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In this Section:
Vice Chair Michael Shapiro will be sending out the fall questionnaire along with a request for volunteers to chair panels, be discussants, and most importantly review papers. The fall paper competition is coming up; deadline for papers is November 1. Remember when submitting your papers to Information Systems that we have changed the requirements this year due to the APA publishing guidelines. However, these changes did not get into the printed call for papers, which says to submit your proposal/paper on disk. This is incorrect. Please submit on an IBM-compatible disk ONLY the information that you want published on the web. If you want your whole paper on the web, send it all. If you want only an abstract, send an abstract. Please remember that if you are submitting a paper we expect at least one of the authors to present it in Jerusalem. If you are definitely going to Jerusalem, please help us out by volunteering to be a chair or discussant. On another note, please continue to encourage your graduate students and colleagues to join our division. We're #1.
Annie Lang, Chair
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The Awards Committee is seeking nominations for the Outstanding Dissertation/Thesis Award on behalf of any member of the Interpersonal Communication Division who successfully defended a dissertation or thesis between January 1, 1997, and December 31, 1997. Nominations should be made by the director of the dissertation/thesis in a letter specifying why the document merits the award. Supporting materials from the nominee must include an abstract of the work and a 25Ð35 page (excluding tables and references) paper based on the document.
Deadlines for nominations and supporting materials is Feb. 1, 1998. Finalists will be selected by March 1, 1998, and may be asked at that time to submit the complete document. The winner will be announced at the business meeting in Jerusalem. If an insufficient number of submissions are received, the committee reserves the right to make no award in any given year.
Send letters, nominations, and three copies of supporting materials to Steve Wilson, Department of Communication, Northern Illinois U, Watson Hall, DeKalb, IL 60115.
Speaking of Jerusalem, the 1998 conference theme, "(Mis)Commun-icating Across Boundaries," is one that resonates with many of our members' scholarly concerns. I look forward to receiving your papers and panel proposals by the Nov. 1, 1997, deadline. Our divisionÕs liaison from the Israel Communication Association (IsCA) is Tamar Katriel of Haifa U. If you have ideas about jointly sponsored panels, feel free to contact Tamar (email: tamark@construct.haifa.ac.il) and/or myself (swilson@niu.edu). Finally, if you are attending the Jerusalem conference and are willing to serve as a panel chair or respondent, please let me know.
For the Montreal convention, Chair Jim Dillard sent abstracts of paneled proposals to all of you whose email addresses were current with ICA headquarters. I plan to continue this practice. On behalf of the division, I would like to express a big "thanks" for all of Jim's work over the past two years.
Steve Wilson, Vice Chair
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The November 1 deadline for submission of conference papers and panel proposals is approaching fastÑand along with it, the need for volunteers to serve as referees. The tradition of the Mass Communication Division has been to use many volunteer referees so that burden for each individual remains light. Thus, the division chair needs your help. You may reach him at James Ettema, Communication Studies, Northwestern U, Evanston, IL, USA 60208; phone: 847-491-7530; fax: 847-467-1036; email: J-ettema@nwu.edu.
Nominations for the Mass Communication Division's 1998 Hur Dissertation Award, honoring the memory of K. Kyoon Hur, are now being accepted by the division's vice chair, Sharon Strover.
The biennial award is intended to encourage and acknowledge the best in doctoral research and dissertation writing in mass communication. Nominations will be accepted from programs granting the PhD in any aspect of mass communication. The rules for this year's competition are as follows: (1) Dissertations completed between Nov. 1, 1995, and Nov. 1, 1997, are eligible. Completion means that the final examination (dissertation defense) has been held and passed; (2) Nominations may be made by the dissertation advisor and be accompanied by a letter from the advisor attesting to the quality of the work; (3) The following materials must be submitted with the letter of nomination: (a) one copy of the complete signed dissertation and (b) four copies of a section from, an amalgam of sections from, or a paper about the dissertation. The section or paper should provide clear insights into the dissertation's argument, method, and findings (maximum 30 pages, double-spaced); (4) All materials must be received by March 1, 1998, and are to be sent to Sharon Strover, RTF Department, CMA 6.118, U of Texas, Austin, TX 78712-1091.
