Interdisciplinary Summer School on Economy and Language (Paris)

Call for applications
Interdisciplinary Summer School on Economy and Language

The aim of this Summer School is to bring together PhD students in economics and linguistics who are working on or are interested in any the manifold aspects of the relationship between economy and language in order to continue engaging in a fruitful and overdue dialogue between the two disciplines.

From 10 to August 21, 2015
University of Chicago Center in Paris
6 rue Thomas Mann
75013 PARIS (France)

Lectures will be taught and discussion sessions will be led alternately by economists and linguists, who have published on economy and language from the point of view of their respective discipline. Lectures will cover a broad range of topics including:
*Language and economic development
*Language in/and materiality
*Language proficiency and its implications for language policies
*Informal economy and language practice
*Language proficiency and immigration
*Language commodification and income-earning
*Economy and language vitality
*Costs and benefits in foreign language learning
*Use of national micro-data in measuring patterns and trends in language demographics
*Linguistic distances and their use in economics
*Standardization and its discontents

Instructors:
Professor Barry Chiwick (Economist), University of Washington
Professor Paulin Djité (Linguist), retired from the University of Western Sydney, Australia
Professor Judith Irvine (Linguistic anthropologist), University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
Professor Salikoko S. Mufwene (Linguist), University of Chicago
Professor Dorrit Posel (Economist), University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Professor Cécile B. Vigouroux (Linguist), Simon Fraser University, Canada
Professor Schlomo Weber (Economist), Southern Methodist University, Dallas & New Economic School, Moscow

Targeted Participants:
Economics and linguistics PhD students at any stage of their training/research are welcome to apply. The Summer School is open to students working in different subfields of economics (micro and macro) and of linguistics (e.g. applied linguistics, sociolinguistics, ethnography, linguistic anthropology; language endangerment), as well as in related areas (e.g., economic sociology, economic anthropology, political economy).

Tuition:
The sponsors of the Summer School will underwrite room and board expenses for all participants, who will be housed at a student residence in Paris. Except for those coming from the economic South (e.g. Africa and India), who will be fully funded by our sponsors, students will pay for their travel to and from Paris.

Application:
Interested students should submit an abstract not exceeding 800 words in which they describe their research interests/projects and articulate their particular research questions, as well as how they hope to benefit from the Summer School. They should state clearly whether they are pursuing a degree in economics, linguistics, or a related discipline and what particular theoretical framework they have used so far, if this is applicable. A current CV and a support letter from the applicant’s major professor or adviser should be included in the application, which can be written in either English or French.

Applications should be submitted in a PDF format in one single file (including the abstract, the CV, and the reference letter). 16 students will be selected based on the merits of their applications and the contributions that their participation can make to the success of the Summer School. An effort will also be made to balance the disciplinary backgrounds of the students, in order to foster a productive exchange of ideas across disciplines.

The applications must be submitted electronically by March 15, 2015 to the following website:  collegium-lyon.candidature@ens-lyon.fr (with the heading SUMMER SCHOOL). The applicants will be informed by May 15, 2015 about the outcome of their applications.

Language of Instruction:
The language of instruction will be English, although some accommodation will be made to students who are more fluent in French than in English to ask questions or to comment in French. Some competence in English is required in order to benefit from the lectures, the readings, and the discussion sessions.

CONTACT INFORMATION
For further information, prospective applicants can contact Professor Cécile B. Vigouroux with the heading SUMMER SCHOOL PARIS 2015. The queries can be written in English or French.

History and Organizers:
The Collegium of Lyon, France, in collaboration with the Réseau Français des Instituts d’Etudes Avancées (RFIEA), is sponsoring a two-week interdisciplinary summer school on Economy and Language at the University of Chicago Center in Paris, during August 10-21, 2015. Organized by Professor Salikoko S. Mufwene (University of Chicago) and Professor Cécile B. Vigouroux (Simon Fraser University), this Summer School is one of the outcomes of the productive workshop on Language and Economy hosted by them, at the same location, on June 19-20, 2014. Like the Workshop, the Summer School will bring together economists interested in the role that language plays in economic development and linguists working on economic aspects of language practice, in an effort to bridge both economics and linguistics on their overlapping interests. We learned, among other things, how useful it is to understand how practitioners in the other disciplines address issues that may be negligible to us and/or why they address them the way they do.

