Dear Friends & Colleagues,
Please forward this call for papers about this timely conference to
researchers/academics and journalists who may be interested in this event.
Kind regards
Dr Noureddine Miladi
Lecturer in Media Studies and Sociology
School of Social Sciences
University of Northampton, UK
Park Campus, Boughton Green Road,
Northampton NN2 7AL, UK
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
Tel: +44 (0) 1604 892104
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CENTRE FOR ARAB & MULSIM MEDIA RESEARCH (CAMMRO)
WWW.CAMMRO.COM
3rd INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE
On:
Media Coverage of the ‘War on Terror’
Date: 24th November 2007
Venue: King’s College, The Strand Campus,
University of London, UK
Introduction:
This conference gathers academics, journalists, researchers, policy makers
and civil society organisations to discuss the coverage of the American
led ‘War on Terror’ by various news media organisations and its
implications on public opinion, social change, as well as formation of
foreign policy.
After 11th of September 2001 attacks, the American government launched a
new global ‘war’ ostensibly to eradicate extremism and ‘terrorism’ in the
Arab/Muslim World and spread democratic values. This ‘war’ has been
creating lots of controversies from various quarters. In covering its
dramatic developments Western as well Arab media seem to be standing at
opposite directions. It has been argued that the distorted media image of
the Arab/Muslim people is becoming ingrained in Western public opinion and
continues to inhibit a resolution of the foreign policy of such countries
as the USA, UK and France.
This conference aims at unveiling the discrepancies in the media coverage
of this ‘war’ from various parts of the world, and discuss the
implications of such coverage on public opinion and foreign policy.
Examples of international news coverage from broadcasters, the press and
Internet will be examined. Pertinent to the image problem are
illustrations of how misperceptions from the past have helped and continue
to help influence policymakers' actions and decisions. Fair portrayals and
accurate information are essential to foreign policy decisions; false
images and incorrect information may corrupt the policymaking process.
Conference themes:
This conference will cover (but not necessarily limited to) the following
areas of enquiry:
- Arab VS Western media: are we watching the same coverage?
- How independent are the media from the agendas of their respective
governments
- To what extent is the coverage of the BBC, Al-Jazeera, CNN and others
affected by the foreign policy agenda of their governments?
- Who sets the agenda: The media or politicians?
- The impact of such coverage on public opinion, namely the increase of
islamophobia around the world?
- Does the constant coverage of ‘terrorism’ result in the increase of the
phenomenon itself?
- To what extend does the media coverage give credibility to the clash of
civilisations thesis?
- Finally to what extent can such coverage harm community cohesion and
social stability in the West and beyond?
Call for submissions:
We encourage scholars and researchers from across the world and with
different disciplinary backgrounds to participate in this timely and
unique conference. Abstracts of no more than 300 words should be submitted
by the 31st August 2007. Papers should reflect one or more of the
conference themes mentioned above. Particularly welcome are papers based
on empirical work and a clear research method (s). Deadline for full
papers is 31st October 2007.
Completed papers will also be welcomed for submission to the Journal of
Arab & Muslim Media Research www.intellectbooks.co.uk/journals.php
Please send all submissions and enquiries to the conference organizing
team on:
E-mail: [log in to unmask]; www.cammro.com
Tel: +44 (0) 7852 269 302;
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