[Commlist] Call for Papers | 2026 SJTU-IAMCR Emerging Media Conference - “Creative Communication and Empowerment”

Call for Papers | 2026 SJTU-IAMCR Emerging Media Conference
“Creative Communication and Empowerment”


I. Conference Background

The "SJTU-IAMCR Emerging Media Conference", jointly organized by the 
School of Media and Communication at Shanghai Jiao Tong University 
(SJTU) and the International Association for Media and Communication 
Research (IAMCR), will be held on April 17-18, 2026, in Shanghai, China. 
The theme of the conference this year is "Creative Communication and 
Empowerment". In the context of digital and intelligent media, the 
conference focuses on how communication reconstructs the organization of 
meaning production, public participation, and social action through the 
interaction of creative mechanisms, technological architectures, and 
social practices. The conference will examine the role of intelligent 
media in issues such as climate change, public health, and media system 
transformation. The conference aims to explore how communication 
innovation can shift from instrumental applications to 
empowerment-oriented institutional and practical forms, while promoting 
theoretical reflection on the relationship between technology and 
humanities.

The conference will be conducted in-person and invites scholars, 
industry experts, and young researchers from around the world to share 
the latest research findings and practical experiences regarding the 
theoretical frontiers and practical paths of creative communication. As 
an important collaborative platform between the School of Media and 
Communication at Shanghai Jiao Tong University and IAMCR, the conference 
aims to use "empowerment" as a core analytical lens to deepen the 
understanding of the social functions and public value of emerging 
media, contributing to the construction of a more inclusive and 
sustainable global society.


II. Conference Themes

"Creative Communication and Empowerment"

The conference will feature sub-themes encompassing, but not limited to, 
the following areas:
•Generative Video and the Reconstruction of Sustainable Creative Ecology
•AI Video, Virtual Reality, and the Landscape of the Society
•AI Journalism and Media System Transformation
•Media Literacy Education and Empowerment in Digital Society
•Digital Health Communication and Well-being
•Socioeconomic Development Empowerment by Culture in the Digital Age
•The Dialectics between Cultural Empowerment and Technological Empowerment
•Intelligent Applications in Science Communication and Challenges of 
Inclusivity
•Technological Inequality and Digital Participation
•Climate Change, Environmental Risks, and Community Resilience


III. Conference Timeline and Schedule

1.Key Dates
•Paper Submission Deadline: 11:59 p.m. (GMT+8), February 23, 2026
•Announcement of Decisions: March 18, 2026
•Full Paper Submission Deadline: 11:59 p.m. (GMT+8), March 31, 2026 
(Applicable to submissions competing for paper awards)
•Conference Dates: April 17-18, 2026 (Friday and Saturday)

2.Conference Schedule
•April 17, 2026: Conference Opening Ceremony, Keynote Speeches, and 
Parallel Sessions
•April 18, 2026: Parallel Sessions, Closing Ceremony, and Announcement 
of Outstanding Papers


IV. Submission Guidelines

1.Submission
•Submissions are only accepted through the ScholarBay online system. 
Please submit your paper via the following link: www.scholarbay.cn
•Each author may submit a maximum of 2 papers as the first author. 
Submissions exceeding this limit will not be processed.

2.Paper Format and Length
General Submission (Abstracts):
•Submissions should be in the form of an extended abstract, either in 
English or Chinese.
•The document format must be in Word (.doc or .docx).
•The word limit is 800 words for Chinese submissions and 500 words for 
English submissions, including tables, figures, and references.
•English submissions must follow APA 7th edition. Chinese submissions 
may follow APA 7th edition or Chinese National Standards for 
Bibliographic References.
•Please include 4-5 keywords after the abstract.

Paper Award Competition (Full Papers):
•Submissions should be in the form of a full paper.
•The document format must be in Word (.doc or .docx).
•The word limit is 15,000 words for Chinese submissions and 8,000 words 
for English submissions, including tables, figures, and references.
•English submissions must follow APA 7th edition. Chinese submissions 
may follow APA 7th edition or Chinese National Standards for 
Bibliographic References.
•Please include 4-5 keywords after the abstract.

3.Usage of Submitted Papers
•The title and abstract of submitted papers may be used for the 
conference website, handbook, or other promotional materials.

4.Awards
•The conference will grant the Best Student Paper Award and the Best 
Faculty Paper Award.
•To be eligible for the Best Student Paper Award, all authors must be 
currently enrolled students.
•Papers intended for award consideration must be submitted in full-paper 
form. The full paper can be submitted during the initial call or after 
the abstract is accepted, but no later than March 31, 2026.

5.Research Ethics
•Submissions must be original research. Submissions of the same paper to 
other conferences are strictly prohibited.
•Papers must be written independently by the authors. The conference 
does not accept papers or primary text content generated directly by 
Generative AI.
•If AI tools are used for legitimate research purposes (e.g. data 
processing, analytical assistance, or technical support), authors must 
clearly declare the tools used, purposes, and stages involved at the 
time of submission.
•Submissions that fail to truthfully declare AI usage, or where 
Generative AI has replaced substantive writing and academic judgment, 
will be rejected upon verification.
•Authors bear full responsibility for the academic integrity, research 
ethics, and authenticity of their submissions.


V. Additional Information

1. Registration Fees: The event is free of charge.
2. Other Expenses: Participants are responsible for their own travel, 
accommodation, and other related expenses.


VI. Conference Secretariat

•Contact Address:
School of Media and Communication, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 
Dongchuan Road, Shanghai, China, 200240
•Email: (sjtuiamcr /at/ 163.com)

For any inquiries regarding the submission process or conference 
details, please feel free to contact us.

We look forward to your contributions and active participation in the 
SJTU-IAMCR Emerging Media Conference 2026, where we will collectively 
explore the frontiers of media, technology, and the humanities in 
shaping a sustainable and inclusive global future.


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