McMaster University job ad (Canada)

MCMASTER UNIVERSITY
Department of Communication Studies and Multimedia
Asper Chair in Communications

The Department of Communication Studies and Multimedia at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, is seeking an outstanding scholar to serve as the Asper Chair in Communications at the rank of Full or Associate Professor, beginning July 1, 2015. The successful candidate will be a scholar with an exceptional record of research, teaching and service, holding a PhD in communication or related fields. She or he will have demonstrated leadership in her/his field, a strong record of research funding (and/or potential for funding), strengths in mentorship, and a commitment to fostering a collaborative environment with students, colleagues, and/or community members. Preference will be given to candidates whose cutting-edge research bridges communication studies and multimedia.

Expectations for the position will involve maintaining an active research profile, competing for research grants and other external funding opportunities, participating actively as a graduate supervisor, and contributing to the department’s teaching and administration. The successful candidate will provide leadership in research, teaching, and supervision in the context of a dynamic and highly interdisciplinary department, whose faculty work in communication and media studies, digital humanities and multimedia arts practice, and communications management. The committee welcomes applications from candidates whose research complements or extends faculty research.

Housed within the Faculty of Humanities at McMaster University, the Department of Communication Studies and Multimedia is home to four programs: the MA in Communication and New Media, the Master of Communications Management, and two BA Honours programs, in communication studies and in multimedia. The establishment of a PhD program is a university priority.

McMaster University is a globally recognized research-focused student-centred university, dedicated to supporting creativity, innovation, and excellence through integrity, quality, inclusivity, and teamwork. The university is committed to fostering relationships with the community through a wide range of community engagement initiatives. McMaster is located in Hamilton, Ontario, a diverse city of over 500,000, with strengths in healthcare, knowledge work, and a vibrant arts and culture community. Hamilton is in close proximity to the Greater Toronto area as well as the Niagara region.

The successful candidate will be appointed July 1, 2015 to the Department of Communication Studies and Multimedia at the rank of Full or Associate Professor.

Applicants should submit electronically a CV, research statement, teaching statement, and cover letter to cmstdir AT mcmaster.ca. Applications must be received by February 28, 2015. Applicants may be contacted for letters of reference at a later date.

Beth Fisher-Yoshida Profile

ProfilesDr. Beth Fisher-Yoshida is a Facilitator, Educator, Mediator and Executive Coach, who partners with clients to develop initiatives that will foster change resulting in improved communication, organizational performance and quality of life.

Beth Fisher-Yoshida

She is President and CEO of Fisher Yoshida International, LLC, and clients have included global organizations in the Fortune 100, private sector, nonprofit and government sectors, military and security forces, communities, school districts and academic institutions. Dr. Fisher-Yoshida is Director and Faculty of the Master of Science in Negotiation and Conflict Resolution and Co-Chair of the Advanced Consortium for Cooperation, Conflict and Complexity (AC4) at the Earth Institute, both at Columbia University. She serves on the Boards of the CMM Institute for Personal and Social Evolution, Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies, and the International Advisory Board of Sunkhronos Institue.

Dr. Fisher-Yoshida takes a systemic approach to working on complex issues with multiple stakeholders through facilitated, interdisciplinary collaborative processes. She has more than 25 years experience in the areas of change management; leadership development; conflict resolution management systems, negotiation and mediation; intercultural communication and diversity; team development and effectiveness; and performance management. She has worked globally across a variety of industries including Asia and the Middle East, Africa, Europe and North America, in finance, pharmaceuticals, consumer goods, education, military and the arts.

