[ARCHIVE] Call for Papers: Media Sociology Preconference 2016

Call for Papers: Media Sociology Preconference 2016

Venue: University of Washington, Seattle

Date: August 19, 2016

We invite submissions for a preconference on media sociology to be held at the University of Washington on Friday, August 19, 2015. (This is one day before the start of the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association in Seattle.) To encourage the widest possible range of submissions, we have no pre-specified theme again this year and invite both theoretical and empirical papers on any topic related to media sociology. Submissions from graduate students and junior scholars are particularly welcome.

This preconference, now in its fourth consecutive year, is linked to an effort to strengthen media sociology within the ASA: After a long period of negotiation, the media sociology steering committee was able to broker a deal with the Communication and Information Technologies section (CITASA) at the end of 2014.  CITASA officially changed its section name to "Communication, Information Technologies and Media Sociology" in 2015 and is officially sponsoring the Media Sociology Preconference in 2016. Free registration to the preconference will be offered to all current CITAMS members.

Media sociology has long been a highly diverse field spanning many topics, methodologies, and units of analysis. It encompasses all forms of mass-mediated communication and expression, including news media, entertainment media, as well as new and digital media. Outstanding research exists within the different subfields both within and beyond the discipline of sociology. Our aim is to create dialogue among these disparate yet complementary traditions.

Papers may be on a variety of topics including, but not limited to:

-production processes and/or media workers

-political economy (including the role of the state and markets)

-media and the public sphere

-mediatization

-media content

-the Internet, social media, cellular phones, or other technology

-the digital divide

-new uses of media

-media globalization or diaspora

-media effects of media consumption

-identity, the self, and media

Invited Speakers

Past keynote speakers have included Dhiraj Murthy (Goldsmiths, University of London) and Clayton Childress (University of Toronto – Scarborough).  

UPDATE: We are pleased to announced that this year's keynote will be Eric Grollman (University of Richmond).

A special plenary session in the afternoon organized by David Grazian (University of Pennsylvania) on "Media and Politics in the Age of Entertainment" will feature Laura Grindstaff (University of California, Davis), Sarah Sobieraj (Tufts University), and Fred Turner (Stanford University).

Submissions

Submissions should include:

-Separate cover sheet with: title, name and affiliation, and email address of author(s).

-Abstract of 150-300 words that discusses the problem, research, methods and relevance.

-Also include at least three descriptive keywords. Note: DO NOT put identifying information in the body of the abstract; only on cover sheet.

-Use Microsoft Office or PDF format.

Send abstracts to casey.brienza@gmail.com. Please write “Media Sociology Preconference” in the subject line.

Abstract deadline is March 31, 2016.

Notification of acceptance will occur sometime in mid-April.

Contact Casey Brienza (casey.brienza@gmail.com) for more information about the preconference.