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Journal of Applied Journalism and Media Studies Call for papers for a special issue on cross-border journalism Editors: Brigitte Alfter and Ștefan Cândea Cross-border collaborative journalism The past few years have seen growing interest in cross-border collaborative journalism. The recent Panama Papers and Football Leaks investigations as well as the formation of new international networks of journalists are good examples. However, there is yet no agreement on an acceptable definition(s) to describe this journalistic genre and the processes it involves, as well the promises and perils it entails. This special issue by the Journal of Applied Journalism and Media Studies is to shed light on this hitherto under-investigated emerging practice, define it, theorize it and hopefully operationalize it. Presently, and for the purposes of this call, we broadly explain cross-border collaborative journalism as a process where “the producers, users and subjects need not, and often do not, share a common national orientation” Reese 2007: 40). We expand Reese’s definition to include the sharing of even less common grounds like language, culture, discipline, socio-political background and even the vocabulary of production and consumption. Interdisciplinary contributions are welcome with “interdisciplinary” having a broad definition that embraces scholars as well as practitioners in related fields from diverse frameworks of thought. We want to examine how new developments are shaping the journalistic practice in different contexts and in the end how that will influence the future control over the shaping of global knowledge. The editors of this special issue are practicing journalists with some academic research output investigating and analyzing non-profit organisations as well as for-profit journalism (Alfter 2016/1; Candea 2016). They see themselves as participant observers with a foot in both worlds, the world of practice and the world of academia. What is happening in journalism? Our globalized world is characterized as a world of globalized business, financial flows, politics, and crime integrating swiftly across borders. But some observe that global knowledge and understanding is not keeping up with the pace of globalization, so journalists have a big role to play to bridge the gap (Rosenau 2008: 113). Trying to address issues emanating from the lack of global knowledge and understanding, journalists started building initiatives and organizations dealing with crossing borders and boundaries. Most prominent organizations positioned such actions outside traditional media because of news industry’s limitations. Many cross-border initiatives gained traction in investigative journalism and recently in data journalism as part of the cross-border effort with one foot in the non-profit realm and the other in journalism schools. What are journalists doing and in which context? The context of journalism is changing with growing internationalization/globalisation, networking, and digitalisation. Having to cover internationalised power structures in all fields of life, journalists started organizing themselves internationally. They have established new structures and developed new working methods and legal considerations. Latest mega-cooperations straddling borders show the central role of technology (OffshoreLeaks, Panama Papers, Football Leaks), with cross-border journalists, relying heavily on ICT solutions, especially in processing large data sets and exchanging information. Such developments expose two new types of issues of concern: - the investigative work-flow and the relationship between journalists and sources are more than ever subject to surveillance by government and private communication agencies. Mega cross-border cooperations open many possible points of failure (as opposed to the lone investigator model) - cross-border investigations are becoming a tool, first in the hands of private news industry groups and second in the hands of a new global investigative elite. Private groups make cross-border networks vulnerable to centralization, monopoly and control. The elite in the non-profit realm replicate the shortcomings of the traditional media. The aim The aim of this special issue is to facilitate reflection on cross border cooperation/collaboration in journalism. “Borders” for this type of journalism are defined as barriers to be crossed. An overall wish is to gain an understanding of the role of journalism in developments of knowledge control in our societies including an understanding of commercial and funding flows and their effect on editorial agendas and ultimately freedom of expression. The editors expect contributors to tackle aspects of cross-border journalism, with special attention paid to: 1. Definitions of borders. Cross border collaboration implies geographical and language borders, which logically leads to boundaries in journalism style, type of media, discipline, etc. 2. A wider definition of borders as barriers to be crossed in terms of language, culture, discipline, socio-political background and even the vocabulary of production and consumption. 3. Intranational cultural and societal boundaries, professional and inter-disciplinary boundaries, economic boundaries or boundaries of tech-literacy. 4. Understanding and practice of cross border journalism, particularly of the variety of mindsets in journalism such as a “global outlook” as a necessary mindset. 5. The question of an emerging homogenisation of journalism, which could lead to severe communication problems between journalists and their respective audiences due to the variety of audience contexts and traditions. 6. The impact of cross-border journalism projects, such as the effect on the national versus the global outlook or the effect on Europeanisation, etc. 7. Power structures, power brokers, creation of elites around cross-border cooperation, emerging of large professional gatherings, celebrity culture and “stage celebrities” in investigative journalism. Abstracts due: May 31, 2017 Abstracts should be 250 words Acknowledgment of acceptance: July 1, 2017 Full papers due: February 1, 2018 Academic articles should be 6000-8000 words; short articles - journalism pieces - should be up to 3000 words (or 3500). Correspondence: Please address all correspondence to Brigitte Alfter at [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> or Stefan Candea at [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> References & literature Alfter, Brigitte, Cross-border collaborative journalism: Why journalists and scholars should talk about an emerging method, 2016/2, Journal of Applied Journalism & Media Studies 5(2), pp. 301–315 Candea, Stefan, et. al., European Investigate Collaborations, Making a Network. Retrieved from https://web.archive.org/web/20170117120937/https://eic.network/blog/making-a-network<https://web.archive.org/web/20170117120937/https:/eic.network/blog/making-a-network> Candea, Stefan, et. al., European Investigate Collaborations, Football Leaks. Retrieved from https://web.archive.org/web/20161207034456/https://eic.network/projects/football-leaks<https://web.archive.org/web/20161207034456/https:/eic.network/projects/football-leaks> Reese, Stephen D., Journalism Research and the Hierarchy of Influences Model - a Global Perspective, 2007, Brazilian Journalism Research 3(2), 2007 Rosenau, James N., People Count - Networked Individuals in Global Politics, Paradigm Publishers, 2008, Boulder – London, p113 Kind regards Susanne Smithberger Susanne Smithberger, Editorial assistant __________________________________________________ Department of Education School of Education and Communication JÖNKÖPING UNIVERSITY PHONE +46 (0)36 10 13 95 SKYPE MrsSmithberger WEB www.ju.se<http://www.ju.se/> -------------------------------------------------------- MeCCSA mailing list -------------------------------------------------------- To manage your subscription or unsubscribe from the MECCSA list, please visit: https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?SUBED1=MECCSA&A=1 ------------------------------------------------------- MeCCSA is the subject association for the field of media, communication and cultural studies in UK Higher Education. 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