16th Global Communication Association International Conference, Istanbul, Turkey, 2024
Future(s) of Communication: Promises and Predicaments 

A significant aspect of modernity enabled by media and communication technologies has been the collapse of time and distance. Global connectedness through social media platforms, seamless flow of information through the internet, real time communication through smart phones, virtual meetings via zoom have historically been credited for making the world a more connected place. However, unforeseen predicaments of new technologies have raised concerns about the lack of control over their use, the potential biases of machine visions and thinking, their potential to facilitate crime as well as security and privacy breaches.

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However the contemporary technological assemblage does not allow time for such critical reflections. Virilio suggests that ‘the faster the technology advances, the more accidents we will see’. He described the internet as “the best and the worst of things…the advance of a limitless — or almost limitless — communication; and at some point it is also the disaster — the meeting with the iceberg — for this Titanic of virtual navigation.”

The Titanic metaphor refers to the disastrous nature of the contemporary technological assemblage and the gradual disappearance of the gap between the implementation of new technologies and their adversary effects. The conference takes the increasing speed of technological development in the field of media and communication as its starting point and explores how and whether, if at all, the predicaments parallel and/or supersede the promises of the implementation of new technologies.

 
Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

• The risk society, uncertainties and risk
• Re-thinking communication and communication theory
• Life after social media
• The future(s) of media industry and alternative media economies
• Crises of democracy and the media
• Populism and the media
• Artificial Intelligence Tools & Applications
• AI and the transformation of society
• Humanitarian crises and the media
• Climate change and the media
• Migration, forced displacement and the media
• Media worlds of terror
• Margins of communication – re-thinking the boundaries of interactions
• Multimodality and the media
• Search for alternative modalities of the media 

Abstract and Paper Submission

• A 400-word abstract of the paper or panel proposal should be submitted to Prof. Burak Özçetin (burak.ozcetin@bilgi.edu.tr)
• The abstract should include author(s)’ name, affiliation, research objectives, methodology and significance followed by keywords.
• Poster presentations on topics related to the conference theme are also encouraged.
• Abstracts will be peer-reviewed by at least two scholars. Authors of the abstracts will be notified of acceptance by March 1, 2024.
• If accepted, the full-length paper (not to exceed 25-pages excluding references and tables) must be submitted by May 1, 2024. All papers should adhere to The American Psychological Association (APA) style manual. For details, visit https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/0

A selected number of papers, closely related to the theme of the conference, may be published in book format (print and digital).

Conference location (hotels and facilities)
The conference will take place on Santralistanbul Campus of Istanbul Bilgi University. Santralistanbul Campus is situated on a green field of 118 decares on the shores of Halic, accessible from every part of the city, an arts and cultural complex within educational environment and encompasses Turkey's first power plant, which is an Energy Museum today.
There is a multitude of accommodation options for every budget including hotels, hostels, and AirBnbs. Below you can find hotels close to the university. All prices include VAT. Please consider that the prices may increase or decrease depending on the currency of the conference period.

Flying to Istanbul
There are daily flights from major cities around the world to Istanbul, Turkey with two airports: Istanbul Airport and Sabiha Gökçen Airport. Istanbul Airport is located in Europe and closer to the university and suggested hotels. Sabiha Gokcen Airport is located in Asia, however there are multitude transportation options for the university and hotels.

Conference registration fees 

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An attractive and favorable package will be offered to all participants. Graduate students presenting papers will be given a 50% registration discount. Registration link will be announced in the following weeks.

Questions
Please direct any questions to Dr. Yahya R. Kamalipour at yrkamal@gmail.com and/or Dr. Burak Ozcetin at burak.ozcetin@bilgi.edu.tr 

​Important dates

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About GCA
Established in 2007, the Global Communication Association (GCA) is a not-for-profit professional body intended to promote academic research and collaboration in a wide range of topics related to mass media, journalism, public relations, advertising, social media, broadcasting, cultural studies, political communication, new media technologies, and intercultural communication studies. Through its conferences, GCA facilitates joint projects, networking, and research opportunities among scholars and students. More importantly, GCA provides an eclectic international platform for scholars, researchers, corporate executives, communication specialists, policymakers, bureaucrats, political leaders, public relations practitioners and co-related industry professionals to meet, interact and generate new ideas for discussion and public dissemination; thereby, enriching the field of global communication.

Google location of the conference venue

16th Global Communication Association
International Conference
Istanbul Bilgi University, Turkey
 17-18-19 May, 2024

Click here to download the Call for Papers document