Northumbria University

Politics and History Division, School of Arts and Social Sciences

 

Presents

 

 

2008 marks the twentieth anniversary of the publication of Manufacturing Consent by Edward Herman and Noam Chomsky (Pantheon, 1988). In this book, updated and republished in 2002 (Pantheon), Herman and Chomsky advanced a Propaganda Model to explain media behaviour in the United States. This study forms part of a proud tradition of critical media and communication studies, which in Britain can be traced back to the founding of the Media, Culture and Society journal in 1979. This one-day conference aims to celebrate the media analyses of Herman and Chomsky, to critically assess the application and ongoing relevance of the Propaganda Model in the 21st century, and to take stock of the achievements of critical media and communication studies over the past few decades. Keynote speakers will include James Curran, Alison Edgley, David Miller, Peter Wilkin and (hopefully) participation in some form by Edward Herman and Noam Chomsky.

 

Date: Friday 19 December 2008, 9.30am – 5pm

 

Venue: Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne

 

Papers are invited on the following themes:

Ø  Is the Herman-Chomsky Propaganda Model still relevant?

Ø  Is the Propaganda Model applicable in the British context?

Ø  Revising and updating the Propaganda Model for the 21st century

Ø  Criticism and limitations of the Propaganda Model.

Ø  The five filters (ownership, advertising, sourcing, flak and ideology).

Ø  Is the Propaganda Model applicable in terms of alternative and new media?

Ø  History of critical media and communication studies.

Ø  Impact and/or neglect of critical media and communication studies.

Ø  The importance of a political economy framework for media analysis.

Ø  The impact of the cultural/postmodernist turn on critical media and communication analysis.

 

There will be a special issue of the Westminster Papers in Communication and Culture based on selected papers that are presented at the conference. This event will also see the launch of the CHOMSKY STUDY GROUP.

 

Please submit a detailed paper proposal/abstract (500 words) to Dr Andy Mullen (email to [log in to unmask] or post to Politics and History Division, Lipman Building, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 8ST) no later than Friday 12 September 2008. Conference registration details to follow. To register your interest in attending, please email Dr Andy Mullen ([log in to unmask]).