Einstein Forum, Potsdam
The event organised by the ECREA Communication History section, in
collaboration with the Center for Research on Contemporary History
(ZZF), Potsdam/Germany and the Historical Section of the German
Communication Association (DGPuK).
Within the last years "User Generated Content" has become the dominating keyword to describe the change of social communication in the World Wide Web. Web 2.0 seems to facilitate the formation of social networks and to enhance political and cultural participation. From a historical perspective the question can be raised whether this change of social communication is rather unique or whether phenomena like "User Generated Content" are a continuity in public communication. Letters to the editor, the publications of social movements and Samizdat literature are only a few and very different examples how the audience tried to participate into public discussions -- also in former times.
Especially in times of media change, when new media is integrated into
everyday life, the question can be discussed to what extent new media
and new opportunities of participation lead to social integration of the
audience -- or, on the contrary, whether the creation of multiple
platforms of articulation primarily leads to a fragmentation of public
discourse.
Nowadays accessibility to media -- at least to the WWW -- is given, but
the impact of user generated content on public discourse can be regarded
as limited: The public sphere seems to be highly fragmented and usually
rather personally than socially relevant content is produced by the
users. When mass media like the popular press or TV developed,
accessibility was extremely limited. However, TV provides relevant
social content for large parts of society and therefore facilitates
processes of social integration.
Summing up, the implementation of new media can have manifold impact on society. It can include or exclude audiences and it can strengthen and
weaken public discourse.
The conference aims to analyze and discuss the forms and the relevance
of the audience's integration in different times, cultures and political
systems. Taking this perspective different types of media can be
analyzed referring their potential to enhance traditional forms of
participation and to create a platform for new audiences and forms of
participation. How did new media affect the formation of new publics and
affect traditional publics? Moreover, in a comparative perspective it is
intended to take a look not only at long-term developments but also at
differences and similarities between cultures, countries and regions:
What kind of public discourse was enhanced by the Enlightenment? How did users articulate their interests and connect with each other within
social movements like for example the worker's, the women's and the
peace movement? What role played "User Generated Content" in different
political systems? How is it used to support or to oppose democratic but
also totalitarian systems? And finally it can be discussed how "the
public" and "the private" was conceptualized or has to be rearranged
with regard to the historical development of content produced by audiences?
Registration
Please register until 31 May, 2010 by e-mail
Conference fee: 40 €, reduced (half-time employees and students): 20 €.
Dinner and accomodation are not included.
Venue:
Einstein Forum, Am Neuen Markt 7, 14467 Potsdam (Germany);
Center for Research on Contemporary History (ZZF), Am Neuen Markt 9d,
Potsdam (Germany)
The workshop will be hosting also the first business meeting of the ECREA Communication History Section, that will take place on Friday, 4 June (18.15-19.15 p.m) at the Einstein Forum, Conference Room, Am Neuen Markt 7, Potsdam, where future activities of the section will be discussed. The agenda for the business meeting will include: 1. Report on section activities, 2. YECREA and the Communication History Section, 3. Future plans, 4. Any other business.
> Programme and information
> Programme (pdf)
Organizers
PD Dr. Klaus Arnold, Chair of the ECREA Communication History section
University of Trier, Media Studies
klaus.arnold@ku-eichstaett.de
Dr. Christoph Classen
Center for Research on Contemporary History (ZZF), Potsdam
classen@zzf-pdm.de
Prof. Paschal Preston, Vice-Chair of the ECREA Section Communication History
Head, School of Communication, Dublin City University
Paschal.Preston@dcu.ie
Prof. Dr. Susanne Kinnebrock, Vice-Chair of the ECREA Communication
History section, RWTH Aachen University, Institute for Language and
Communication Studies
University of Vienna, Department of Communication
s.kinnebrock@isk.rwth-aachen.de
susanne.kinnebrock@univie.ac.at
Contact address
PD Dr. Klaus Arnold, Chair of the ECREA Communication History section
University of Trier
Universitätring 15, 54296 Trier (Germany)
Phone: ++49 651 201-3744
Fax: ++49 651 201-3741
e-mail: Klaus.Arnold@ku-eichstaett.de
|