The subject matter of the work is more important than the name of the department or program under whose auspices it was conducted. Most nominations come from programs in communication, speech, journalism, and broadcasting, but dissertations on mass communication topics may be submitted by other programs in the social sciences or humanities. This award competition is separate from similar programs conducted by sister academic-professional organizations (e.g., NCA and AEJMC). Nomination in another competition does not preclude submission here. However, dissertation advisors and department heads should be selective in their nominations. There are many good dissertations in the field, but nominations should be made with an eye to their competitiveness among the very best. A $300 cash prize will be presented to the winner at the 1998 ICA conference in Jerusalem.
James Ettema, Chair
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ICA members know Political Communication as the leading journal in the field with the very same name. It also belongs to the leading journals in the whole discipline of communication research. The nature of this field is interdisciplinary, particularly between the two fields of communications and political science. It thus was a great idea to publish this journal as a joint venture of the political communication divisions in ICA and the American Political Science Association (APSA). Those who read the journal regularly know what its editor, Doris Graber (U of Illinois at Chicago), has contributed over the past four years to its growth and reputation in the field. We all owe Doris many thanks for having taken over this demanding and time-consuming duty and for her efforts to do such an excellent job for the benefit of our scientific community.
The bylaws between the political communication divisions of ICA and APSA provide that the right to nominate the new editor rotates between the organizations, although it was more a formal act that Doris was nominated by APSA last time. She is so much involved in and committed to both divisions that she was a true interdisciplinary editor. However, this time it has been the privilege of the Political Communication Division within ICA to nominate her successor. The bylaws also require a vote of the membership. Lance Bennett, chair of the joint Publications Committee that oversees the journal and joint newsletter, was able to present an excellent and unanimous candidate at the Montreal conference: David Swanson of the U of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The balloting this summer yielded overwhelming support for this choice: 97.8 percent of those who returned their ballots favored David taking over as the new editor!
Thus, the Political Communication Division is proud to announce its new journal editor, who will take care of the journal's fate for the next four years. Few have contributed more than David to growth and unification of our discipline. He was present at the creation of joint APSA-ICA operations, participating in drafting bylaws, helping create the new journal, and providing guidance at key junctures along the way. His participation in important international research projects bodes well for the international visibility of "political communication," as well as for the appointment of a distinguished editorial board. His extensive memberships on editorial boards of leading journals in the communication field will translate directly to the success of his editorship. Last but not least, David led the division very successfully as its chairman during 1990-1992. The division wishes him good luck in this endeavor.
Our membership has voted on another issue related to the journal. A discussion was held at the editorial board meeting as well as at the Montreal business meeting about exploring ways of distributing the journal as an optional benefit of ICA membership. The goal here is to lower individual subscription costs, expand the number of individual subscriptions, and create links across various ICA divisions that include scholars interested in political communication. Another ballot was held on this issue and again the opinion of our membership was almost unanimous: 99 percent were in favor of such a proposal. Susan Herbst, vice chair and chair-elect of the division will start negotiations with ICA leaders to put this motion into practice.
Wolfgang Donsbach, Chair
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Instructional/Developmental Communication
For the 1998 ICA conference in Jerusalem, the Instructional and Developmental Division is interested in papers and panel proposals that deal with a variety of topics related to (1) learning and instruction in different contexts, and (2) communication processes across the lifespan.
Our division encourages papers and panels related to the conference theme, "(Mis)communicatin Across Boundaries." Howard Giles's essay in the call for papers, about the role of social groups and boundaries in the communication process, may stimulate thinking about issues relevant to our division, such as communication among different cultural and social groups in instructional settings, intergenerational communication, and the role of educational media in reducing misperceptions of others (e.g., stereotypes).
