A force for good? Digital media, positive social change and transformative practice 

 University of Nottingham, UK

Thursday, 2nd May 2019

 

Call for papers

Recent technological developments have enabled individuals and groups who are socially disparate and geographically dispersed to connect and communicate with relative speed and ease. This unprecedented access to others’ experiences, personal details and political opinions has had a range of significant effects on social practices and relationships. This event will focus on those effects that can positively impact people’s lives, for example by helping to disrupt and transform damaging practices, by opening up new and multiple perspectives and possibilities in relation to social issues, policies or politics, or by contributing to the reformation of health and social services. We particularly invite proposals that critically examine the role digital communication can have in redressing forms of social injustice and inequality, and which promote individual and group rights. This may include practices that raise consciousness about social problems, that allow people to express and explore diverse and marginalised identities and experiences, or that facilitate the acquisition of knowledge and information about complex and little-understood issues. This one-day event will include invited plenaries, paper presentations and plenty of opportunities for discussion. 

 

Confirmed invited speakers

Amanda Potts (Cardiff University); Louise Mullany (University of Nottingham). 

 

Presentation format

We invite paper presentations which address the theme of language, digital media and positive social change. We anticipate that each presenter will have 20 minutes for their talk, followed by 10 minutes for questions. Suggested themes include, but are not limited to:

  • Social movements and activism;
  • Exploring identities and experiences;
  • Changing social practice through sharing, collectivity and community;
  • Transforming health and/or social services.

We will also consider proposals for poster presentations.

 

Proposals should be submitted to Jai Mackenzie (jai.mackenzie@nottingham.ac.uk) as a word document or pdf file, and include the following information:

  • Title of proposal in bold;
  • Name of presenter(s);
  • Name and address of institution/workplace, telephone and email;
  • Outline of presentation proposal (maximum 300 words) ;
  • 12pt font, left-aligned, single-spaced;
  • If you would like to be considered for a poster presentation, please write the words *poster presentation* at the beginning of the document.

Key dates

  • Deadline for submissions: 18th February 2019
  • Notification of acceptance: 4th March 2019

Organisers

Jai Mackenzie and Daniel Hunt

For more information, please contact Jai Mackenzie at jai.mackenzie@nottingham.ac.uk