User Generated Content. Historical perspectives on the participation of audiences in social communication

Date: 3-5 June, 2010

Venue: Potsdam (Germany)

Co-organizers: Center for Research on Contemporary History (ZZF, Potsdam), Historical Section of the German Communciation Association (DGPuK), Working Committe for Historical Communication Research (AHK, Austria)

This historical workshop 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. 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? What role played “User Generated Content” in different political 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.

Please send extended abstracts (500 words) for 15-minute presentations via email to the organizers (Klaus.Arnold@ku-eichstaett.de). The submission deadline for this workshop is January 17, 2010.

The full version of the Call-for-Papers is available here: http://www.zzf-pdm.de/