Papers or panel proposals that deal with the conference theme may be considered for special recognition in the form of an award (for papers) or plenary status (for panels). To be considered, submit three copies of the paper or panel proposal to Howard Giles in addition to those submitted to the sponsoring division. See the call for papers for further details.
Papers and panel proposals for our division should be submitted to Cynthia Hoffner, Dept. of Communication 4480, Illinois State U, Normal, IL 61790-4480. Please plan to attend!
Cynthia Hoffner, Chair
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The Health Communication Division is planning a preconference program for the Jerusalem ICA meeting in 1998. Quite a number of ideas have been suggested and a task force is forming under the leadership of Prof. Nurit Guttman of Tel Aviv University to finalize the preconference program. If you have an idea for the preconference program or want to be part of the task force planning the program, contact Prof. Nurit Guttman (email: guttman@post.tau.ac.il).
Peter Northouse, Chair
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The 1997 ICA annual convention concluded successfully on May 26. During the five-day meeting, Philosophy of Communication Division featured 14 panels, covering the full spectrum of cultural and critical theories as they relate to issues of communication and media. Needless to say, such an event would not materialize without the help of many individuals. I therefore must extend my gratitude to all the wonderful soulsÑtoo many to name individually here-who offered their time and expertise in helping compose the program.
This year the division received 103 submissions: 17 theme panel proposals and 86 papers/abstracts. Seven theme panel proposals were selected, and seven panels were organized from the pool of 86 papers/abstracts submitted. The low acceptance rate (roughly 33%) means that many worthy submissions were excluded, but I would like to think that that ensures the quality and integrity of the division, which was founded in the spirit of critical intelligence and analytic rigor.
There are several personnel changes this year. Anne Balsamo stepped down as chair after two years of excellent service. The leadership she exemplified will continue to guide our division, which has always drawn inspiration from the past for its future. By the time you read this, our new secretary will have been elected. Greg Wise assumed his position as vice chair at the end of May. He has already started planning for the meeting in Jerusalem, and he awaits your innovative suggestions. Presently, Greg and I are pursuing the possibility of cosponsoring a preconference workshop with the Popular Communication Division. We are looking for someone willing and able to participate actively in organizing this workshop. If you are interested in getting involved in this event or have recommendations regarding its planning, please contact Greg or me as soon as possible.
In closing, let me thank all the friends of the division for the support as well as the constructive criticism offered to me during the past two years. I continue to welcome communications from you.
Briankle G. Chang, Chair
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By the time you receive this newsletter, submissions will have begun to arrive for the upcoming Jerusalem conference, with Pop Comm's team of readers evaluating the submissions that have come in. As in previous years, Pop Comm will be awarding three top paper awards in Jerusalem.
As program planner, I have already received queries about potential panels and paper submissions, and a number of submissions and panel proposals have already arrived. They suggest that this year's conference promises to be an interesting one, reflecting both the conference theme and the unique location of the yearly meetings. Potential topics are wide ranging, including possible sessions on the Bible and popular culture and on geography and Middle Eastern identities. Other ideas, though still in the planning stage, are also underway, including a repeat of the successful experience over the past two years with a cross-divisional panel, a possible cosponsored preconference symposium with another division, and cosponsored sessions with the Israeli group in popular communication, headed by liaison Esther Schely-Neuman. High on the list in all plans is the accommodation of international scholars on themes of interest to this division.
As was the case last year, I want to thank the record number of paper reviewers who once more are volunteering their time and services this year. Hopefully, the larger number of readers should lighten the load for each individual reader.
On a final note, I'm happy to report that Pop Comm continues to grow. We are now a division, but it is important to keep our membership levels high, so please keep your membership current, and join Pop Comm if you haven't done so already.
Barbie Zelizer, Chair
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The Public Relations Division is calling for submission of theses and dissertations for the Outstanding Thesis and Dissertation Awards for 1996-1997. These theses and dissertations must focus on phenomena, issues, and questions relevant to the study of public relations and must have been completed and defended between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 1997. The outstanding thesis and the outstanding dissertation for this judging period will be recognized at the ICA conference this summer. The deadline for receipt of theses and dissertations is Jan. 15, 1998. Please mail five hard copies of each thesis or dissertation to arrive by that date to: Dean Kruckeberg, 260 CAC, Dept. of Communication Studies, U of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0357; email: kruckeberg@cobra.uni.edu.
