Crisis Communication in the Digital Age - Call for Symposium Papers

International Communication Days is organized by Üsküdar University Faculty of Communication annually with a different theme each year. The main title of this year’s international symposium is “Crisis Communication in the Digital Age”. The symposium will be held on 26-27-28 May 2021 via zoom / webinar with the participation of renowned keynote speakers at the national and at the international level. Simultaneous Turkish-English interpretation will be provided during the keynote speeches.

Our world has been struggling with an unprecedented global pandemic for the past year. The rapid spread of the pandemic all over the world suddenly confronted all humanity with a serious crisis situation in all dimensions of life. While the importance of communication is deeply felt in the management of the crisis that brought life to a standstill, we are also witnessing how digital communication technologies are effectively included in the process. The transfer of social relations, business life, education, cultural and artistic activities to online environments through digital technologies in a period when social spaces are restricted, people are confined to their homes and shelter in their private living spaces, shows that the world is on the brink of a digital revolution. Therefore, this current crisis requires reconsidering the power of communication in the context of digitalization from different dimensions.

The 8th International Communication Days / Crisis Communication in the Digital Age Symposium aims to discuss various aspects of crisis communication in the context of digital communication technologies, focusing on the Covid-19 outbreak. The views and thoughts to be put forward in the symposium will be shared with the relevant academic and social circles and efforts will be made to turn these contributions into practice.

The 8th International Communication Days / Crisis Communication in the Digital Age Symposium will last for three days. Professor Paul Argenti (Darthmouth University), known for his work on crisis communication and management, Professor Simon Cottle (Cardiff University), known for his studies in crisis communication and crisis media, Professor Ümit Atabek (Yaşar University), known for his studies on communication governance and strategy, and Associate Professor Gregory Simons (Uppsala University), who has many books and articles in the field of media are among the keynote speakers of the symposium. Also, Liz Yeomans, PhD (Leeds Beckett University), known for her research on emotional labour and empathy in public relations and Fügen Toksü (Turkish Public Relations Association - TUHID), known for both her professional work in the public relations sector and her contributions to the academic field will be among the keynote speakers of the symposium. 

Crisis Communication in the Digital Age Symposium is an international peer-reviewed scientific event. At the symposium, oral presentations are welcome. The scientific committee of the symposium includes esteemed academics from home and abroad.

Topics may include but are not limited to:

· Digitalization and crisis communication

· Health communication

· Crisis communication and management during Covid-19

· Crisis communication and management in the time of natural disasters

· Crisis communication, management and social media

· Crisis communication, management and public relations

· Crisis communication, management and advertising

· The role of visual communication in crisis communication and management

· The role of art and design in crisis communication and management

· Crisis communication, management and television

· Crisis communication, management and cinema

· Online communications education during pandemics

· Shopping and digital marketing during the Covid-19 outbreak

· Institutional and organizational communication during crises

· Media and crisis journalism

· Media industry during the Covid-19 outbreak

Submitted abstracts will be peer reviewed by the referees of scientific committee and the accepted papers will be published in the abstract booklet. Full papers will be included in the symposium proceedings book to be published online. The maximum acceptable length of an abstract is 250 words and full paper submissions cannot be more than 7500 words. The paper submission rules of Etkileşim, Üsküdar University Faculty of Communication Academic Journal should be taken into consideration.

Abstracts presentations should be sent to the organization committee before 01 March 2021. All submissions must be made online via the symposium website. Accepted papers will be announced by 2 April 2021.

We look forward to your papers. Thanks in advance for your contributions.

Keynote Speakers

Professor Paul A. Argenti Crisis Communications in the Pandemic and Digital Age

Professor Simon Cottle Media Coverage of Pandemics

Professor Umit Atabek Communication in the Age of Crises: Are New Communication Technologies Effective?

Associate Professor Gregory Simons Digital Resistance to the Official Coronavirus Lockdown Narrative Seen Through the Crisis Communication Lens

Dr Liz Yeomans Internal Crisis Communication and Emotion: A Sense-Making Approach

Fügen Toksü Leadership and Crisis Management in the Covid-19 Era