Comparative Media Studies in Today’s World, 2016

February 08, 2016

The 4th International conference ‘Comparative Media Studies in Today’s World’ will take place at School of Journalism and Mass Communications, St.Petersburg State University, Russia, on April 20, 2016. In previous years, the conference has become a gathering point for scholars interested in the leading media research from all over the world; this year, it aspires to break through conventions in comparative media studies.

In 2016, the focus of the conference is upon new and under-developed areas in comparative media research, as well as new methodologies of their exploration. Recently, the basic domains of comparative media studies have been contested by growing criticism towards classic media effects research, de-westernization studies, and inquiries to previously under-researched social milieus and geographical locations, to name just a few. The conference, being this year seemingly broad in its scope, clearly aims at gathering new research ideas that expand the mainstream media research and illuminate new zones of possible comparative studies.

The format of the conference is mixed – traditionally, it unites carefully selected invited speakers and researchers applying via call in equal proportions. In 2013 to 2015, the guest speakers of the conference were Paolo Mancini (Italy), Katrin Voltmer (UK), Thomas Hanitzsch (Germany), Daya Thussu (UK) and others.

This year, confirmed key guests list includes:

Prof Larry Gross, Annenberg School for Communication, University of Southern California, USA

Prof Nico Carpentier, Uppsala University, Sweden

Prof Susanne Fengler, Technical University of Dortmund, Germany

Prof Elena Vartanova, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Russia

The structure of the conference will include a podium discussion, two keynote speeches and a number of research panels. The working language of the conference is English (with simultaneous translation into Russian provided). The conference is also included in the German Week in St.Petersburg and is supported by US and European consulates and foundations.

Call for applications:

In 2016, we welcome papers of comparative stance focusing mainly (but not exclusively) on the following areas/topics/approaches:

Theory and methods:

Media systems research: definitions, country-level comparisons, and going beyond the nation state

De-westernization of comparative media research: theory and practice

Newest developments in the quantitative, qualitative, mixed, and big data methodologies in the application to comparative media studies

Area studies:

Media, media systems and media audiences in African, Latin American, and Asian countries in comparative perspective

Post-Soviet media in non-conventional perspectives: back-to-bipolarism, BRICS, Eastern European and other research agendas

Please submit an abstract of 350 to 400 words in English to applicationspbu@gmail.com by February 25, 2016. Please state ‘Conference 2016’ as the title of the letter.

The applicants will be informed of the selection results not later than March 1, 2016.

Visa invitations will be issued not later than March 15, 2016.