The Digital Divide Working Group of the International Association for Media and Communication Research (IAMCR) invites the submission of proposals for papers and panels for IAMCR 2024, which will be held in Christchurch, New Zealand, from 30 June to 4 July 2024.
The deadline for submission is 7 February 2024, at 23h59 UTC.
See the CfPs of all sections and working groups
Theme
IAMCR conferences address many diverse topics defined by our 33 thematic sections and working groups. We also propose a single central theme to be explored throughout the conference with the aim of generating and exploring multiple perspectives. This is accomplished through plenary and special sessions, as well as in some of the sessions of the sections and working groups.
The central theme for the 2024 conference is “Whiria te tāngata / Weaving people together: Communicative projects of decolonising, engaging, and listening.” This Māori proverb, “Whiria te tāngata,” emphasizes the strength that emerges from a shared purpose. It serves as an invitation for conference participants to explore various issues. The theme encourages an examination of commonality in mediated communication, considering factors like the diminishing influence of place-based mass media, the ascent of algorithmic culture, the complexities of engaging with diversity in multicultural settings, and the challenges posed by neoliberal globalization.
Additionally, by incorporating a Māori proverb, the theme underscores the importance of analyzing indigenous communication and other efforts to confront or transform colonial structures. In a broader context, it encourages contemplation of the terminologies and models suitable for describing contemporary communication, encompassing the political and ethical objectives embedded within them.
Consequently, it opens avenues for alternative approaches to theorizing or assessing communication, challenging predominant constructs such as “the public” and acknowledging the colonial and gendered aspects woven into these constructs.
Consult a detailed description of the main theme
Within this framework, the Digital Divide Working Group is especially keen on investigating the roles of digital technologies, digital literacy, and digital capital in forging a shared future for all, irrespective of factors such as nationality, ethnicity, location, socioeconomic status, age, gender, and more. In the contemporary globalized world, digital access and digital skills are no longer considered optional; they have become indispensable aspects of both professional and personal life.
Disparities in digital access can lead to digital and subsequent social exclusion, digital impoverishment, and the emergence of new forms of digital divides, including those related to algorithms or epistemic disparities in networked information societies. In light of this, the pursuit of common opportunities and a shared future for all necessitates a closer examination of bridging existing and emerging digital disparities within societies and across national and geographical boundaries.
At the IAMCR 2024 conference, we particularly encourage submissions addressing novel forms, types, and levels of the digital divide, thereby expanding our comprehension of the digital divide beyond the conventional three levels of the digital divide - access, utilization, and the benefits individuals derive from the online realm.
We also welcome both theoretical and empirical case studies highlighting successful strategies for mitigating digital inequalities in policy-making, social activism, or scholarly contexts. This encompasses the growing body of work on digital capital as a contemporary form of intangible capital that individuals increasingly require.
For the 2024 IAMCR annual conference, we invite paper proposals related to any of the following key topics:
- Digital Inequalities in the Global South
- Digital Divide and Artificial Intelligence
- Digital Inequalities and Environmental Disparities
- Digital Inclusion and Social Inclusion
- Digital Literacy as a Concept, Both Theoretical and Empirical
- Digital Divide and Democracy
- Digital Capital as a Novel Form of Intangible Capital
- Cross-Cultural Exploration of Digital Inequalities
- The Role of the Digital Divide in Communication Across Different Cultures, Ethnicities, and Regions
- Digital Inequalities in the Multi-Platform Environment
- Digital Inequalities and Digital Journalism
- Emerging Digital Inequalities: Extending Beyond the Conventional "Three Levels" of the Digital Divide
- Digital Inequalities in the Era of the Pandemic and Post-Pandemic: Representations, Manifestations, and Consequences.
Guidelines for abstracts
Abstracts are requested for papers to be presented in person at the conference in Christchurch. Abstracts submitted to the Digital Divide Working Group should have between 300 and 500 words and must be submitted online here. Abstracts submitted by email will not be accepted.
The deadline to submit abstracts is 7 February 2024, at 23.59 UTC.
It is expected that each person will submit only one (1) abstract. However, under no circumstances should there be more than two (2) abstracts bearing the name of the same author, either individually or as part of any group of authors. The same abstract, or a version with minor variations in title or content, must not be submitted to more than one Section or Working Group. Such submissions will be deemed to be in breach of the conference guidelines and will be rejected by the abstract submission system, by the Head of the Section or Working Group or by the Conference Programme Reviewer. Authors submitting the same work to multiple Sections or Working Groups risk being removed entirely from the conference programme.
Proposals are accepted for both single papers and for panels with several papers (in which you propose multiple papers that address a single theme). Please note that there are special procedures for submitting panel proposals.
See important dates and deadlines to keep in mind
Languages
Please note that the Digital Divide Working Group can only accept abstracts in English and can only arrange for presentations in English.
See resources for IAMCR conference preparation and participation
For further information about the Digital Divide Working Group, its themes, submissions, and panels please contact:
Co-chair: Anna Gladkova gladkova_a@list.ru (Lomonosov Moscow State University, Russia)
Co-chair: Massimo Ragnedda massimo.ragnedda@northumbria.ac.uk (Northumbria University, UK)
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