Continuity and Change – Media, Communications and Politics
We are pleased to invite you to submit abstracts, panel proposals and practice-based contributions for the next Annual MeCCSA Conference, to be held for the first time in Scotland from 9 to 11 January 2019 at the University of Stirling.
The theme of the MeCCSA 2019 conference is Continuity and Change – Media, Communications and Politics. The theme is designed to address the role of traditional and digital media and communications in maintaining continuity and advocating for political change, whilst also speaking to specific anniversaries significant to Scotland, including the 20th anniversary of the Scottish Parliament.
The old expression, “the more things change, the more they remain the same”, is only partly true. Despite substantial and widespread changes in media, society and politics, several aspects and structures remain constant. Change and continuity are ever-present and simultaneous aspects of life and judging the importance of changes and constants help us to understand our place in contemporary society and history. The conference theme addresses the role of media and communications in long- and short-term continuities and discontinuities as well as interrogates the concept of continuity with change. How are lives, cultures and conditions alike over time and how have they changed? What is the role of media, communications and politics in advocating change or maintaining status quo?
We invite proposals for scholarly papers, themed panels, posters, film screenings and other practice-based contributions, which engage with various social, political, economic, artistic, organisational, individual, collective and technological dimensions of continuity and change in media, communications and politics. Potential topics could include, but are not limited to:
- Media activism and civic engagement
- Digital cultures
- Media, communications and politics in devolved political contexts
- Documenting political change
- Media archives and pedagogy
- Ways of witnessing
- Crisis and change communications
- Media representations of marginal groups
- Ethics, power and responsibility
- Scottish media and communications industries
- Academics in the media/mediated academics
- Cultural histories of film, media and communications in research and education