Dr. Fisher-Yoshida has been working globally with the United Nations and WHO as an external consultant for more than 18 years. She worked as faculty in the Eisenhower Leadership Development Program, a joint collaboration between West Point and Columbia University. Prior to that she was a Training Manager with McKinsey & Company, Japan, a management-consulting firm that focuses on working with top leadership and management on strategy.

She has published many articles, chapters, and has authored and edited books. Her main areas of expertise in consulting and writing involve conflict resolution and collaborative processes, intercultural communication, transformative learning and Coordinated Management of Meaning (CMM), which takes a communication perspective.

Dr. Fisher-Yoshida received her Ph.D. in Human and Organizational Systems and MA in Organization Development from Fielding Graduate University in Santa Barbara, California. She graduated with honors when she received her MA from Columbia University. She received both a BA and a BS from Buffalo State College. Dr. Fisher-Yoshida is a Certified Clinical Sociologist (CCS). She speaks conversational Japanese and lived and worked in Japan for 13 years.

Work for CID:
Beth Fisher-Yoshida wrote KC54: Critical Moments and KC77: Negotiation.

Zayed University job ad (United Arab Emirates)

ZAYED UNIVERSITY
Dean College of Communication and Media Sciences

The University
Zayed University, a premier university in the United Arab Emirates, is an innovative institution based on an international model of higher education. The University has experienced rapid growth, and currently has over 1000 faculty and staff serving approximately 9500 undergraduate and 1000 graduate students on its campuses in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Zayed University prepares graduates to become leaders in government, business, civil society, arts and culture, and family life, and to contribute to building a knowledge-based economy and society. Through a curriculum grounded in learning outcomes, the University expects its graduates to be proficient in both English and Arabic, and to possess the skills in communication, technology, information literacy, research, critical thinking, and global awareness that will make them leaders in the interconnected 21st-century world. English is the primary language of instruction. Zayed University is fully accredited in the UAE and by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education in the US. The United Arab Emirates is a progressive country known for its high standard of living and its safe, family-friendly, multi-national environment.

The College of Communication and Media Sciences
Communication and information are vital to the development of the United Arab Emirates. The College of Communication and Media Sciences is dedicated to excellence in professional education to serve the nation, the Gulf region and the global community. The College’s vision is to be nationally and regionally recognized as a premier provider of bilingual education, scholarship, and outreach in the discipline of communication and its professional fields of study.

The College’s mission is to graduate students who:
” Understand the role of mass communication in Islamic and global cultures;
” Master written, oral, and visual skills in English and Arabic;
” Use digital media technologies thoughtfully and appropriately;
” Value truth, accuracy, fairness and diversity;
” Think critically, are innovative, and engage in dialogue;
” Contribute to the body of knowledge in mass communication from the Gulf region;
” Assist in the future development of the UAE and the global community.

Today, the College has 30 full-time faculty representing 17 nationalities teaching in four specializations: Integrated Strategic Communications, Film and Video Communications, Converged Media, and Tourism and Cultural Communications. It offers its full curriculum on both campuses toward a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication and Media Sciences. The College also offers a Master of Arts in Communications with a Specialization in Strategic Public Relations and a Master of Arts in Communications with a Specialization in Tourism and Cultural Communication.

The curriculum is designed to provide graduates with written, oral, and visual communication skills vital to the development of private and public institutions and enterprises in the UAE. It focuses on a broad education in the arts, humanities, social sciences, and applied sciences, as well as in the professional crafts of written, oral, and visual communication. Students are well-prepared to put words, visuals, and sound together in ways that are meaningful, effective, aesthetically pleasing, and interesting.

All majors take introductory courses in Media Storytelling, Applied Digital Communication, and Public Speaking, as well as advanced courses in Research Methods, Media Law and Ethics, Media Criticism, and Leadership Communication.

The College is committed to diversity. Diversity means the ever-present interaction of different nationalities, races, genders, social classes, special needs, religions, views, perspectives, and beliefs. The College’s model for diversity and inclusiveness means nurturing the acceptance and respect for these differences among students, faculty, and staff in a safe and positive academic environment within the applicable laws, regulations and cultural norms of the UAE.

