<html><body><div style="color:#000; background-color:#fff; font-family:times new roman, new york, times, serif;font-size:14pt"><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; "><div align="center"><strong>Global Media Journal Australian Edition together with the Australian and New Zealand Communications Association present The Arab Spring: A Symposium on Social Media and the Politics of Reportage </strong><strong><br></strong></div><div align="center"><strong><br></strong></div><div align="center"><strong><em>**A reminder that the deadline for papers for "The Arab Spring: A Symposium on Social Media and the Politics of Reportage" is COB April 1st, 2012**</em></strong></div><div align="center"><strong><em></em></strong> </div><div align="center"><em>**Researchers utilising global examples which cover the different uses of social media and the interaction between ‘traditional’ and ‘alternative’ media
practitioners during the protests</em></div><div align="center"><em>are also encouraged to apply**</em></div><div align="center"><em><br></em></div><div align="center"><strong>The Arab Spring: A Symposium on Social Media and the Politics of Reportage" </strong></div><div align="center"><strong>Friday June 8, 2012 <br>Advanced Technologies Centre, Swinburne University <br>Melbourne Australia </strong></div><div align="center"><strong><br>Special issues editors Diana Bossio and Saba Bebawi</strong></div><div align="center"><strong><br></strong></div><div align="center"><strong>With special keynote addresses from Dr Adel Iskandar and Professor Alan Knight</strong></div><div align="center"><strong><br></strong></div><div>This symposium proposes to both theoretically and empirically consider the social, political and cultural ramifications of interactions between 'mainstream' and 'alternative' reportage practices and their meaning in a
digital media age, seeking to derive conceptualisations of social media and the politics of reportage. </div><div>Proposals for presentations are now invited to be submitted for inclusion in the one-day symposium program. Interested participants should email a 200-word abstract for a 20-minute presentation during the seminar. </div><div><br></div><div>We are seeking abstracts from authors that present new analyses of the changes and tensions that have occurred in the relations between the different forms of reportage, especially with the rise in popularity of social media platforms in times of crisis. Specifically we are interested in papers that critically examine the supposed dichotomy between what is perceived as the authenticity, authority and credibility of traditional journalism and the efficiencies and audience-driven content of alternative media practice. </div><div><br></div><div>Research that explores the following
themes would be welcomed: </div><ul><li>The different uses of social media during the Arab Spring protests</li><li>The interaction between ‘traditional’ and ‘alternative’ media practitioners during the protests</li><li>Specific ethical issues in reportage that arose during the interaction between mainstream and alternative media practitioners during the protests</li><li>How has mainstream media practice positioned itself within a discourse that has suggested the Arab Spring protests as a ‘social media revolution’?</li><li>How can the Arab Spring protests be used a point of reference or case study to discuss this interaction between ‘traditional’ and ‘alternative’ media platforms?</li><li>How has the political and policy landscape transformed nationally and internationally in the past decade? </li></ul><div>Participants will be invited to submit a paper for publication in the Issue 3, 2012 of the Global Media Journal
Australian Edition.</div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; "><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; "><br></span></div>Please email abstracts as word document attachments to Seminar organisers: Diana Bossio <a href="mailto:dbossio@swin.edu.au" target="_blank">dbossio@swin.edu.au</a> or Saba Bebawi <a href="mailto:sbebawi@swin.edu.au" target="_blank">sbebawi@swin.edu.au</a> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px; "><div align="center"><strong> </strong><strong>Abstract deadline: COB April 1, 2012</strong> </div><div><strong><br></strong></div><div><strong>About the Journal</strong><br>The Australian Edition is a member of the innovative and original <a href="http://lass.calumet.purdue.edu/cca/gmj/" target="_blank">Global Media Journal</a>: an online-only, open access, global
resource for communication and media studies scholarship, with independent editions around the world. The Australian edition of Global Media Journal invites the submission of essays and research reports that focus on any aspects in the field of Communication, Media and Journalism. The Global Media Journal continues to expand worldwide, adding new editions, including African, Australian, and Persian editions.</div><div>More information is available at: <a href="http://www.commarts.uws.edu.au/gmjau" target="_blank">http://www.commarts.uws.edu.au/gmjau</a></div><div>Submission Guidelines: <a href="http://www.commarts.uws.edu.au/gmjau/submissions.html" target="_blank">http://www.commarts.uws.edu.au/gmjau/submissions.html</a></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Dr Saba ElGhul-Bebawi</div><div>Lecturer Journalism</div><div>Swinburne University of Technology</div><div>Melbourne, Australia</div></span></div></div></body></html>