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COMMUNICATION IN THE AGE OF SUSPICION A Conference on Trust, Communication and Culture Bournemouth University, February 20-21 2004 Call for Papers Is trust still possible? Who in public life deserves our trust? Do emphases on accountability and audit erode trust? What public communications can we now believe? The problem of trust in the modern world has preoccupied theorists and researchers across many disciplines for some time. Many see a crisis of trust; others a climate of suspicion. Most agree that efforts to develop an inclusive and democratic culture are hampered by a weakness of trust: people do not believe many of the messages they receive as citizens and consumers. The lack of trust in political messages is seen as a major cause of disengagement from politics, while many commercial organisations struggle to retain any degree of public belief in their probity. As political parties and corporations seek to restore trust by managing their communications more intensively, so mistrust intensifies. Corporate behaviours and political events (e.g. recent accounting scandals, and currently the debate about why we went to war in Iraq) repeatedly bring to centre stage the issue of trust in leaders. Public information communicated by scientists, doctors and other professionals is also contested. This conference organised by the Centre for Public Communication Research at Bournemouth University will bring together a range of perspectives on this issue, with a focus on the role of communications - especially managed communications - in enhancing or eroding credibility, authority and trust. Offers of papers are invited that address the issue of trust in contemporary Britain from a communications perspective. Amongst the questions we expect the conference to examine are the following (not an exhaustive list - papers on other relevant topics are welcome):  What is 'trust' in the British public sphere? How is it related to trust between individuals?  What can we learn from cross-cultural studies of trust?  Is 'trust' a rational judgement or an emotional commitment?  Is there a 'crisis of trust', and if so what forms does it take?  What are the characteristics and consequences of low- and high-trust cultures?  Is trust mediated or manufactured by the media? (and what of trust within organisations?)  Which sources and which media are most likely to be trusted in future?  Do computer-mediated communications raise any new questions about trust?  In building a culture of trust, what are the responsibilities of  public figures - politicians, business leaders, 'celebrities'?  professional communicators (in PR, advertising, journalism, etc.)?  the public?  What are the priorities for research in this area?  How can research on trust be used to inform communication practices? Please send an Abstract of 250-300 words, by 31 October 2003, as a Word attachment to [log in to unmask] or by post (5 copies) to Professor Barry Richards, Bournemouth Media School, Bournemouth University, Talbot Campus, Fern Barrow, Poole, Dorset BH12 5BB If you aren't submitting an Abstract, but want more details of the conference when they are available, send an e-mail to [log in to unmask] with the words 'Conference details' in the Subject field.