Call for Papers

Social media and the future of PR:

New ideas, new research, new business

EUPRERA EuroBlog 2008 Spring Symposium     Brussels, March 13-15, 2008

The EuroBlog surveys of 2006 and 2007 highlighted the ways in which interactive social media technologies – weblogs, podcasts, wikis, social networking and other social softwares and services - were beginning to impact on communication. The Brussels Symposium (March 13-15, 2008) brings together the latest academic thought with leading edge practice from Europe, the USA and elsewhere to draw new theoretical insights and encourage and shape practitioner innovation and implementation. By identifying and presenting examples of best practice, empirical investigation and new concepts for modelling and understanding the rapid changes in relationship management, EuroBlog 2008 will shape the agenda for social media discussion.

Papers are invited which address these questions:

• How can academic research lead and support the ways in which practitioners embrace social media?

• How should academics approach teaching social media (both in terms of course content and pedagogy)?

• What are the societal implications of social media (democracy, accountability, privacy)?

Participants

Researchers from all over Europe and beyond, including many involved in the EUPRERA network of academics from more than 30 countries. – Public Relations executives from major companies, institutions, and specialists in online initiatives, interactive media, digital communication and issues monitoring.

Location

Institut des Hautes Etudes en Communications Sociales (IHECS), La Haute Ecole Galilée, Brussels, Belgium

Presentations/Call for Papers and Publication

Researchers who would like to present empirical findings, theoretical insights or case studies should send an abstract (2 pages) which contains author(s) and affiliation, title, theoretical/empirical principles, main findings, and implications for further research via e-mail to the organizers no later than Monday, January 7, 2007 (philip.young@sunderland.ac.uk) Papers that combine public relations theory and social software or focus on an international perspective are especially welcome. The programme committee will give feedback on submitted abstracts by January 22, 2008. Presentations must not exceed 15-20 minutes and may incorporate PowerPoint charts or online demos.

Programme committee

Philip Young, University of Sunderland, Great Britain; Ansgar Zerfass, University of Leipzig, Germany; Axel Gryspeerdt, Université Catholique de Louvain, Belgium; Pierre de Villers, IHECS, Haute Ecole Galilée, Belgium; Liz Bridgen, Leicester De Montfort University, Great Britain; Anne-Marie Cotton, EUPRERA Secretary General, Belgium