Call for Abstracts
Currents: People, Power, and Practice
This theme addresses pressing debates in media freedom, digital democracy, media sustainability, the political economy of communication and the effect of participatory media culture.
Nelson Mandela University, Gqeberha, South Africa
8–11 September 2025
The Media and Communication Department at Nelson Mandela University invites scholars, journalists, and media practitioners to participate in SACOMM 2025, Currents: People, Power and Practices. Situated at NMU which is home to Ocean Science, research teaching and innovation, this conference adapts the theme to consider the shifting tides of media and communication in Southern Africa and the Global South, examining how power, people, and practices intersect in an era of polycrisis, rapid transformation and rising authoritarianism.
Just as ocean currents shape local weather and global climate, information and society co-influence each other contributing to waves of social progress and innovation but also treacherous undercurrents that challenge social justice, democracy and development. Across the media landscape, we see the rise of anti-democratic pressures, the spread of disinformation, the surveillance economy, and algorithmic biases that amplify false content, deepen polarization, and marginalize communities. These disruptions threaten media freedom, fragment the public sphere, and erode trust in both media and society. At the same time, we witness resistance, adaptation and new solutions, increasingly from new, alternative or peripheral media role-players. From decolonisation, digital activism and participatory media production to alternative media platforms, communities are reclaiming media spaces to address localized challenges and elements of our polycrisis. This conference invites scholars to critically engage with media power structures, political communication, and policy reforms that can promote free, independent, sustainable, and pluralistic media ecosystems.
The 2025 SACOMM theme—Currents: People, Power, and Practice—addresses pressing debates in media freedom, digital democracy, media sustainability, the political economy of communication, and the effects of participatory media culture. We encourage contributions that explore who controls the media, how people use media for resistance, participation and communication, and how media practitioners and scholars must adapt to these evolving challenges.
We invite submissions that engage with, but are not limited to, the following topics, with a particular focus on Southern African and Global South perspectives. International scholars who wish to present on relevant matters pertaining to the themes as they relate to research on or about Southern Africa are welcome.
Suggested themes, but not limited to:
- Media Freedom, Regulation, and Digital Rights
- Digital Media, AI, and Algorithmic Disruptions
- Journalism and Political Communication
- Representation, Identity, and Language
- Media Political Economy, Power, and Sustainability
- Activism, Social Movements, and Public Interest Communication
- Education, Pedagogy, and Knowledge Production
- Communication Design and Marketing
- Film, Streaming, and Audiovisual Media
- Strategic Communication, Policy, and Practice
- Popular Culture and Audience Practices
- Broadcasting, Radio, and Emerging Media Platforms
- Theory, Methods, and Critical Approaches in Media Studies
Submission Guidelines
Abstract Submission Deadline: 30 April 2025
Notification of Acceptance: 31 May 2025
Please submit your abstract here:
http://forms.nmmu.ac.za/websurvey/q.asp?sid=1911&k=hrctuovkjv
Conference Dates & Venue:
The SACOMM 2025 Conference will be held from 8–11 September 2025 at Nelson Mandela University, Gqeberha, South Africa.
Further details on submission procedures, registration, and accommodations will be provided on the conference website.
We look forward to your contributions as we navigate the evolving currents of media, power, and practice together.