CFP: International conference “Comparative media studies in today’s world: social media in network societies”

　　Date: 23th April 2015

　　Place: School of journalism and mass communications, St. Petersburg State University,

　　St. Petersburg, Russia (http://eng.jf.spbu.ru/)

　　Deadline: 20.03.2015

　　Language: English

　　Description: The study of social media and their implications on the processes of social transformations is gaining growing importance within today’s media research, with big attention being paid to critical evaluation of the role of social media for social and political change and for the development of civil society. The study of ‘network societies’ today already goes beyond studying online/social media and their audiences, but relates Internet communicative milieus to the wider societal structures and political processes.

　　While Internet research today is focusing more on how online communication itself and its impact upon selected political, economic and cultural aspects of social life, media studies have developed several other discourses looking at the same communication phenomena but not yet very much connected to Internet-oriented studies. Among those, comparative media research and media hybridization research may be named; these areas, like some others, contribute to bringing us (Western and Eastern Europe in particular) closer to understanding of the interdependences between media and political systems and the process of technological and political hybridization of media systems in various contexts.

　　This year, the Third international conference ‘Comparative media studies in today’s world’ held annually in St.Petersburg, Russia, brings together the papers oriented to research upon online/offline communication cleavages, communication on social issues in online networks, inter-media agenda setting and other aspects that unite online communication and wider socio-political life.

　　The program of the previous conference can be found here: http://eng.jf.spbu.ru/news/42-45.html

　　General topics and questions for discussions:

　　- Theoretical approaches to comparative studies of hybrid media systems;

　　- Social media in the context of today’s comparative research;

　　- Methodology of social media research;

　　- Inter-media agenda setting and agenda flows;

　　- Online/offline media parallelism and the online public sphere(s);

　　- Social media and political mobilization in various societies;

　　- The role of social media in fostering social change;

　　- Online communication milieus as ‘virtual fireplaces’ and/or ‘echo chambers’.

　　Abstracts should range between 150 and 300 words including research objectives, theoretical framework, methodology, and (non-compulsory) generalized description of results. Each proposal must include a caption bearing the title(s), name(s), affiliation, institutional address(es) and email address(es) of the author(s); the caption is not included in the abstract word count.

　　There will be no registration fee for the conference. Travel and accommodation costs will be covered by participants. The organizers will, on request, provide the necessary letters for the purposes of issuing visas to foreign visitors.

　　Submission deadline: 20.03.2015

　　Email: nauka@jf.pu.ru (for Anna Smoliarova)

　　International Neva Award in Journalism and Mass Communication Research

　　St Petersburg State University invites applications from emerging scholars for the International Neva Award in Journalism and Mass Communication Research, to be awarded at the opening ceremony of the annual forum “Media in modern world. 54th Petersburg readings” in St. Petersburg, Russia (23th April 2015). The deadline for submissions is 31 March 2015.

　　The award is given for the following nominations:

　　·“Theory” – for scientific and theoretical publications

　　·“Education” – for scientific and methodological and popular science publications

　　·“Recognition” – for achievements in journalistic science and education

　　The Award 2015 in the nomination “Theory” went to Dr. Thomas Hanitzsch, Professor of Communication at the LMU Munich, Germany.

　　The Neva Award was established in 2011 by School of journalism and mass communications, St. Petersburg State University in order to stimulate scientific research in journalism and mass communications; raise the level of scientific and methodological and popular science publications on mass media issues; as well as to reward specialists for outstanding achievements in journalistic science and education.

　　Please learn more about the rules and application forms - http://eng.jf.spbu.ru/news/42-51.html.

　　Procedure

　　* The closing date for submissions is March 31, 2015. Send submissions in electronic form or via post to the School of journalism and mass communications. The subject of your message should be Neva Award 2015. Postal address: 199004, Russia, St. Petersburg, 1 Linia VO 26, Room 614. E-mail: nauka@jf.pu.ru.

　　* If an award is made, the author(s) will be notified 2 weeks before the conference when the result will be publicly announced.