SGKM2025: SGKM-Konferenz 2025 Fachhochschule Graubünden Chur, Switzerland, May 21-23, 2025

Conference website	https://www.fhgr.ch/fh-graubuenden/medien-und-oeffentlichkeit/veranstaltungen/sgkm-2025/#c27849
Submission link	https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=sgkm2025
Abstract registration deadline	November 29, 2024
Submission deadline	November 29, 2024

Call for Papers

Annual Conference 2025 of the Swiss Society for Communication and Media Studies (SGKM) at the University of Applied Sciences Graubünden,Sommeraustrasse 32, 7000 Chur

May 21-23, 2025

 

Technology, media and communication (science) in the field of tension

Developments, challenges and opportunities

 

Thematic focus

Rapid technological development has fundamentally transformed the communication and media landscape and innovation cycles are becoming ever shorter. The SACM Annual Conference 2025 is dedicated to understanding technological change and its interaction with communication and media studies. Current developments and future trends will be examined in order to draw a comprehensive picture of technological developments in communication. The focus will also be on analyzing and reflecting on how our discipline is influenced by rapid developments on the one hand and how it itself acts as a driving force in shaping and critically accompanying the digital transformation process on the other. This includes an interdisciplinary dialog in order to better understand the complex challenges and opportunities of the further development of communication and to develop constructive solutions.

Conference contributions could deal with the following topics and questions on the macro, meso and micro levels, whereby the localization of certain research fields on the respective level is exemplary here:

Area I: Macro level - structures, systems and institutions

Media theory and history

This topic focuses on the historical developments and theoretical perspectives in relation to the transformation of communication technologies. What paradigmatic shifts have occurred over time and how do they shape our current perception and analysis of media and communication? How is technological change addressed in communication science theory formation? Which social science theoretical approaches (e.g. technology determinism vs. technology constructivism) are particularly suitable for describing and analyzing current technological change in the media industry? We invite contributions that deal with the following topics, for example:

• • Analysis of the historical development of technological innovations in communication
  • Reflection on theoretical approaches to the integration of technology in media research

Media policy, structures and economics

The regulatory framework and the structures of the media landscape are closely linked to technological developments. The focus is on the effects of technological innovations on media policy, media regulation and the media economy, or conversely, how media policy and regulation affect technological developments. We invite contributions that deal with the following topics, for example:

• • Analysis of the regulation of digital/social media and platforms in the context of technological developments (e.g. EU Digital Services Act)
  • Interactions between media policy, regulation and technological development; e.g., effects of recent EU regulations (e.g. EU AI Act) on Swiss media
  • Effects of new communication infrastructures (social media/search engines/messengers) on existing communication infrastructures and markets (journ. mass media)

Area II: Meso-level - media, companies and organizations

Organizational and advertising communication

How are internal and external communication processes in organizations being transformed by technological innovations? This thematic focus is dedicated to technological innovations in relation to organizational communication and the challenges and opportunities that arise from them. We invite contributions that deal with the following topics, for example:

• • Researching the integration of technology in internal and external communication strategies of organizations
  • Analysis of changes in organizational communication due to technological change

Journalism and media innovations

The production, distribution and use of journalistic content have always been closely linked to technological innovations and are changing with them. We invite contributions that deal with historical or current technological developments - such as automation, datafication or AI - and their interactions with journalistic content, practices, processes and ethics. We invite contributions that deal with the following topics, for example:

• • (Successful and failed) attempts to adapt new technologies in media organizations
  • Effects of technological changes on news production and distribution and consequences for employees in the media sector
  • New forms of digital journalism and their influence on reporting, media content and formats

Political communication

Technological change in general and digitalization and datafication in particular have fundamentally changed political communication. We are looking forward to contributions that examine the influence of platforms and technological innovations on political (communication) processes and the shaping of political messages in the digital age, that deal with the public debate around these issues or the use of media and technologies by political actors. We invite contributions that deal with the following topics, for example:

• • Effects of new technologies and platforms on political discourse and participation
  • Analysis of the role of new technologies in political campaigns and mobilization efforts

Area III: Micro level - media use and media impact

Reception, usage and impact research

How does the reception and use of media (content) change with technological innovations, what effects do communication technologies have on the audience and how are these interpreted and shaped by users? These questions are at the center of this thematic focus, which deals with the perception of, attitudes towards and use of technological innovations and their effects on recipients. We invite contributions that deal with the following topics, for example:

• • Interaction between media innovations (e.g. digital, social media) and recipients
  • Effects of media-mediated communication on opinion formation, attitudes and behavior and existing collaborative audience research
  • Perception of, attitudes towards and knowledge of technological developments (e.g. digital literacy)

Area IV: Subject development, methods and university teaching

Professional development

What does the increasing differentiation of media and communication technologies mean for social science (and humanities) perspectives on communication and media? Which competencies and skills are important today, how has this changed and why? What significance does this have for interdisciplinary cooperation? We invite contributions that deal with the following topics, for example:

• • Discussion of the effects of technological innovations on research perspectives in the social sciences and humanities
  • Dealing with changing demands on communication scientists; especially in connection with technological changes

Communication science methods

Which methods are used how to research technological change and how can the methods of communication science be further developed with the help of new technologies? We invite contributions that provide an overview of new and old methodological approaches, discuss advantages and disadvantages or present and discuss innovative methodological approaches.

• • Advantages and disadvantages of innovative and existing methods
  • (Critical) discussion of innovative methods for researching technologized communication
  • Presentation of new approaches and tools for analyzing digital data, media content and phenomena of change

University teaching

New technologies such as artificial intelligence are not only changing how we research communication and media, but also how we teach these topics to our students, which skills should be promoted in teaching and how these should be assessed. We invite contributions that present innovative approaches to university teaching in order to impart the necessary knowledge to understand the technological transformation of communication.

• • Innovative approaches to teaching technological change in communication and media
  • Use of new technologies in communication science teaching
  • New competence requirements in university teaching

We invite researchers to submit papers on these and related topics to foster an interdisciplinary dialog on developments, challenges and opportunities of technological change in communication and media. The conference provides a platform for the exchange of ideas, insights and best practices in the age of digital innovation. You do not need to be a member of the SACM to submit a paper and participate in the conference. Experts from the field are very welcome.

Central data

What	Until when
Deadline for papers	November 29, 2024
Announcement of the review results	February 2025
Start of registration	February 2025
Registration deadline for speakers	March 28, 2025
Publication of the conference program	Mid-April 2025
Registration deadline for list of participants	May 11, 2025
Organization of the conference	May 21-23, 2025

 

Further information and helpful links

• Download the CfP in different languages here: www.fhgr.ch/sgkm2025
• Website & link to conference registration: www.fhgr.ch/sgkm2025
• E-mail: sgkm2025@fhgr.ch
• Social media:  
  • www.linkedin.com/company/sgkm2025
  • https://x.com/sgkm2025
  • www.instagram.com/sgkm2025        
• Hashtag of the conference: #SGKM2025