CfP: Participatory Communications Research:
IAMCR 2011, Istanbul

The Participatory Communications Research Section (PCR) invites submissions for its sessions at the IAMCR 2011 Conference, 13-17 July in Istanbul, Turkey. We welcome papers on e.g. participatory communications and participatory communication processes related to ICTs for sustainable development, agricultural communication, health communication, environmental communication, social networking, citizen communicative practices, communications advocacy, communication rights, community media, communications for gender empowerment, participatory video, non-formal education, and participatory methods.

Special themes:

1. Participatory Communications and Urban Interventions
2. Participatory Communications and the Urban Poor
3. The Political Economy of Participatory Communications
4. Participatory Communications and new media possibilities
5. New Advances in PCR Theory and methods

For further information please see the full Call for Papers here. Deadline for abstracts is 8 February 2011.

Added 11 December 2010: The IAMCR Participatory Communication Research Section & the Political Economy Section are working together on the preparation of a joint session about the ‘The Political Economy of Participatory Communications’.

As ‘participation’ becomes increasingly adopted by bilateral, multilateral and other institutional actors, there is a need to explore ‘who’ are involved in setting national and global agendas related to development and aid, ‘how’ participation is operationalised in such agendas, and the consequences of such institutionalizations. One can argue that dominant models offer one-size-fits-all solutions when in reality what is needed are context-specific approaches.

Convinced that this is a much needed debate, the Sections are looking forward for thought-provoking proposals. If you would like to do address this topic, please contact the coordinating teams of the Participatory Communication Research Section or Political Economy Section.

Participatory Communication Research Section

• Chair, Pradip Thomas, pradip.thomas@uq.edu.au
• Vice-Chair, Florencia Enghel, florenghel@gmail.com
• Vice-Chair, Satarupa Dasgupta, satarupa@temple.edu

Political Economy Section

• Chair: Helena Sousa, helena@ics.uminho.pt
• Vice-Chair: Rodrigo Gómez, rgomez@correo.cua.uam.mx
• Vice-Chair: Janet Wasko, jwasko@uoregon.edu