About the division
The Division of Environment, Science and Risk Communication highlights how topics related to the environment, science and risks are debated, represented, and contested in the contemporary media environment.
This year’s conference theme, Imagining Liveable Futures, resonates strongly with the division’s general theme. As we are witnessing increasing deterioration of the environment, an unfolding climate crisis, and technological risks associated with advances in artificial intelligence, science, risk and environmental communication has much to offer in terms of unravelling how we imagine our common
future. The conference theme further resonates with recent changes within our disciplines, which are no longer conceived primarily as “crisis” disciplines, but increasingly engage in research that is concerned with fostering care for, and commitment to, a liveable future. The division welcomes contributions that present research on how media represent, frame, or construct scientific and environmental issues, and studies on communicative practices amongst and between stakeholders, political actors and media actors/institutions about topics related to the environment, science, and risk. We also welcome contributions with a focus on citizen engagements, democracy, and power in environmental and scientific communication, as well as studies of public perceptions of science, risk, and environment-related topics.
Interdisciplinary contributions are welcome, as well as contributions from a wide range of methodological and theoretical perspectives. We especially welcome contributions that address the theme of the conference and discuss present challenges to or challenge key ideas from the fields of environment, science, and risk communication.
The division accepts full papers, extended abstracts, panel presentations and workshops. Each paper and extended abstract will be appointed a discussant, but we strongly encourage all division participants to read each other’s papers to ensure constructive and informed discussions.