The Opportunity
The Dean of the College of Communication and Media Sciences will have a unique opportunity to lead one of the founding colleges at Zayed University, which will celebrate its 16th year in 2015-2016. The College has applied for accreditation with the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (ACEJMC). It completed its self-study and hosted an official site team visit in October 2014. One of 51 programs world-wide accredited by the International Advertising Association (IAA), CCMS was the first academic unit at Zayed University to be accredited by an international agency. Graduates from the Integrated Strategic Communications specialization who meet the requirements of the accredited program are awarded the IAA Certificate of Completion. The College has active student chapters of the Middle East Public Relations Association (MEPRA) and the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ).

The Responsibilities
Supported by his/her leadership team, the Dean will be expected to:
” Develop a dynamic long-term strategy for the College that advances the University’s mission and goals.
” Promote an understanding of the College’s and the University’s mission and goals via its faculty, students, staff, and curricula.
” Develop and sustain a curriculum aligned with ACEJMC standards and guidelines.
” Provide academic leadership to the College faculty.
” Engage in active, assertive faculty recruitment and retention.
” Continuously work to improve the quality of instruction in the College.
” Implement the College’s graduate programs and initiate new programs as appropriate.
” Advance the College’s research agenda and activity.
” Expand the College’s outreach and community engagement program.
” Establish and maintain close relationships with the UAE business community.
” Prepare the College strategic/operational plans and related budget proposals.
” Collaborate with Student Affairs to sustain a positive learning environment and address issues of mutual concern such as academic integrity.
” Assure a strong presence of the Dean and College leadership on both campuses.
” Establish academic alliances and partnerships with local schools, other institutions within the UAE, and leading international universities.
” Lead the College’s participation in the University’s fund raising activity.
” Develop and oversee the College’s budget.

The Requirements
” A minimum of three years of proven successful administrative leadership experience at the level of Dean, Associate Dean, or Assistant Dean in an ACEJMC-accredited university.
” Demonstrated success as a teacher and scholar with at least five years of successful full-time teaching in a recognized university or college.
” Experience in a learning outcomes-based, assessment-rich, educational institution.
” Evidence of leadership in the development of new programs that meet international standards and success in building teamwork and creating a shared vision.
” Ability to work with faculty from diverse cultures and nationalities and across disciplinary lines.
” Patience and tolerance for ambiguity and change, and a high energy level.
” International experience is preferred.

The Benefits
The University’s benefits package is highly attractive, with competitive salaries free of tax in the United Arab Emirates. Housing, a furniture allowance, annual vacation airline tickets for the employee and immediate family, educational subsidies for children and subsidized healthcare is provided to the employee and sponsored family members.

To Apply
Please visit our web site http://www.zu.ac.ae and click on ‘Employment’ to be directed to the recruitment website. In addition to completing the online application form, attach a cover letter, a current CV, and the names and contact details of three professional references.

Review Process
Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position has been filled. The start date for the new dean is August 2015.

IMI Conference on Intercultural Relations (Washington, DC)

“If we cannot end now our differences, at least we can make the world safe for diversity. For, in the final analysis, our most basic common link is that we all inhabit this small planet. We all breathe the same air. We all cherish our children’s future. And we are all mortal.”

