Call for Papers

2018 ICA-affiliated New Media International Conference

In Shanghai Jiao Tong University

The 2018 ICA(the International Communication Association )-affiliated New Media International Conference, organized by the School of Media and Communication at Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) will be held in Shanghai, China, on October 28, 2018. The theme of the conference will focus on “Intelligent Communication: Opportunities and Challenges.” Special guests will feature ICA President Terry Flew, former ICA President Ang Peng Hwa, and former ICA President Patrice Buzzanell. Scholars are invited to submit papers related to this year’s conference topic.

I. Conference Background

In recent years, there has been a worldwide explosion of experimental or commercial smart technology activities, driven by machine learning algorithms, big data analytics, cloud computing solutions, artificial intelligence (AI) programming, and the Internet of Things (IoT) framework. Examples of these smart initiatives include: smart cities, smart grids, smart homes, smart self-driving vehicles, smart television sets, smart appliances, smart speakers, and smart apparel.

Intelligent technology is bound to be hugely transformative for society in the years to come not only by affecting every sector of the global economy but by also reframing human interactions and communication processes with devices and machines. Yet, much is still unknown about the role that communication and communication scholars will play in this upcoming smart technology era. How will human beings coexist and communicate with machines in the workplace or in the home? Will new interface patterns emerge and modify conventional social norms? Will these smart innovations require a new set of usability, design, and storytelling rules (e.g., virtual and augmented reality)? How will theories and empirical works in communication research be affected by (big) data analytics? Will new human-machine models supplant the traditional human communication models? How will communication educators cover these new complex technologies that rely heavily on computer programming and engineering in the classroom? How will media industries react to these intelligent changes that are likely to impose another set of costly rebranding challenges? How will AI shape the field of professional and academic journalism in the future? How can media scholars differentiate the hype of smart technology from its reality? These and other questions raise exciting new avenues of research from a policy, economic, or social perspective for new media scholars.

The annual ICA-affiliated New Media International Conference at Shanghai Jiao Tong University has been a preeminent venue for presenting and discussing cutting-edge academic and industry research in media technology. This year, the School of Media and Communication at SJTU will join the ICA for the sixth time in inviting outstanding scholars and industry leaders to address topics related to opportunities and challenges in the broad age of intelligent technology.

II. Conference Theme

Intelligent Communication: Opportunities and Challenges

There will be several panel sessions covering the conference theme, including Technology and New Applications of Intelligent Communication, Theoretical Developments of Intelligent Media and Communication, Intelligent Communication and Media Industry Changes, SSCI Journal Editors Panel, Intelligent Communication for Journalism and Communication Education, Deans Panel, and Students Panel.

III. Conference Agenda and Schedule　　

1. Important Dates

Deadlines for submission:

• October      1, 2018

Notification of paper acceptance and invitation letters: Starting September 1, 2018　

Conference date: Sunday, October 28, 2018

Conference registration: Saturday, October 27, 2018, between 9:00 in the morning and 21:00 in the evening

2. Conference Agenda

Morning, October 28, 2018: Opening ceremony and keynote speakers　　

Afternoon, October 28, 2018: Panel sessions

Evening, October 28, 2018: Dinner and Awards Ceremony for Outstanding Papers　　

IV. Guests Invited

Terry Flew, ICA President

Ang Peng Hwa, former ICA President

Patrice Buzzanel, former ICA President

Other scholars and authors of papers accepted

V. Submission Format and Guidelines

1. Only online submissions are accepted. Papers can be written in either Chinese or English.　　

2. Email address for submissions: ica_shanghai@163.com 　　

3. Paper format and length: APA format (6th edition) for papers written in English; APA format (6th edition) or GB7714-87 format for papers written in Chinese. Files are to be submitted in Microsoft Word for Windows or Mac. Maximum length should not exceed 8,000 words (including tables/figures and references). 　　

4. Some content of the accepted papers (title and abstract) might appear on the conference website, in printed conference materials, or on other online media. Accepted papers will be included in Conference Proceedings and distributed to the attendees. Authors of accepted papers can still publish their papers in other journals.  　　

5. Deadlines for submission: October 1, 2018

VI. Conference Registration　　

Register for the conference by sending an email to ica_shanghai@163.com. There is no registration fee for those submitters who receive an official invitation letter. Travel, accommodation, and insurance expenses are borne by participants themselves.  　　

VII. Conference Secretariat　　

Address: School of Media and Communication, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, No. 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China

Contact person: Lutong Zhang　

Email: zhanglutong@sjtu.edu.cn

Phone: +86-21-34208622

VIII: About the Organizers

1. Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) School of Media and Communication

Founded in 1896, SJTU is one of the three oldest universities in China. It has cultivated more than 300,000 outstanding graduates, including former Chinese president Jiang Zemin and "The Father of Chinese Aerospace" Qian Xuesen. Established in 2002, School of Media & Communication at SJTU consists of three departments, including Journalism & Communication, Film & Television, and Cultural Industry Management. It offers a series of undergraduate, master, and doctoral programs in these fields. Currently, SMC has 400 undergraduates, 200 master students, and 100 doctoral students. Our journalism and communication major ranks top 5 in China, and was in top 100 of the QS World University Rankings by Subject in both 2012 and 2014.

2. The International Communication Association (ICA)

ICA is an academic association for scholars interested in the study, teaching, and application of all aspects of human and mediated communication. ICA began more than 50 years ago as a small association of U.S. researchers and is now a truly international association with more than 4,500 members in 80 countries. Since 2003, ICA has been officially associated with the United Nations as a non-governmental association (NGO).