With apologies for cross-posting: 

Call for Papers
A Joint ECREA Symposium
Organized by the Gender and Communication Section 
and Digital Culture and Communication Section
Sexualities and digital culture in Europe

Faculty of Communication and Media Studies
National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
Athens, Greece
26 May – 27 May 2017
Rationale

The Gender and Communication and Digital Culture Sections of ECREA are organizing a symposium on sexualities and digital culture. The focus of this symposium is in on sexual politics in and around the digital, which means a critical understanding of sexualities in European digital culture. Thereby, focusing on changes in sexual life-worlds, but also continuities; how are certain intimate sexualities valued, while others are stigmatized? How are diverse sexual life-worlds flourishing in the digital public sphere, or how are diverse sexual life-worlds protested, controlled, managed or strictly regulated? To answer such questions, this symposium is interested in contributions dealing with processes of power that are currently surrounding the digital and sexualities. The symposium will focus on three key areas:
(1) sexual experiences, practices and digital culture,
(2) intimate/sexual citizenship and the digital, and
(3) online sexual content and representations. 
The emphasis is on research exploring sexual politics, challenges, opportunities and continuities surrounding the digital, with a specific focus on European contexts and that reflect, from diverse viewpoints, on the European sphere. This includes taking into account the specific European socio-cultural, political-economic and legal contexts. We particularly welcome contributions on topical matters in European societies and politics, among which: the regulation of online pornographic content in discussions on sexuality, children and the internet, LGBTQ challenges and opportunities related to the digital, the rise of conservative grass-roots movements in Europe that protest against what is called ‘gender ideology’ (such movements question and protest pro-gender equality legislations, abortion laws, same-sex marriage laws and transgender laws, while advocating for traditional family values and ‘restoring’ the naturalness of male and female bodies).

Format
To encourage debate and fortify coherence, all presenters will be able to attend all panels. Instead of parallel sessions, the conference program will consist of plenary panel sessions and keynote presentations. We invite presentation proposals that are engaged in understanding sexualities in European digital culture. A non-exhaustive list of topics can be found on the website (see below). 

Application procedure
All proposals should be submitted in English. Please submit an abstract of 350 words with a brief biographical note up to 150 words. 
Proposals must be submitted by 02/02/2017 to ([log in to unmask]). Presenters whose proposals are accepted will be notified by 24/02/2017. 

Go  to http://gcecrea.wixsite.com/gendercommunication/symposium-2016-athens or  https://dccecrea.wordpress.com  for  more  information  on  the  conference  venue  and  registration.

Keynote Speaker: Professor Susanna Paasonen
Susanna Paasonen is professor of Media Studies at University of Turku, Finland. Her work has focused on internet research, affect theory and pornography for the past decade, and more. She has also been working on materiality, media and affect more generally. Currently she is working on the affect of technological failure, monster toon porn, theories of boredom and distraction connected to networked media, the films of Jan Soldat and the notion of sexual play.
Conference location:

Faculty of Communication and Media Studies, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
Scientific committee: Despina Chronaki, Sander De Ridder, Frederik Dhaenens, Aristea Fotopoulou, Ana Jorge, Marco Scarcelli