The Political Communication Research (POL) Section of the International Association for Media and Communication Research (IAMCR) invites the submission of proposals for papers and panels for IAMCR 2025, which will be held in Singapore, from 13 to 17 July 2025.
The deadline for submission is 7 February 2025, at 23h59 UTC.
See the list of all sections and working groups and their remits
See the CfPs of all sections and working groups
IAMCR conferences address many diverse topics defined by our 37 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 many of the sessions of the sections and working groups. The 2025 central theme is Communicating Environmental Justice: Many Voices, One Planet.
Topics addressed in this Conference include, among others:
• The Role of AI in Environmental Communication: How artificial intelligence can enhance communication strategies around environmental issues, from predictive modelling to targeted outreach. What are the ethical implications of its use?
• Promoting Environmental Journalism: Explore the challenges faced by environmental journalists in various contexts. Evaluate the importance of journalistic professionalism and of promoting the role of journalists in fostering informed discourse on key public issues.
• Diversity in Sustainability Campaigns: How do diverse perspectives enrich sustainability initiatives? Examine case studies that illustrate the importance of representation in campaigns, ensuring that all voices are included in the dialogue around environmental justice.
• Community Engagement and Activism: What role do grassroots movements and community-driven initiatives play in advocating for environmental justice? Explore effective communication strategies that empower local voices and foster collective action.
• Cultural Narratives and Environmental Awareness: How do cultural narratives shape perceptions of environmental issues and influence behaviour? Explore participatory methods such as storytelling as tools for promoting environmental justice and sustainability.
Consult a detailed description of the main theme
The Political Communication Research Section aims at bringing together state-of-the-art scholarship addressing (digitally) mediated communication and its intertwining with political actors, discourses, practices, and publics. Furthermore, the section encourages works that explore the political within cultural and artistic practices.
We invite cutting-edge, original submissions that broaden our theoretical and/or empirical understanding of a range of contemporary debates at the intersections of politics and communication.
The Political Communication Research Section is particularly interested in:
(1) Comparative research projects.
(2) Works from underrepresented regions and communities.
(3) Interdisciplinary approaches.
(4) Innovative methodological approaches.
(5) Papers that contribute to theory-building.
The range of approaches includes, but is not limited to:
- Communicating global challenges in times of crises
- Elections and political campaigning
- Communicating war, propaganda, and diplomacy
- Authoritarian and illiberal movements across the globe
- Diversifying the field of political communication
- Underrepresented identities and actors in politics
- Disinformation campaigns and truth-making
- Digitally mediated political communication
- The datafication of political communication
- Rethinking populist communication
- Political communication and popular culture
- Political performances and aesthetics
- Protests, digital activism, and advocacy communication
- Polarization and mediated hate speech
- Communicating effect and emotions
- Audience engagement and political participation
Guidelines for abstracts
Abstracts are requested for papers to be presented in person at the conference in Singapore. Abstracts submitted to the Political Communication Research Section should have between 800 and 1000 words and must be submitted exclusively through IAMCR’s submission system from 3 December 2024 through 7 February 2025, at 23.59 UTC. Abstracts submitted by email will not be accepted.
No more than one abstract can be submitted by one single author to the Political Communication Research Section.
Please also note that the same abstract or another version with minor variations in title or content must not be submitted to more than one section or working group. Any such submissions will be deemed to be in breach of the conference guidelines and will be rejected.
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. If you are thinking of submitting a panel, please note that we encourage panels that take participants’ diversity into account.
Evaluation criteria
Submitted abstracts will generally be evaluated on the basis of:
- Technical merit
- Readability
- Originality and/or significance
- Use of or contribution to theory
- Relevance to the Section
- Depth of knowledge of the research, theory and/or literature related to the proposed topic as evidenced in the submission
- Acceptance of proposals may also be conditioned by programme diversity and balance criteria
Statement on use of AI tools
IAMCR does not encourage or condone the use of generative AI tools to create abstracts submitted for consideration for our conferences. IAMCR values originality, integrity, and transparency in academic work, and believes that human-authored contributions best support rigorous and innovative scholarship in media and communication research. Should an author choose to use a generative AI tool in the preparation of an abstract, we require that they include a clear statement within their submission disclosing the tool's use. This statement must specify: (1) the name of any AI tool used; (2) how the tool was used in preparing the abstract, and; (3) the reason for using the tool. Failure to disclose the use of generative AI in accordance with these guidelines may impact the evaluation and acceptance of the submission.
Languages
The Political Communication Research Section accepts abstract submissions in English, Spanish and French. However, the short conference papers (1000-4000 words) should be written in English.
Deadlines and key dates
The deadline to submit abstracts is 7 February 2025, at 23.59 UTC. For other key dates see https://iamcr.org/singapore2025/keydates. Dates are subject to change.
PolCom section paper awards:
Authors accepted to present at IAMCR 2025 will be invited to apply for our two section paper awards in 2025: 1) Political Communication Research Section Outstanding Early Career Paper Award, 2) Political Communication Research Section Inclusivity Award
Full papers are required if you are applying for paper awards. Deadline for award application is 30 April, 2025. Outcomes are announced by early June. Both awards will be presented in person at 2025 IAMCR in Singapore.
Eligibility:
The Outstanding Early Career Paper Award is open to early career researchers (ECRs ). Papers should share the section’s broad theme exploring the changes in political communication processes induced by new ICTs and their influence at all levels. Entrants must be presenting their paper at the IAMCR and must be a member of IAMCR. Applicants should either be single or first authors and the papers should not have been already published in a scholarly journal. For co-authored papers, all authors should be ECRs.
The Inclusivity Paper Award recognises scholarly efforts making critical interventions in debates on postcolonialism, gender, race, minorities, migration and equality in the broad context of political communication research. We particularly encourage scholars from under-represented groups to apply. Entrants must be presenting their paper at the IAMCR and must be a member of IAMCR. Applicants should either be single or first authors and the papers should not have been already published in a scholarly journal.
Contacts
For further information about the Political Communication Research CfP, individual submissions, and panel sessions, please contact our team:
Chairs:
Yuan Zeng (University of Leeds, UK), y.zeng@leeds.ac.uk
Martin Echeverría (Autonomous University of Puebla, Mexico), martin.echeverria@correo.buap.mx
Vice Chairs:
Sara Garcia Santamaria (University of Bristol, UK), sara.garciasantamaria@bristol.ac.uk
Amélia Aben Athar Olinto Ramos (Fluminense Federal University, Brazil), ameliaab@hotmail.com
