"Mending the Gaps: Re-Thinking Media Theory and Practice"

Academics and Non-Academics

Keynote speaker: Dr John Postill Senior Lecturer in Media, Sheffield Hallam University

Film Screening: Tony Dowmunt, Lecturer in Communications, Goldsmiths College, University of London

Generating great enthusiasm and popularity amongst its delegates and audience, the 2007 ‘Minding the Gap’ symposium held at the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism has raised awareness of the need for a greater conceptual unity of media theory and practice. The symposium brought together media theorists-and-practitioners in a challenging exploration of the many gaps that are constantly experienced between media theory and practice. By doing so, it prompted a plethora of questions, on the different ways in which these gaps can be ‘mended’.

‘Mending the Gaps: Re-thinking Media theory and Practice 2008’ proposes to create a space and time to further develop these discussions with the specific goal of finding ways to blend media theory and practice, and to formulate new, more nuanced, approaches to the debate. In the academic and media ‘world’, practice and theory can be thought and experienced in many overlapping ways. Thus, developing academic thinking is a practice, practical skills a form of knowledge, media practice research a way to perform academic requirements, practitioners’ theoretical turn an intellectual quest, and both production and consumption can be perceived as a form of practice: all through reflection contribute to the praxis of knowledge.

‘Mending the Gaps: Re-thinking Media theory and Practice 2008’ proposes to assemble the insights, analysis and ideas of postgraduate students, early career researchers and media practitioners, whose work brings media theory and practice together. The event will focus on perspectives dealing exclusively with factual, non- fictional media. Participants are asked to take into consideration how theoretical ideas can be of use for media practitioners and/or vice versa; how media practices aid theoretical understandings.

More information about the call for papers

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The Organising Committee
Veronica Barassi, Goldsmiths College
Melissa Pignatelli, SOAS
Line Thomsen, University of Aarhus