In its 50th year, Communications: The European Journal of
Communication Research invites to reconsider what European communication
research is – and what it can be. From its start in 1975, the journal’s
mission has been to serve as a forum for scholarship and academic debate
in the field of communication science and research from a European
perspective. But what is in fact a European perspective? The jubilee
conference invites us to rethink what constitutes European communication
research. This opens up a range of questions like: What are particular
European preoccupations and key contributions to the wider debates? On
which theoretical and methodological fundaments does European
communication research rest that set it apart from other inquiries? Is
there a unique European contribution to global communication theories?
How do assumedly European values of diversity, solidarity, or democracy
shape communication research? How can European communication research
explore the concept of a ‘digital Europe’? Where does European
communication research lead us, and what can or shall we expect from it
that is different from work drawn out in other parts of the globe? How
do we deal with linguistic barriers and the diversity of research
traditions? And can we think of a European communication research beyond
exceptionalism and essentialism?
These and similar questions had been around since the journal was
launched, and they are still relevant today. They become virulent again
in a context where Eurocentrism in research has been widely and rightly
criticized while Europe’s identity, its boundaries, its legacies, and
values face increasing contestation. This ties questions of media and
communication to Europe’s political, legal, social, and economic
formation that is in no way isolated, uniform, or static. Indeed, the
attribute ‘European’ carries geopolitical as much as intellectual
connotations with far-reaching consequences for the journal’s scope,
composition, and purpose.
The conference offers a moment to rethink what a European perspective
could mean for scholarship and what kind of Europe is in fact evoked
here. These reflections urge us to rethink the journal’s role in
fostering scholarship that is both inclusive and critically engaged with
Europe’s complexities. What kinds of questions can usefully be asked?
What forms of critique are pertinent? What sorts of research should be
drawn out? Which pathways should Communications follow to reaffirm its
relevance and leadership in fostering impactful scholarship? Possible
answers can come from a variety of areas given that the journal seeks to
encompass the entire field of communication science as its domain of
interest and the contributions published cover a wide range of subfields
in communications.
The conference is open to theoretical and empirical approaches. It
invites emerging and junior scholars as well as senior faculty to
contemplate the peculiar character of European communication research.
Contributions can address, but are not limited to, the following aspects: · Diversity and commonalties of European research traditions · Legacies and foundations of European communication research
· Agendas and approaches in comparative research within Europe and
beyond
· Regional and transborder communication
· Global dimensions, connections, and reverberations of European
communication research
· Gaps and deficits of European communication research · Pathways and pitfalls for European communication research · Values and norms for European communication research
The conference will take place at the Department for Communication and
Media Studies at Leipzig University, Germany. It is supported by de
Gruyter publishers, the German Society for Communication Research
(Deutsche Gesellschaft für Kommunikationsforschung – DGKF), and the
University of Greifswald.
Submission Guidelines
Abstracts must be submitted via email
((stefanie.averbeck-lietz /at/ uni-greifswald.de)) by 15 April 2025.
Submissions must contain a front page with all information about the
author(s) as well as an anonymized extended abstract (max. 500 words
excl. front page and bibliographical references).
General Information
The conference will begin on Monday, 29 September 2025, and end on
Tuesday, 30 September 2025. For updated information concerning the
program, registration, accommodation, and travel, please visit our website
The registration fee is 150 Euro and includes lunch catering and coffee
& tea breaks.
Key Dates 15 April 2025: deadline for abstract submissions 1 June 2025: notification of acceptance 1 July 2025: preliminary program online 15 August 2025: deadline for registration to the conference 29 to 30 September 2025: conference Organizers and Contact Prof Christian Pentzold, Leipzig University, Germany Prof Stefanie Averbeck-Lietz, University of Greifswald, Germany Prof Leen d’Haenens, Leuven University, Belgium Email: (stefanie.averbeck-lietz /at/ uni-greifswald.de)
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