Research Centre
Communication and Computing Research Centre

Date
2011

The aim of this initiative is to bring together anthropologists and other social scientists interested in furthering this area of research and theorisation

This project relates to the EASA Media Anthropology Network research initiative Media and Social Change. The aim of this initiative is to bring together anthropologists and other social scientists interested in furthering this area of research and theorisation. Our immediate goals are to bid for European research network funding and to publish an edited volume provisionally titled Theorising Media and Social Change.

Forthcoming Event

We are currently organising a Media Anthropology Network workshop on the theme of “Theorising Media and Social Change” for the EASA 2012 Conference in Nanterre, near Paris, 10-13 July 2012. We seek proposals consisting of a paper title, a (very) short abstract of 300 characters, and an abstract of 250 words. See details below.

All proposals must be made via the online form, no later than 28 November 2011. On submission, the proposing author will receive an automatic confirmation of receipt.

To propose a paper, please visit the workshop page. See also the EASA 2012 website.

We look forward to hearing from you!

John Postill (Sheffield Hallam University)
Elisenda Ardevol (Open University of Catalonia)
Sirpa Tenhunen (University of Helsinki)

Past Event

On 27 May 2011 we held a workshop at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, entitled 'Critical Perspectives on Media and Social Change'.

Rationale

The anthropology of media has grown dramatically since the late 1980s. This thriving subfield has already made an important contribution to the broadening of media studies away from its traditional Western heartland to all regions of the globe. In addition, media anthropology is beginning to have a theoretical impact as its practitioners continue to produce ground-up theorising on the production, circulation and appropriation of media. One key area to which anthropologists have much to contribute is the elusive relationship between media and social change – a subject of great public interest, yet one in which futuristic hyperbole abounds. This workshop brings together anthropologists and others working on a range of media-related areas (such as development, activism, governance, and digital media production) to discuss critically our current understanding of media and social change and identify key questions in urgent need of research and theorisation. This exercise will form the basis of a future comparative research bid.

Acknowledgments

We wish to thank Annabelle Sreberny and Mark Hobart at the Centre for Media and Film Studies, School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) for offering to host this event and the European Association of Social Anthropologists (EASA) for their financial support.

Related projects

Social Media and Activism - Notes on #socialmedia and #activism presentation, UOC, 26 Nov 2010