You are warmly invited to submit papers for presentation at the joint annual conference of the Political Studies Association’s Media and Politics Group & Technology, Information and Policy Group
This year’s conference theme, “Navigating Digital Democracy,” will explore the intersection of technology, media, and politics in shaping democratic practices and governance.
As the digital landscape continues to evolve, technology plays a central role in influencing political discourse, policy development, citizen engagement, and the broader democratic process. From the amplification of polarizing and anti-democratic voices to the facilitation of political campaigning and pro-democracy movements, the dynamics of
digital technology are both challenging and enriching the foundations of democratic societies. This conference seeks to critically examine the opportunities and risks technology presents in these areas.
We welcome paper submissions that address any of the following topics*: * Do digital platforms impact citizen engagement and connection? How do digital platforms facilitate civic engagement, political participation, democratise political representation, and allow for access to the political process? * What is the role of digital platforms in political campaigning? How are digital technologies and platforms reshaping campaign strategies, political marketing, civic participants, and voter engagement? * The amplification of polarising and anti-democratic voices through digital platforms: how do social media platform rules and algorithms impact political discussion, polarisation, and harmful rhetoric? * What role do digital platforms play in informing or misinforming citizens? What are the ethical implications of misinformation, what are the consequences of misinformation on political trust and accountability? * What role do deepfake and AI-generated images play in shaping political narratives? * How are digital platforms impacting social movements and democratic engagement? Are digital platforms providing spaces for pro-democracy movements in otherwise hostile states, are they havens of free speech or do they offer limited offline impact? * The impact of generative technology on policy development; how does this simplify complex issues, perpetuate inequalities, or aid swift and dynamic changes to legislation? * What is the role of digital games in contemporary politics? How can digital games be used to promote civic engagement and political awareness? How have online multiplayer games become spaces for political discussion and activism?
We encourage submissions from a variety of disciplinary perspectives, including but not limited to political science, media studies, communication, sociology, law, and technology studies. Submissions are welcomed from scholars at all career stages, including PhD candidates and early-career researchers, as well as practitioners engaged in media, politics or related fields.
*While the main theme of this conference is navigating digital democracy, the MPG and TIP operate an open and inclusive policy, and papers dealing with any aspect of media, technology and politics are welcomed. Papers may focus on areas from political communication and journalism to data, artificial intelligence, social media and tech policy; but also include a broader view of the political sphere within such areas as television, cinema and media arts, both factual and fictional. In addition to academic research, the conference will also welcome practice-based work in art, film and performance related to the
area of media and politics.
There are two ways to attend this conference. There is an in-person conference held in Bournemouth, UK, on 8-9 January 2026. For those who cannot make it in person but who wish to participate, we will host an online conference on 7th January 2026. Both will include a keynote presentation.
Please note this is not a hybrid conference and the in-person conference will not be streamed online.
*Keynote speakers*
*Susan Banducci*. 125^th Anniversary Chair and Professor of Political Science at the University of Birmingham.
Susan completed her PhD at the University of California (Santa Barbara) before undertaking postdoctoral research with the New Zealand Election Study (Waikato University) and the European Election Study (ASCoR, University of Amsterdam). She was Professor of Politics at the University of Exeter from 2006 to 2024. Susan was the founding director of the Exeter Q-Step Centre, creating an interdisciplinary centre devoted to improving undergraduate provision of quantitative methods
training. She was also a deputy director of the University of Exeter’s Institute for Data Science and AI (2018-2021).
Since 2010, Susan has participated in and led large international, interdisciplinary projects (five where she is/was PI) worth over €10 million in funding, leading to significant research outputs including research platforms for community building and large cross-national data sets. She has led or been a co-investigator on six UKRI/ESRC and five European-funded projects. Currently, Susan is leading TWICEASGOOD (an ERC Advanced Grant), which draws on ethnographic and computational
methods to explore women’s experiences of sexism in election campaigns both offline and online.
*Jonathan Corpus Ong**.*Professor of Global Digital Media at UMass Amherst.
Jonathan is a public intellectual engaged in international policy debates related to disinformation, mediated public participation, and digital humanitarianism, with a consistent record of advocacy work with diverse sectors of human rights, diasporic community media, and tech workers. He is the inaugural director of the Global Technology for
Social Justice Lab, a creative hub that advances a community-driven model for tech studies and tech justice advocacy that centers the Global Majority.
