----Apologies for potential cross-posting---- Dear colleagues, sorry for this short notice - please see below the call for papers for the 9th CMSTW'2021 which may be of interest to some of you. CALL FOR PAPERS Time: April 20–21, 2021 Place: St. Petersburg, Russia – VIRTUAL Working language: English Theme for 2021: Communication Architectures Recently, scholars have proclaimed the rise of the platform society (Van Dijck, Poell, & De Waal, 2018). In it, affordances decide what message the medium is; algorithmic intermediaries, commercial corporations, and influencer bloggers compete in bypassing news agencies; and platforms impeach politicians. A myriad ways of simultaneous communication, both individual- and mass-oriented, creates extreme connectivity which may lead to extreme power – and may not lead to meaningful conclusions. Yet, despite this seeming communication singularity where everything happens in parallel, a range of works emphasize the return of structure into communication – or even a new era of hierarchization. Structurally, what are we facing? Is there horizontal co-existence of communication platforms, a multi-level complex of arenas, or a brave new world of (re-)emergent hierarchies? However, proliferation of platforms, whether horizontal or hierarchical, is only the surface of transformation. We need to re-assess not only the elemental complexity of the communication world. It is the fundamental formulas of communication acts, the metaphor of communication flow, the fabric of micro- and macro-deliberation that demand rethinking. And, crucial as never before, the person-level, societal, and global roles of communication architectures – and architects – need to be tied together when envisioned in academe and policing. CMSTW’2021 is dedicated to assessing communication architectures on all levels in comparative perspective – from message itself to global information infrastructure, as well as to linking structural and platform features of media and public spheres to policing, knowledge of social inequalities, and theory of human communication. The four traditional tracks of the conference will re-conceptualize the ‘platform society’ (Theory), question the pluses and highlight the minuses of ‘architectured’ communication (Political & Social), put journalism and media into comparative platform perspective (Media Industry & Journalism), and develop approaches to detection of communicative structures (Methods). CONFERENCE TRACKS THEORY Chair: Silvio Waisbord, George Washington University, USA POLITICAL AND SOCIAL Chairs: Svetlana Bodrunova, St.Petersburg State University, Russia Anna Litvinenko, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany MEDIA INDUSTRY AND JOURNALISM Chair: Katrin Voltmer, University of Leeds (Emeritus), UK METHODS Chair: Olessia Koltsova, National Research University – Higher School of Economics, Russia KEYNOTE SPEAKERS Noshir Contractor, Northwestern University, the USA Jane S. & William J. White Professor of Behavioral Sciences, Director of the Science of Networks in Communities (SONIC) Research Group at Northwestern University; ICA President-Elect-Select for 2021–2022. Barbie Zelizer, Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania, the USA Raymond Williams Professor of Communication, Associate Dean for Research, and Director, Center for Media at Risk, at the University of Pennsylvania; ICA President (2009–2010). Two more keynote speakers TBC Invited panelists and discussants to be announced before February 15, 2021 ABOUT THE CONFERENCE Since 2013, CMSTW has been gathering experts in a wide range of topics within comparative media research. Our keynotes have been Larry Grross, Silvio Waisbord, Zizi Papacharissi, Jean Burgess, Paolo Mancini, Katrin Voltmer, Nico Carpentier, Mark Deuze, and many other notable scholars. In 2021, the conference will include a plenary podium discussion, keynote speeches, panels, round tables, book presentations, and a range of workshops (subject to submissions). Due to the restrictions on flights and social gatherings caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the conference has moved to virtual space; CMSTW’2020 was also virtual and had great success, with over 300 speakers and listeners from 20 countries. To substitute our usual cultural program, virtual tours and get-together events will be organized. FORMS OF PARTICIPATION Individual submissions Full papers: 9 to 15 pages, anonymized Short papers: 5 to 8 pages, anonymized Abstracts: up to 300 words, anonymized Group submissions Panel submissions: a 300-word panel rationale plus 3 to 5 abstracts of max 150 words, free form (pdf), anonymized. Full and short papers may be submitted as parts of the panels; however, panels may also be accepted without full paper submission. Workshops: a 2-to-4-page workshop rationale, de-anonymized All submissions must be uploaded via the conference EasyChair account (will be available starting from February 1, 2021; please see the address on the conference website cmstw2021.org). VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT OF THE CONFERENCE CMSTW’2021 will be organized via Microsoft Teams and Zoom; leisure events may take place at other platforms. PUBLISHING OPPORTUNITIES AND AWARDS - 'Digital Journalism' (Scopus Q1) publishing opportunity; - Special issue at 'Future Internet' (MDPI, Scopus Q2), with 15% discount; - Friedrich Ebert Stiftung Prize for the best paper in the social&political track; - Katrin Voltmer’s prize for the best PhD student paper. DEADLINES AND OTHER DATES March 1, 2021 – main submission deadline (subject to slight extension on request) March 15-18, 2021 – notifications of acceptance March 20, 2021 – early-bird registration deadline April 1, 2021 – regular registration deadline June 1, 2021 – camera-ready papers deadline PARTICIPATION FEES Due to COVID-19 and the virtual state of the conference, the fees have been significantly reduced: Presenter: early-bird – 20 euro, regular – 25 euro PhD/Master student: 10 euro Group submission: early-bird – 70 euro, regular – 80 euro CONTACTS Conference address: cmstw2021.org (active from January 27, 2021) Conference email for CMSTW'2020 and CMSTW'2021: cmstw2020@spbu.ru See you (virtually) in St.Petersburg! -- Svetlana S. Bodrunova, Prof., D.Polit.Sci. Head, Center for International Media Research School of Journalism and Mass Communications, St.Petersburg State University +7 921 933 02 14 s.bodrunova@spbu.ru, spasibo-tebe@yandex.ru