– John F. Kennedy, Commencement Address at the American University June 10, 1963
 
For more than 50 years, the Intercultural Management Institute (IMI)–formerly the Business Council for International Understanding Institute (BCIU) –has worked toward promoting cultural understanding through innovative and dynamic intercultural communication training. Never before have the effects of international communication been so far-reaching and immediate. The lesson is clear: in our global community, we tend to ignore the importance of intercultural relations at our own peril. Reciprocally, collectively we have made tremendous strides in the field of intercultural relations, and it is those successes and best practices that we continue to share at our annual conference. Join us for the IMI 16th Annual Conference on Intercultural Relations: A Forum for Business, Education and Training Professionals, March 12-13, 2015, in the School of International Service building at American University in Washington, D.C.Located in the nation’s capital, the Annual IMI Conference on Intercultural Relations is an accessible, affordable, professional development opportunity for those in the field of intercultural relations, cross-cultural & diversity training and education.Since the Annual Conference launch in 2000, IMI has worked to bring together a niche audience of intercultural relations professionals from various sectors to share their knowledge and best practices with colleagues and like-minded individuals in the field. Combined with our focus on experiential learning, participants leave with a toolkit of resources to bring back and apply to their own work. The IMI conference combines a focus on dialogue and learning with networking opportunities in an open, community atmosphere.
*Cross-cultural and Intercultural Training Professionals and Consultants
*International Development Professionals
*International Diplomats
*Government and Military Personnel
*Human Resources Professionals and International Recruiters
*International Education and Exchange Administrators
*Scholars, Academics, and Researchers
*Clinic and Hospital Administrators
*Social and Community Service Workers

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American University of Kuwait job ad

AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF KUWAIT
College of Arts & Sciences
Electronic Media and Media Studies

The American University of Kuwait (AUK) is seeking terminally qualified faculty committed to excellence in teaching, scholarly research, and service. American education or teaching experience is preferred as is evidence of research activity. Outstanding communication skills, cultural sensitivity, and effective use of classroom media and technology are expected. Faculty rank will be determined by the candidate’s degree and previous employment history. Successful candidates will teach undergraduate classes to majors and non-majors of diverse cultural backgrounds, conduct research, participate in student advising, honor office hours, and serve on faculty committees.

Electronic Media (Position Code No. 14-201- ICA 12): Rank Assistant Professor or higher, a full-time position in electronic media. The ideal candidate should be able to teach a variety of classes in radio, television and digital media. The candidate will also possess the necessary expertise required for the development of a new track in electronic media to be housed under the Department of Communication and Media. The ability to teach classes in media studies is a plus. Ph.D. in mass communication is required.

Media Studies (Position Code No. 14-202- ICA 12): Rank Assistant Professor or higher, a full-time position in media studies to teach introductory and advanced courses in the department. The ideal candidate should be able to teach courses in communication research methods and communication theory. The ability to teach courses in PR/advertising is also desirable but is not required. The ideal candidate would also aid in curriculum development and program assessment and carry out other tasks assigned by the Chair. Ph.D. in mass communication is required.

Application packages are to be submitted electronically to faculty@auk.edu.kw (attachments must not exceed 10 MB per e-mail). The package should contain the following:
1) Cover letter, detailing the candidate’s specific interest in AUK, and how the candidate’s past experience provides a suitable basis for performance in the position for which they are applying;
2) A current CV;
3) Statement on research and service and statement of teaching methodology, including curricular development that the individual has initiated and executed;
4.) Copies of teaching evaluations if available;
5) The names and addresses, both electronic and postal, of three referees.
6) Two recent publications /two writing samples;

In completing your application, please quote position code number. Incomplete applications will not be considered. For full consideration, applications should be received by February 14, 2015.

Hatice Sitki Profile

ProfilesDr. Hatice Sitki is the founder and principal consultant of SERSA, National Myths and Symbols Consultancy.

Hatice Sitki

She has a PhD in Communication from Deakin University, as well as an MA and BA in Communication from the University of Canberra. Her research specializations include: semiotics, myths and symbols as they manifest in the following areas: branding national myths and symbols (BNMS) collective group identity/interactions; Europe/EU/Türkey; multiculturalism and polyculturalism, indigenous group identity, re-identitification of diasporas; and branding peace. Sitki has given presentations on: cultural identity of ASEAN;  cultural identity of Europe and EU; cultural identity of Türkey; Australian national identity; multiculturalism; cultural identity of Vancouver, Shanghai and Canberra; cultural sovereignty for Australian Indigenous Peoples; Peace studies; diplomatic cultural studies; how to achieve tourism, merchandising of national identity for profit and cultural inclusiveness. She is  founding President of SIETAR Australasia.

A selection of Hatice’s papers are below:

Sitki, H (2013). Time to celebrate city’s multicultural identity. Canberra Times.

