Global Media Policy Working Group Programme IAMCR 2015

12 Jul 2015 - 16 Jul 2015

Global Media Policy Working Group  Programme at IAMCR 2015 The  Faculty of Communication of the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) will host the annual conference of the International Association for Media and Communication Research (IAMCR) in Montreal, Canada, July 12-16 2015. The conference theme is Hegemony or Resistance? On the Ambiguous Power of Communication. Internet Governance: Updates & Critical Takes on a Policy Puzzle The Internet is central to contemporary media, but its governance is complex, dynamic, and dispersed across different arena. This interactive session will feature latest updates and analyses from scholars and activists at the frontlines of global Internet governance, with a particular focus on the different civil society, policy, and research agendas in play. Topics will include: ICANN/IANA stewardship transition; Global Conference on Cyberspace; Internet Governance Forum; Internet Social Forum; Net Mundial; WSIS +10; civil society agendas. Session 1: Tues 14 July Time: 16.00-17.30 hrs Room:  DS-1545 Chair: Jeremy Shtern (Ryerson University) Participants: Stefania Milan (University of Amsterdam) James Losey (Stockholm University) Mallory Knodel (Association for Progressive Communications) Stephanie Perrin (University of Toronto) Julia Pohle (SMIT, Vrije Universiteit Brussel) Arne Hintz (Cardiff University) Mapping as Relevant Knowledge? Research, Politics, Practicalities  Given the number of ‘mapping projects’ that have emerged over the past few years related to communication and digital policies, this session reflects on two intertwined questions they pose: •    How relevant is all this mapping to policy and advocacy engagement? To what extent, and in what conditions, do these initiatives contribute to more participatory practices, better informed policy decisions, and better media? •    What of the practical challenges in the establishment and development of these initiatives: platform population, content generation and sharing, sustainability of projects (expert knowledge, skills, human and financial resources), language diversity and accessibility, comprehensiveness or gaps in policy information and analysis? The session will feature interventions and discussions from leading policy scholars and experts. A key aim is to share ideas on how to better integrate critical research into existing initiatives, and develop forms of cooperation across these and other emergent forms of policy knowledge. Session 2: Wed 15 July Time:  09.00-10.30 hrs Room:  DS-1545 Chair: Claudia Padovani (University of Padova) Participants: Arne Hintz (Cardiff University) and Gerard Goggin (University of Sydney) — IAMCR Mapping Media Policy Samantha Grassle & Stefaan Verhulst (Govlab, New York University) -- Netmundial Solutions Ma Annabelle Sreberny (SOAS, University of London) Francesca Musiani (French National Centre for Scientific Research) Marjan de Bruin (University of West Indies) Robin Mansell (London School of Economics) Mapping Communications Governance – International Collaborations and Practical Challenges Internet governance is increasingly complex, fragmented and hard to navigate. A number of projects have emerged to map this complex landscape and identify issues, existing responses and policies, actors and actions. While their efforts serve different needs and audiences, there is a need to coordinate and collaborate. This session will reflect on the current state of play and conduct an examination of whether these mapping efforts can provide a joined-up infrastructure of both research and information exchange. The session, designed as a workshop, will address questions surrounding mapping best practices, effective methods to develop taxonomies, how to ensure interoperability and coordination among Mapping projects, and effective methods to populate data. Session 3: Wednesday 15 July Time: 14.00-15.30 hrs Room: DS-1545