Date: September 7, 2026 Location: Masaryk University, Brno
Format: Half-day event
Thematic Rationale: The early 21st century has witnessed profound transformations in media forms and mediated communication, from the hyperlocal to the global. Digitalization, platformization, and algorithmic personalization have reshaped how individuals access, produce, and share information. Media use is increasingly varied and individualized, challenging traditional notions of proximity, belonging, and community, questioning what we experience as being near. These changes raise critical questions: How do evolving media practices influence social cohesion, democratic participation, and sustainability? What role does journalism play in a fragmented and globalized media environment?
Participants are invited to contribute to a collaborative anthology in the series Nord Studies in Reality Formations, Nord University’s official outlet of transdisciplinary research, published by De Gruyter Brill. Each volume addresses understandings of reality in our time and what the societal implications could be. Please find vol 1 here: Time in Our Times
Program
09.30-10.00: Registration
10.00-10.15: Opening Keynote: Media ecology and journalism in the digital age
10.15-10.30: Presentation of the anthology and series
10.30-10.45: Intro to Workshop by choice of topic
10.45-11.00: Break with coffee
11.00-12.00 Work in groups
- Individuals, Platforms and Unlimited Potential for Connectivity
- Journalism’s Role in Fragmented Public Spheres
- Media, Sustainability, and Democratic Values
- Methodological Approaches to Studying Media Transformations in Local and Global Contexts
12.00-13.00: Summing up from each group with questions
13.00-13.15: Break
13.15-14.00: Networking Session and next steps: How to continue the collaboration among on this volume, and possibly other co-creative works.
Target Audience
The pre-conference will be of interest to members of the following ECREA sections:
- Journalism Studies,
- Communication and Democracy,
- Digital Culture and Communication,
- Media, Cities and Space,
- Philosophy of Communication
We also welcome scholars from related fields, doctoral candidates, and practitioners interested in the societal implications of media change.
Participants and budget
We aim to keep the pre-conference low-budget, with no fee, and where the most important investment from participants is their time and engagement. We welcome 20-25 participants.
To register for the pre-conference, please use this link: https://nettskjema.no/a/574896
For questions about this event, feel free to contact
Birgit <birgit.r.mathisen@nord.no>
Astrid Marie <astrid.m.holand@nord.no>
Lisbeth <lisbeth.morlandsto@nord.no>
Torill <torill.mortensen@nord.no>