*CFP* "LIFE STORIES IN COMMUNICATION: FROM STEREOTYPES TO (THE POSSIBILITY OF) HUMANIZATION", DOSSIER, THE OBSERVATORIO JOURNAL

The Observatório Journal  invites researchers to submit their papers to the dossier Life Stories in communication: from stereotypes to (the possibility of) humanization, expected to be published in the second half of 2020.

The dossier aims to gather papers, resulting from research projects that are either completed or in progress, addressing the presence of life stories in the various discursive genres of the field of Communication, with an emphasis on journalism, documentary films, corporate communication, advertising, and marketing. It will thus include studies that reflect on characters, whether or not fictional, seeking to comprehend the meanings attributed to the subjects depicted in such genres.

The goal is to gather studies using several methodologies, such as discourse analysis, content analysis, semiotic analysis, narrative analysis, and others, preferably in selected corpora for contemporary media productions, either in Brazil or abroad. It finally aims to contribute towards cross-subject discussions encompassing communication, arts, literature, cinema, language studies, and social sciences.

Life stories have long been advocated by Communication scholars as an alternative to more technical, statistics-based reports. They might thus correspond to a form of identity expression and produce, as their effects, humanization and representativeness. At the same time, it is claimed that using such stories, when they depict diversity, could be capable of breaking stereotypes. However, we ask ourselves: to what extent can a life story detach itself from social standards and hegemonic discourses? How can the life stories used in media narratives represent and promote social inclusion and exclusion? How to characterize media humanization in post-modernity? What does it mean to humanize in the context of expressing diversity and the contemporary fluidity? In what ways is it possible to comprehend the human being in the journalistic, advertising, cinematographic, and literary discourse?

The dossier, which will be published in both Portuguese and English, will accept contributions until May 30, when the text in one of those languages must be registered on the magazine’s platform. Following a peer assessment and selection of the contributions to be part of the dossier, the author must arrange for a foreign language translation. The texts must be all-new and signed by at least one doctor.

Deadline for receipt of texts: 15.06.2020.