty-ii-international-conference-on-visual-motifs-.html>

The II International Conference on Visual Motifs in the Public Sphere, 
Challenging the
Visual: Distrust, Emergency, Uncertainty, will be held on March 13th, 
14th and 15th, 2024, at Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona. Scholars 
and practitioners in media studies, film,
and visual arts, as well as researchers in social and political 
communication,
are cordially invited to participate. The conference aims to establish
foundational principles regarding the self-production of images of power 
within
the contemporary public sphere. This conference is organized by the research
project MUTACIONES DE LOS MOTIVOS VISUALES EN LA ESFERA PÚBLICA. 
REPRESENTACIONES DEL PODER EN ESPAÑA 2017-2021:
PANDEMIA, CAMBIO CLIMÁTICO, IDENTIDADES DE GÉNERO Y CONFLICTOS RACIALES 
(REF:PID2021-126930OB-I00).

The aim of the conference is to bring together empirical research and 
grounded theoretical
approaches to contribute to the development of an understanding of how power
and public space are staged. We seek to explore how citizens 
(re)interpret the
images of power and public space, and elucidate the mechanisms of 
appropriation
and reinvention of iconographic sources.

In recent years, the visual construction of the public sphere has 
undergone a profound
transformation propelled by four crucial factors catalyzed by the SARS-CoV-2
pandemic: heightened awareness of climate
change, the rearticulation of gender identities, racial, migratory, and 
geopolitical
conflicts—manifested in phenomena such as the TikTok wars or the
hyper-representation of terrorism—and the influence of technology 
itself, notably with the emergence of generative AI.

In this context, the notion of distrust has become inherently 
intertwined with images,
coinciding with a period characterized by uncertainty and an
acute sense of emergency. As noted by filmmaker and theorist Harun Farocki
in Desconfiar de las imágenes (2013), the manipulative potential of visual
texts demands a meticulous scrutiny and decoding of images to restore 
the pact
with a trustworthy visual narrator, thereby facilitating the reactivation of
the contractual relationship between author and spectator.

Thus, the analysis of images within the public sphere should be based on 
an exploration of the
principle of self-representation, self-staging, and the verification of 
an image
that is seemingly hypermediated within an increasingly complex system.
Confronting the incessant flow of images demands maintaining a critical
distance and elucidating the mechanisms that enable alternatives through 
media
literacy through the study of visual motifs.

The concept of visual motif refers to an iconographic pattern of 
cultural representation
transmitted and reinterpreted throughout the history of images, fostering
narrative and emotional recognition (Balló, Bergala, 2016). Images embodying
power and various facets of public life are articulated through visual 
motifs
derived from cinema, painting, literature, and even oral heritage 
(Communication & Society, 34 (2), 2021; Salvadó, Balló,
2023). Therefore, the capacity of these motifs to convey emotional content
through their dynamic persistence establishes them as fundamental nodes 
for the
circulation of information and its critique.

 From an iconographic perspective, it may seem that social networks 
have merely accelerated and
multiplied the wave of the fundamental law: 'History is written by the
Victors.' The attention economy that underpins the consumption and 
production
of images on digital media constitutes both a struggle for the 
appropriation of
discourses and a mere complaint.

There is a substantial tradition of political iconography rooted in the 
foundational work of Aby Warburg,
further developed by scholars such as Erwin Panofsky, Horst Bredekamp, 
George
Didi-Huberman, Monica Centanni, Patrick Boucheron, and Carlo Ginzburg. Their
attention to the pivotal role of visual motifs in shaping public space
intersects with inquiries from diverse fields, including art theory and
criticism (Boris Groys, Hito Steyerl, Harun Farocki), political philosophy
(Giorgio Agamben), film studies (Nicole Brenez, Alain Bergala, Emmanuelle
André), the theory of photography (Ariella Azoulay), forensic analysis of
critical political and historical situations (Eyal Weizman, Forensic
Architecture), social semiotics (Theo Van Leewen), cognitive iconology (Ian
Verstegen), and Production Studies (Banks, Caldwell, Du Guy, Thompson, and
Burns). Beyond the transmission of visual motifs, our interest extends to
contemporary reinventions facilitated by prosumers in social networks

Among the potential topics, we propose the following, though 
contributions are not limited to these:

·       Visual motifs in the representation of various spheres of power 
in the public domain: political, economic, judiciary, military, police, 
 civil, and forms of citizen participation.
·      Visual motifs in the rearticulation of gender identities.
·      Visual motifs depicting racial conflicts, migration, and borders.
·      Visual motifs addressing climate emergency and ecological crises.
·      Visual motifs portraying technology and Generative Artificial 
Intelligence.
·      Visual motifs and narratives in political campaigns, exploring 
reinventions of previous iconographic sources.
·      Examination of the representation of power and the public sphere 
in cinema.
·      Iconographic evocation in photojournalism practices, exploring 
the civil contract of photography.
·      Analysis of GIFs, memes, and mashups in political processes, the 
public sphere, and the aforementioned thematic areas.
·      Exploration of deepfake technology and visual fake news.
·      Case studies and production analyses in photojournalism, 
television, online press, and social networks concerning images of power.
·       Theoretical studies on the continuity and transformations of 
political iconography.

Proposal Submission and presentation:
·      Submissions should be made through the eventum platform 
<https://eventum.upf.edu/108914/section/47507/challenging-the-visual-distrust-emergency-uncertainty-ii-international-conference-on-visual-motifs-.html>. 
They will include:
o   Title of the paper
o   Name(s) and surname(s) of the participant(s)
o   E-mail address
o   Mailing address
o   Abstract (300 to 500 words)
o   Keywords (up to 5)
o   Short biography (up to 150 words)
·      In-person presentations during the congress should not exceed 15 
minutes and can be delivered in Spanish, Catalan, or English.

Important Dates:
·      Proposal submission deadline: February 2nd, 2024.
·      Notification of proposal acceptance: February 12th, 2024.
·      Papers must be original and unpublished at the congress time.
·      Approved papers may be published as proceedings with ISBN 
registration. Submission deadline for publication: April 15th. Texts 
should adhere to APA style guidelines (sixth edition), with a length of 
3,000 to 4,000 words.

Registration Fees:
·      30 € per attendee: includes a certificate
of attendance.
·      50 € per speaker: includes a certificate
of presentation and the option to publish the communication in the 
conference
proceedings with ISBN.
·      Free registration for the entire UPF community (students, PAS and 
PDI), members of the research
project, invited speakers, and members of the congress committees.

Registration Period:
·      Registration will be open from February 12th to February 29th, 2024.

For further information and/or inquiries, please contact us by e-mail at 
(challengingthevisual /at/ gmail.com) <mailto:(challengingthevisual /at/ gmail.com)>


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