Sitki, H. (2012). Branding (inter) national myths and symbols for peace: How to meet your ‘other’ Türkey and Europe/EU. Ankara, Turkey: Institute for Cultural Diplomacy.

Sitki, H. EU-Türkey: Atatürk and Charlemagne on your Euro notes. Café Babel.

Sitki, H. (June 28, 2013). Türkish spring, Erdogan’s winter. Online Opinion.

Study in England 2015

Graduate Study in England, Summer 2015

Are you a graduate student in communication looking to earn 3 credits for a 12-day study abroad experience in England for Summer 2015?

Then please consider CCOM 7070 International Corporate Communication and Culture offered at Fairleigh Dickinson University’s Wroxton College located in Oxfordshire, England, from May 19 – 31, 2015.

The course consists of invited speakers, case studies, site visits, and trips to London, Stratford-upon-Avon, and Oxford. The main objective of the course is make students familiar with the cultural, historical, and political contexts in which international business transactions take place. Students will also attend a day of seminars at the Harris-Manchester College of Oxford University ending with High Dinner with the Oxford students.

Wroxton College is the British campus of Fairleigh Dickinson University, situated in the ancestral home of Lord North in Oxfordshire. The main College building is Wroxton Abbey, a fully modernized Jacobean mansion on 56 acres of its own lawns, lakes and woodlands. Originally constructed as an Augustinian priory in 1215, Wroxton Abbey has accommodated several British monarchs and statespeople such as Theodore Roosevelt. It now houses the College’s classrooms and seminar rooms, the library, fully modernized student lodging facilities, and computer laboratories.

At Fairleigh Dickinson University, participating students are drawn from the MA in Corporate and Organizational Communication and the MA in Organizational Behavior.Students from other universities and colleges are warmly invited to register with permission of the course leader, Gary Radford.

CFP (Un)Civil Society in Digital China

Call for Proposals
(Un)civil Society in Digital China
Special Issue for Publication in the International Journal of Communication

Editors
Min Jiang (Ph.D.), Associate Professor of Communication Studies, UNC Charlotte, USA
Ashley Esarey (Ph.D.), Visiting Assistant Professor of Political Science, University of Alberta, Canada

Rationale
Civil society’s role in furthering democratization and the development of a public sphere has long attracted scholars whose work has traced the historical roots of civil society in China and celebrated its emergence offline and online. While decades of economic reforms have empowered myriad civil society organizations, volatile contention has arisen among social groups along ideological, class, ethnic, racial and regional fault lines. Uncivil exchanges, amplified by the Internet and social media, often work at cross purposes and fail to produce consensus or solutions to public problems. These disputes, and the underlying social/political/cultural schisms, threaten to undermine constructive citizen engagement and the promise of civil society in China. They also challenge the notion of a unified civil society standing in solidarity against a monolithic, authoritarian state.

Consider the following examples:
–   The Internet flame war between Han Han and Fang Zhouzi that delegitimized the notion of “public intellectual” in China
–   Left-Right debate amongst China’s intellectual communities that spill over into street brawls
–   Vigilantism and breaches of privacy (i.e. instances of “human flesh search engine” and the Guo Meimei Red Cross scandal)
–   Online conflicts between “haves” and “have-nots” amidst extreme inequality
–   Virtual contention between Han and ethnic minorities over the status of Tibet and Xinjiang
–   Racial discourse on mixed-race Chinese and immigrants
–   Clashes over Taiwan’s “sunflower movement” expressed on the Internet
–   Divergent online opinions about the “umbrella movement” in Hong Kong

This special issue invites contributors to unpack the multilayered, multidimensional reality and contradictions that define the Chinese Internet, focusing on the big-picture ramifications of online contention. With a population of nearly 650 million, Chinese Internet users are more diverse than the tech-savvy, liberal elites who first went online two decades ago. The groups active online today include politically conservative, nationalistic, apathetic, and even reactionary individuals. They also evince complicated attitudes towards the state, business and other demographic segments. The complex make-up of Chinese civil society and the nature of its self-representation thus challenge, on the one hand, an idealized notion of civil society that is independent from the private sphere, government and business, and on the other, the implicit assumption prevalent in Chinese Internet studies of a liberal subject demanding social justice, media freedom and political reform.

