12th Journalism Studies PhD Colloquium
ICA 2026 Pre-conference
June 3rd 2026 – Cape Town, South Africa
Call for Papers
Submission deadline for abstracts: February 13th, 2026
The Journalism Studies Division PhD Colloquium connects PhD students in journalism studies with leading scholars in the field. This annual event reflects the Journalism Studies Division’s ongoing commitment to academic mentorship. It will be held as an in-person pre-conference event alongside the ICA 2026 Annual Conference in Cape Town. The colloquium will take place at the Centre for Film and Media Studies, University of Cape Town, on Wednesday, June 3rd, 2026.
The colloquium centres on work related to participants’ dissertations, including articles or thesis chapters. Each student will receive individualised feedback on their paper from a senior scholar. Additionally, the program features expert-led discussions on professional development topics, such as publishing in international journals, career strategies, and grant applications.
This event welcomes PhD students working on topics within journalism studies. We particularly encourage submissions that advance our understanding of how journalism operates within specific regions or across comparative contexts. Topics of interest include but are not limited to: journalism’s societal functions, structural and cultural influences on news work, journalist attitudes and characteristics, news content and effects, audience experiences, evolving media technologies in news production and consumption, and journalism education. We welcome conceptual, empirical, and theoretical papers.
Submission guidelines
Submit an abstract of 500 words (excluding references) outlining your topic, rationale, theoretical approach, and empirical application (if applicable). Please indicate whether your submission is part of an article-based dissertation or a monograph dissertation (chapter or overview). Include the PhD student’s name, affiliation, and expected graduation date with your abstract.
Submit via email to Joanne Kuai (joanne.kuai@rmit.edu.au) and Raul Ferrer-Conill (raul.ferrerconill@uis.no)
Format: PDF labelled “LastName_ICA JSD PhD Colloquium 2026“
Email subject: Abstract Submission_ICA JSD PhD Colloquium 2026
Abstract deadline: February 13, 2026, at 11:59 pm AoE (Anywhere on Earth)
Acceptance notifications: February 28, 2026
Accepted participants must submit a full/working paper of up to 8,000 words (including references) by May 1, 2026, at 11:59 pm AoE.
The colloquium will be held on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, at the University of Cape Town, close to the main ICA venue.
