Call for Papers

25 Years After: The Challenges of Building the Post-Communist Media and 
Communication Industries
20-22 November 2014, Prague
http://toleducation.org/courses/25-years-after/

The 25 Years After conference will address the transition of the media 
and communication industries in the post-communist countries of Europe 
and Eurasia since 1989. The conference will take place in Prague on the 
occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution and the 
sweeping changes that took place throughout the region after the fall of 
the Berlin Wall.

We are seeking papers that will contribute to a critical examination of 
this topic and result in fruitful discussion panels at the event about 
regional media transformation processes, issues, obstacles and nuances.

We invite abstracts on any of the following topics.*

The relationship between democracy and the media
Obstacles to the media acting as an effective watchdog in these countries
The role of the Internet and social media in helping or hindering the 
transformation to a powerful, independent media
Isolation from vs. integration into worldwide media trends
The commercialization of the media, including the impact of foreign 
investment
The globalization of the region’s media and communication practices
Implications of advances in global communications for governance
Changes in regulations and legislation and subsequent implications on 
regional media and communications
The role of the media in volatile regions or in societies experiencing 
post-conflict transformation
Media representations of women, minorities, or marginalized groups
Contributions of the media (or lack thereof) to inclusive democracy
Debating freedom of expression, sovereignty, and censorship
The roles that marketing, public relations, or advertising organizations 
play in societies transitioning to capitalism
Differences in media markets in the post-communist regions vs. in West 
Europe and North America
Cultural changes in media and communication landscapes
Lessons learned from the region that can serve as a guide for 
transforming media markets, such as in several post-Soviet countries, 
Burma, or even China.

*Please note, this is not an exhaustive list of topics, and we will 
review any abstracts related to media transformation in the 
post-communist countries of Europe and Eurasia.

Please submit your 500-word abstracts by 15 June 
(http://crm.keynote.cz/civicrm/event/register?reset=1&id=24). If you are 
not interested in presenting on a panel but would still like to 
participate, 25 Years After will also feature a poster presentation 
session. Abstracts will be processed in the same way; just simply 
indicate your preference on the registration form.

The organizers have also reserved a number of spaces for non-presenting 
conference attendees.

The international conference Media in Transformation is organized by 
Transitions, a nonprofit organization established to strengthen the 
professionalism, independence, and impact of the news media in the 
post-communist countries of Europe and the former Soviet Union, and 
KEYNOTE, an organization specializing in organizing conferences and 
events that lead to cutting-edge international encounters, bring new 
ideas to life, and facilitate a unique networking experience.

The conference is supported by the European Communication Research and 
Education Association (ECREA), the Institute of Communication Studies 
and Journalism at Charles University, the Comparative Interdisciplinary 
Studies Section (CISS) of International Studies Association (ISA), and 
is organized in partnership with New York University in Prague, which 
will serve as a host for the conference. In addition to the panel and 
poster presentations and the keynote session, the event will also 
include optional site visits to Czech-based media organizations.

Please click here for information about registration and fees: 
http://toleducation.org/courses/conference-registration/

The Steering Committee includes the following members:

Nico Carpentier, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Charles University in 
Prague and IAMCR executive board member
Jeremy Druker, Transitions, executive director
Sai Felicia Krishna-Hensel, CISS/ISA president and program chair
Jakub Klepal, Forum 2000 Foundation, executive director
Alenka Jelen, University of Stirling; ECREA executive board member
Jirí Pehe, New York University in Prague, director
Václav Štetka, Charles University in Prague, senior research fellow

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