Questions for contributors:
–   What are the characteristics of Chinese civil society? What is its potential or limitations? Does the proliferation of the Internet in China necessarily empower civil society in China? Is the opposite possible?
–   Is civil society always civil? Can it be uncivil, fractious and even reactionary? How does the Chinese Internet amplify or mitigate (un)civil tendencies? To what extent is online public debate or collective action becoming more fragmentary, working at cross purposes, or resulting in “echo chamber” effects and polarization? Do nationalistic, jingoistic and even reactionary forces overwhelm and dominate “civil” discourse?
–   Are the “uncivil” tendencies of the Chinese Internet inevitable in a society composed of increasingly diverse groups? To what extent do commercial and state institutions influence uncivil tendencies online through intervention or even manipulation? What roles do powerful Internet businesses and elite personalities play?
–   Under what circumstances might incivility online prove advantageous for political or social change?
–   What evidence do we have for (un)civil society in China? Examples might include the formation of informal groups and formal organizations, discourses, and their intersection with collective action, social movements, and other social behavior.

Contributions to this special issue will map a spectrum of key actors, issues, and orientations of a contentious civil society that has been submerged under a larger body of research on China and established democracies that assume state-society confrontation and fail to explore intra-societal tensions. Collectively, the contributions promise to produce a theoretically-interesting and empirically rich body of work that expands and deepens Chinese Internet research dominated by work focused on such topics as Chinese Internet censorship and propaganda, online activism, civic associations, deliberation and online culture. Insights generated from this special issue will in turn inform and advance research on civil society by debating its essence and examining the conditions conducive or unfavorable to its growth, with implications going beyond China. Although contributions will emphasize what polarizes Chinese society and sometimes seem to tear it apart, we welcome contributions that analyze the prospects for rising above incivility, bridging sociopolitical schisms, and building consensus without compromising self-expression and personal security.

Affiliated Conference:
We encourage interested contributors to attend the 13th Chinese Internet Research Conference (CIRC) that includes as its theme “(un)civil society in digital China.” The conference will be held at the University of Alberta, Canada on May 27-28, 2015. The deadline for submitting paper abstracts (400 words) is February 15, 2015.

Proposed Schedule
Abstract Deadline Jul 1, 2015
Notice of Abstract Acceptance Aug 1, 2015
Full Paper Deadline Jan 1, 2016
Reviews Deadline Mar 1, 2016
Revisions Deadline May 1, 2016
Finalized Paper Jul 1, 2016

Paper Guidelines
–   Submitted papers will go through double-blind peer review.
–   The maximum word count is 9,000 words (including the abstract, keywords, images with captions, references, and appendices, if any).
–   Abstracts submitted for pre-screening should be less than 500 words.
–   Submitted full papers are not guaranteed acceptance.
–   Formatting of the special issue follows the general guidelines of the International Journal of Communication (IJoC).

Intercultural Communication Course in London (2015)

Intercultural Communication Course in London

An intercultural communication course will be taught for the tenth time this summer in London from June 25 to July 29. Students earn 6 hours of undergraduate or graduate credit.  Field trips to observe social interaction, public discourse, and language variations have taken students to Parliament, the criminal courts, ethnic communities, Speakers’ Corner, the British Museum, the British Library, the Museum of Welsh Folk Life, art museums, outdoor markets, public parks and plazas, a senior citizen daycare facility, and a comedy club. During past years students have also visited universities in Oxford, Cambridge, Portsmouth, Norwich, Bath, Bristol, and Cardiff. Similar activities are being planned for 2015, along with an extended excursion to Edinburgh, Scotland.  Students stay in a conveniently located central London residence hall and have ample opportunity for recreation, sightseeing and travel. Application deadline is February 27, 2015.

For information about the course, contact Dr. Charles H. Tardy.