5th International Conference ComSymbol
Mediatization, New Forms of Militancy and Digitalization
Paul Valéry University Montpellier 3, Centre Universitaire du Guesclin
November 11-12, 2021, Béziers, France
The 5th edition of the International Conference ComSymbol remains associated to the questioning of complex symbolic socio-communicational constructions that participate in social, societal, economic, political, cultural news by focusing, this time, both on the relations of dominance of the logics of the media over the other logics of the society and on the transformations of the communicative construction of reality under the impact of digitalization concerning the contemporary militant movements engaged in the “communicational arms race” (Neveu, 2015) marked by the redeployment of collective action on the Internet and the presence of pluralistic media systems (mass media, emerging media, Internet, Artificial Intelligence-AI, etc.).
The current scope of meditization is wide. On the one hand, the unprecedented extension of the influence of emerging media and AI, involving all societal spheres (Hjavard, 2008; Gomes, 2016; Tudor et Bratosin, 2020; Tudor et Bratosin, 2021) opens new avenues for raising awareness of new issues and overhauling existing frameworks. On the other hand, the increased mediatization of our daily life highlights the challenges that this meta process, which accompanies other meta processes such as globalization or democratization (Krotz, 2009) and increases over time in a non-linear and cumulative manner (Hepp, 2013), poses not only for the militancy but also for the subjects that militancy is currently embracing.
This context of mediatization as a societal condition calls for scientific analyzes and debates on the nature and changing contours of the militancy and the need for well-calibrated responses in the context of digital transformations.
In a brief summary on the militancy, undoubtedly imperfect and incomplete, we could distinguish four epistemological constructions (cf. Pudal, 2010):
- A first construction, which began in 1945, focused on the study of the social structure with the militant workers as an empirical field.
- A second configuration is concerned with the explanation of the motivational dimension of activism which was not considered in the context of the first phase. It corresponds to the desacralization of militancy and targets both the macro and micro levels; the groups studied remain the same. French contributions to this second phase are in the majority and extend from 1975 to 1995, relying either on methodological individualism or on the sociogenetic perspective.
- Following the weakening of the idea of altruistic and total militancy, characteristic of the first two phases, the third construction engages an analytical model that focuses on the dynamics of political interaction and structures of political opportunities. There is interest in “distanced activism”. This is how the new unionism and alter-globalism become the subject of central study.
- Finally, the fourth construction deals with “forgotten” militants (civic, religious, etc.) and overcomes the opposition between “total militant” and “distanced militant”, the thesis of the invariable identity of the militant no longer being operational. This is a shift from the perspective of individualization to that of individuation. More precisely, this fourth phase focuses on the interdependence between personal dispositions and institutional changes.
In this context, several variables could be considered as responsible for the modification of the nature of militancy with specific tendencies and patterns, distinct from the other previous phases, in particular in the context of the deep mediatization of our societies, the amplified digitalization and the boom in artificial intelligence. Among these variables to be questioned, we retain here the wide and intelligent use of emerging media and AI by militant groups, the global extent of the geographical distribution, ideological convictions and intergroup links, the broad support of the public for militancy and to “disruptive” crowds via digital technology, the impact of new pathologies of augmented communication (trolling, fake news, astroturfing, etc.), the new digital synergies between activist networks, the ideological changes which distinguish the new activists previous phases, etc.
Thus, several groups of themes and questions are offered for guidance based on these variables. Contributions on the themes below are expected, the list not being exhaustive. Particular attention will be paid to contributions that will focus on the mediatization of Muslim civic and religious activist initiatives, given that this edition of the ComSymbol Conference is initiated within the framework of the RELMUS project – Mediatization of Muslim Civic and Religious Activist Initiatives carried by the IARSic-CORHIS UR 7400 and its institutional partners, the Faculty of Letters and Human Sciences of the Mohammed V University of Rabat and the Brahim Akhiate Foundation for Cultural Diversity (FBADC) of Morocco. The expected proposals will aim in particular to understand how Islam is configured as a public religion in the networks of religious mobilization around values that can no longer be contained within the institutional framework of religious pluralism.
Themes and issues (non-exhaustive list)
- Collective action, concertation with transnational networks of militants and effects of the global contamination: a communicational perspective;
- Public and civic religion and religious mobilization networks. Mediatization of Muslim civic and religious activist initiatives;
- Mediatization of evangelical civic and religious activist initiatives;
- Digital social media and the rise of new forms of militancy;
- Impact of new pathologies of augmented communication (trolling, fake news, astroturfing, etc.) on militant mobilizations;
- Web 4.0 activism and global themes: gender, post-colonialism, sectarian and jihadist activism, immigration, LGBTI +, etc. ;
- Religious activism and post-Internet impact;
- Transnational activism: influence of the diaspora on electoral and political activity through media convergence;
- Vandalism-activism relationship: media perceptions and representations;
- Conflict and activism;
- Media representations on activism: new rhetoric (s);
- Media stories on gender and women activists;
- Violent vs. punishable activism in the media;
- Mediatization of social activism;
- Heritage and cultural activism;
- Activism in the company. Managers and employees militancy: a media perspective;
- Ecology and youth activism;
- Activism and creative / cultural industries;
- Activism, diversity and minorities;
- Volunteer activism, etc.
The conference welcomes scholars of any disciplines as well as professionals.
For further details please visit the conference website which will be updated regularly (SITE).
Languages of the conference: French and English
Important Dates
5 Mai 2021: Submission of an abstract of approximately 350-400 words, including spaces, and five keywords. The abstract could be written in French or English. The proposal must include the name and affiliations as well as the email address of all authors.
15 Mai 2021: Notification of abstract acceptance via email
30 Juillet 2021: Submission of the full papers (6000-8000 words with references)
1st September 2021: full paper acceptance
All proposals and questions should be addressed to: essachess@gmail.com
All proposals will be double blind peer reviewed. Authors of the accepted papers will be notified by e-mail.
Conference publications and conference fees
The proceedings will be published at an international recognized academic publishing and will be submitted for indexing in a number of citation indexes. Best selected papers will be published in a special issue of the journal Essachess – Journal for Communication Studies. The journal is classified by the HCERES, impacted and indexed by the international databases such as SCOPUS ELSEVIER, ERIH +, DOAJ, ProQuest, MLA, ULRICH, Ebsco, etc.
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