MEDIA AND POLITICS: DISCOURSES, CULTURES, AND PRACTICES

The Department of Language Mediation and Intercultural Communication and the Contemporary Asia Research Centre of the University of Milan are pleased to announce the organization of an
international conference on "Media and Politics: Discourses, Cultures, and Practices" which will be held at the Polo di Mediazione Interculturale e Comunicazione on 27th-28th May 2015.

Description:
Media and politics have always been interconnected. On the one hand, the media represent a channel through which the promotion and discussion of policies is effected and various representations of power and ideology are conveyed. On the other hand, the media play an important political role of their own, but are at the same time subject to political choices that have an impact on their editorial line. In some contexts, their influence on public opinion also has an mportant political weight.

The connection between mass media and politics, which at times affects the selection of news and the way it is produced, can be identified in discourse choices, the use of specific textual genres,
representations with a cultural connotation, and also in the practical work of journalists and the reactions of the target public. Moreover, this connection can take various shapes, according to the
political framework, the geographical location, and the linguistic, social, and cultural contexts in which it is expressed. Finally, the channels used for communication can in some ways influence the
political value of the message being delivered.

In light of this premise, the relationship between media and politics can thus be analysed on distinct levels and from a variety of methodological perspectives. Adopting an intercultural and interdisciplinary approach, the conference seeks to explore the many facets of the relationship between various means of communication (print media, television, and Internet) and politics, through contributions covering its discursive, cultural, and professional aspects, and regarding diverse media contexts, such as Asia, America, Europe, and the Arabic World.

Possible areas of discussion include (but are not limited to):
1. Language of politics in the global media:
• Discourse analysis and textual genres
• Argumentation theory
2. Cultural or public policies conveyed through the media:
• City branding, identity, and modernity representations
• Welfare, health, and environmental policies
3. Media policies:
• Production processes and professional identities
• Influence on public opinion and soft power

Plenary sessions:
Plenary sessions will see the participation of:
*Geert Jacobs (Department of Linguistics, Ghent University, Belgium)
*Eric Sangar (Department of European & International Studies King's College London, United Kingdom)
*Jing Wu (School of Journalism and Communication, Peking University, China)
Members of the peer committee will also be presenting their current research.

Paper Submission:
We welcome abstract submissions from scholars and experts in the abovementioned areas. Abstracts must be in English and no longer than 300 words (including references and keywords).
Proposals must be accompanied by a bio sketch no longer than 100 words. Please send your proposals to <media_politica2015@unimi.it> by 20th March 2015.
Proposals must include, in the same document: title, preferred presentation language, name and surname of author(s), institutional affiliation(s), email and postal mailing address of author(s).
Panels will be conducted in Italian, English, French, and Spanish.

Registration Procedures:
Participation is subject to registration. To register please send an email to <media_politica2015@unimi.it>. You will receive a registration form that must be completed and returned to the same email address by 30th April 2015.

Conference Venue:
Università degli Studi di Milano, Polo di Mediazione Interculturale e Comunicazione, piazza Montanelli 1, Sesto S. Giovanni (MI), Italy.

Proceedings:
A selection of the papers presented during the conference will be published in an edited book or in a special issue of a peer-reviewed journal.