Communication History Division

Call for Papers - ICA Annual Conference, Glasgow, 3-7 June 2027

The Communication History Division of the International Communication Association (ICA) is dedicated to exploring the history of media and communication at large and historicizing apparently “new” and contemporary phenomena in the field. Beyond media and communication historians, our Division also engages scholars working in related fields such as memory studies, media archaeology, history of technology, STS, contemporary history, media evolution, mediatization, media ecology, intellectual history, political economy of communication, business history, among others.

Topics of interest are broad but must deal with a historical perspective, including:

• The history of communication and media theories, fields, related disciplines, founding fathers and mothers, or the history of the reception of media and communication theories in the world;
• The evolution of media production, distribution, and consumption practices;
• The evolution of political and business “cultures” in media and communication sectors;
• The histories of various media and communication industries and institutions (journalism and publishing, advertising, music, film, broadcasting, computer gaming, mobile media, among others);
• The history of media technologies, old and new, in use or extinct, marginal or prominent;
• The histories of the media as tool of power and counter-power;
• The historical emergence of digital practices or devices such as networked communication, platforms, and artificial intelligence;
• Remediation of the past across different media and contexts;
• Methodological, epistemological, and experimental approaches to media and communication history.

The Communication History Division aims to move beyond linear timelines and Western-centric narratives of media and communication history. We promote the inclusion and exchange of perspectives from around the globe, encouraging new theoretical and methodological approaches. We aim to foster innovative research that addresses a wide array of historical contexts and challenges.

We welcome a diverse range of seniority among our members, encouraging PhD students and young scholars to submit their work to our Division. Those who do will benefit from various initiatives, including informal and formal mentorship meetings with senior scholars, webinars on academic skills, online writing retreats with fellow young scholars, involvement in the management team, and other tailored support programs.

ICA 2027 Conference Theme: “Centering the Human: Communication in an Age of Uncertainty”

In addition to open-call submissions, the CHD encourages members to submit work engaging the ICA 2027 conference theme “Centering the Human: Communication in an Age of Uncertainty” (https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.icahdq.org/resource/resmgr/conference/2027/ica27_cfp.pdf), which is of particular relevance and interest to members of the division.

Submissions might address (though are not exclusive to) the following themes:

• Histories of the development of artificial intelligence;
• Media and journalism in contexts of war, conflict, and disruption;
• Historical analyses of communication and communication scholarship in contexts of crisis and uncertainty;
• Media, populism, and the decline of trust in institutions;
• Media and authoritarianism in different historical contexts;
• Histories of disinformation and misinformation;
• Historical trajectories and the political economy of media and communication, particularly in relation to inequalities;
• Theorisations of communication inequality and their evolution;
• Under-represented and over-represented media, topics, and perspectives in the history of communication studies;
• Inequalities in access to archives and historical sources in communication and media studies.

Types of submissions accepted by the CHD

The Communication History Division aims to move beyond linear timelines and Western-centric narratives of media and communication history. We promote the inclusion and exchange of perspectives from around the globe, encouraging new theoretical and methodological approaches. We aim to foster innovative research that addresses a wide array of historical contexts and challenges.

For the ICA 2027 Conference, CHD will accept four types of submissions: full papers, posters, extended abstracts, and panel session proposals.

1. Full papers – Full papers should not exceed 8,000 words, excluding title, abstract, tables, figures, and references. Most full papers will be presented in paper sessions, and some may be selected for the interactive poster session. Authors will have the option on the submission page to have their submission considered just for paper panels or for both paper panels and poster sessions. CHD will award prizes for the best paper and the best student-led paper.
2. Posters – Poster proposals should not exceed 2,000 words, excluding the title, abstract, tables, figures, and references. If the submission is accepted as a poster, authors will be expected to prepare a poster display of the research for presentation at the conference. Authors of accepted posters should bring a physical paper or fabric poster.
3. Extended Abstracts – The extended abstracts session is an opportunity for scholars with a work-in-progress to receive feedback and support to move toward future stages like publication, conference presentation, doctoral dissertation, and others. Submitted Extended abstracts should not exceed 2,000 words, excluding the title, abstract, tables, figures, and references. The division will recognize the best extended abstract and the best student-led extended abstract by awarding Promising Research awards. Accepted extended abstracts will be presented during the scheduled session(s), encouraging shorter presentations and fostering feedback and assistance from attendees to advance the work and its contribution.
4. Panel Proposals – Panel proposals should bring together different scholars focusing on a common topic or problem in media and communication history. They could also take the form of roundtables. Panel proposals requirea 400-word rationale, a 75-word panel description, and, if there are individual presentations, a 75-word abstract from each panel participant. Panel proposals should include contributions from at least two different countries, be gender inclusive, and include no more than one contributor from a single faculty, department, or school.

While the Communication History Division will not be accepting submissions for a Research Escalator session, we plan to organize informal session(s) of mentorship for students and early career scholars. All students and early career scholars accepted in the CHD program will be contacted at a later stage to inquire about their interest in participating in an informal mentorship program.

Early submission is strongly recommended to avoid any technical issues since the deadline is firm. ICA will send acceptance/rejection notices to submitters by mid-January 2027.

All the submitters should follow the General Conference Submission Guidelines (https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.icahdq.org/resource/resmgr/conference/ICA-S1_How_to_Submit.pdf), providing clear and step-by-step information on how to submit your work.

Top Papers and Promising Research Award

Top papers and top extended abstracts (“Promising Research) will receive recognition awards at the division’s business meeting. Top student papers and participants from Tier B-C countries might also receive a fee waiver and travel funding awards. To be eligible, student authors must indicate their status: please identify your paper as a student paper when submitting it through ScholarOne, and not within the body of the paper itself. To be considered for any award, the author must be a member of the CHD. Please consider renewing your CHD membership (https://www.icahdq.org/page/benefits).

PRESENTING REMOTELY

Divisions and interest groups are not permitted to accept remote/hybrid/virtual submissions. Those who need to present remotely should submit to the theme or the interdivisional sections (both of which will have hybrid capabilities) INSTEAD of to a division/IG. In the submission system’s drop-down list, the interdivisional section and the conference theme are separate options from the names of the 34 divisions and interest groups. If there is a chance you won't be able to attend in person (due to visa restrictions or financial limitations, for instance), DO NOT submit to the division/IG unless you have a disability accommodation (see below). *Please note that asking the Chair to allow you to “DIY” Zoom-in to present in an in-person DIG session is not permitted.

*Exceptions will be made for disability accommodations: If you plan to submit a paper or panel to a Division/IG and you or someone on your panel will require accommodation due to a disability (whether that accommodation is remote presentation access or some other intervention), please submit to the division/IG and note the accommodation needed in the comments box so that the planner knows in advance and can flag this requirement for conference organizers. (These comments will not be seen by reviewers.) Please note that ICA only has two rooms for hybridity so there is still a limit to the number of exceptions that can be made until we run out of space.

Reviewing

If you are submitting work to the division, it is expected that you consider serving as a reviewer. We encourage both advanced graduate students and established scholars to volunteer and typically review three submissions. Please make sure to indicate your willingness to review on your ScholarOne account (create an account if you are new to ICA).

If you have any queries about submitting a proposal to CHD, please contact Vice Chair Nelson Ribeiro ([email protected]).

We look forward to staying in touch with you as you prepare your submissions and to hosting an excellent and memorable 2027 conference!

Nelson Ribeiro, PhD

Vice Chair, Communication History Division

Dominique Trudel, PhD

Chair, Communication History Division