His research and advocacy work is centrally concerned with the moral and
political consequences of media and digital technologies, particularly
technological interventions in the context of development,
humanitarianism, and media and democracy in the Global Majority.
Inspired by traditions of media ethics and media anthropology, he uses
ethnographic and participatory research methods to center the voices of
ordinary citizens and precarious workers when developing normative
analysis of “good” and “bad” interventions and everyday practices.
His research projects and space-building initiatives have been funded by
the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the Luminate Group, the Gates
Foundation, the USA’s National Science Foundation, the UK’s Economic and
Social Research Council, and The Asia Foundation.
*Key dates:* * Friday 26th Sept 2025. Deadline for paper submission * Early October 2025. Paper proposers notified of the decision by the conference committee. Conference registration opens. * Friday 19th December 2025. Extended abstract deadline for James Thomas Memorial Prize applicants. * Wednesday 7th January 2026. Online conference. * 8-9th January 2026. Conference held in Bournemouth *Submitting proposals* We welcome both paper and panel proposals for this conference.
Paper proposals should be for 15 minute presentations. Submitted
abstracts should be no more than 300 words (excluding references).
If you wish to propose a panel, please note for following stipulations:
• Panel proposals should include a panel overview (max. 300 words),
outlining the title, synopsis, and chair details, as well as the
abstracts for each contributor (no more than 250 words each).
• Panels usually consist of three to four papers and a chair. • Panels should aim to reflect the diversity of the profession.
Please submit all proposals through this online form:
https://forms.gle/i5wtmmWKeJexva2m8 <https://forms.gle/i5wtmmWKeJexva2m8>
*Registration fees*
For PSA members, the cost of in-person attendance is £125 for salaried
academics and £75 for PGR/low waged.
For non-PSA members, the cost of in-person attendance is £150 for
salaried academics and £85 for PGR/low waged.
This covers lunches, coffee breaks, a drinks reception and the annual
dinner. It also includes access to the online conference.
For the *online conference* the cost of attendance for participants is
£30 for salaried academics and £20 for PGR/low waged.
*Financial support*
The PSA offers a limited number of travel subsidies (up to the value of
£100) to support postgraduate student participation in this event.
Postgraduate students interested in applying for these subsidies should
please note this when submitting.
*James Thomas Memorial Prize*
Extended abstracts of a maximum of 2000 words submitted by postgraduate
students will be entered into the James Thomas Memorial Prize. This
annual award is presented to the most outstanding paper by a
postgraduate student at the Media & Politics Group Annual Conference.
Postgraduate students wishing to be considered for the prize should send
extended abstracts to Dan Jackson: (jacksond /at/ bournemouth.ac.uk)
<mailto:(jacksond /at/ bournemouth.ac.uk)> by 19th December 2025.
*About Bournemouth*
Bournemouth is a coastal town and resort located in the South West of
England, in the county of Dorset. Bournemouth is about 94 miles (151 km)
southwest of London. It has good transport links with its own airport,
and rail links to Southampton Airport (35 minutes), Heathrow Airport (2
hours) and London Waterloo (2 hours).
Famous for its sandy beaches, Bournemouth attracts 3.5 million visitors
every year and is home to a vibrant nightlife, international cuisine,
and a Premier League football team. Bournemouth is also one of the
fastest digital and creative hubs in the UK with some 400 digital,
creative communication agencies operating in the area.
The award-winning Faculty of Media & Communication at Bournemouth
University (BU) comprises over 4,000 students and more than 250 academic
staff across four Departments. The Faculty is one of the leading
destinations for the study of creative media in the United Kingdom,
based on a combination of top-quality education, world leading research
and industry-standard professional practice.
*About the PSA*
The Political Studies Association (https://www.psa.ac.uk/
<https://www.psa.ac.uk/>) is the UK’s leading association in the study
and research of politics. The Media and Politics Group and Technology,
Information and Policy Groups are welcoming and inclusive. The
conference welcomes contributions both from members and non-members of
the Political Studies Association.
*Organising committee* Dan Jackson. Bournemouth University Sarah Ledoux. University of Manchester Darren Lilleker. Bournemouth University Liam McLoughlin. University of Liverpool Amy Tatum. Bournemouth University Anastasia Veneti. Bournemouth University