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Planning for next year's convention in Jerusalem is already underway. Dale Kunkel, vice chair, will chair the Research Committee and organize the paper judging. He is drawing up a list of potential paper judges. Anyone interested should contact him at kunkel@alishaw.ucsb.edu.
Carol Mills-Atkinson, secretary and newsletter editor, is looking for items to include in the CLAP newsletter. Please send any items to her at the Dept. of Communication, Central Missouri State U, Warrensburg, MO 64093. Please check out CLAP's home page at http://library.cmsu.edu/clapica/clap.htm. The site contains information about CLAP, job announcements, columns, and important links for law and policy scholars. Send items you would like to have posted on the page to Carol.
Our membership continues to hover around 200. Susan Dente Ross, Washington State U, is chairing the Membership Committee. If you have ideas or suggestions for her, she can be contacted at Suross@mail.wsu.edu. Please encourage your students and colleagues to join.
I am very interested in hearing your ideas and suggestions about CLAP. Please feel free to contact me at John-soloski@uiowa.edu or write me at School of Journalism, U of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242.
John Soloski, Chair
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Language and Social Interaction
LSI's second preconference will be held in Jerusalem on July 20, and plans are moving along nicely. Given the conference theme, "(Mis)Com-municating Across Boundaries," our preconference theme will be "Miscommunication in Language and Social Interaction." This will be interpreted broadly to encourage participants from a variety of approaches, disciplines, and countries. Negotiations are underway to reserve space at a kibbutz near Jerusalem for a day-long session. There will be a fee to cover necessary expenses (transportation, lunch, and facilities rental), but all efforts will be made to keep the cost within reason.
The goal of the preconference is to provide an opportunity for a small group of interested participants to discuss the general topic of miscommunication in a wide variety of contexts and situations. There should be room for general theoretical comments as well as individual data presentations. Rather than duplicate the conference format of formal presentations, we want to open the preconference to as many conversations among group members as possible. One possibility is to spend part of the day discussing particular topics of common interest. If you have a topic that seems appropriate and want to be sure it is included, let the organizing committee know.
Organizing committee members are Wendy Leeds-Hurwitz (wlh@cs.uwp.edu), Stuart Sigman (sjsigman@aol.com), Shoshana Blum-Kulka (mskcusb@pluto. mscc.huji.ac.il), and Lisa Valentine (valentin@julian.uwo.ca). Contact any of them with ideas or questions if you are interested in participating, as planning is going on now.
LSI has a web page for relevant news and information. Take a look at www.csulb.edu/~acargile/icalsi/home.html. Currently the page contains lists of publications for LSI outstanding scholars, information about division officers, and a few links to other web sites. However, the page is not a static creation-it is meant to be current and useful. We could use your help in providing access to other interesting materials. If you have news, announcements, calls for papers, suggestions for links, or other information that you would like to make available to others, please email it to Aaron Castelan Cargile at acargile@csulb.edu or send it by post, care of the Dept. of Communication Studies, California State U, Long Beach, CA 90840-2407 USA.
Lastly, if you would like to serve as a paper reviewer for this year's paper and panel submissions, please contact me via email (anita@vm.temple.edu); via post (Communication Sciences, 265-62, Temple U, Philadelphia, PA 19122); or via telephone (215-204-1883). Attending the conference is not a requirement for serving as a paper reviewer. If you plan to attend the conference and would like to chair a session, please let me know.
Anita Pomerantz, Chair
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The Visual Communication Interest Group has grown to 148 members. We need to work hard to push those numbers up to gain full division status. This should not be difficult, given the number of presentations on visual topics that I have seen at recent conferences presented in divisions other than Vis Comm. Please encourage good scholars to join Vis Comm and submit papers our way.
Discussions between the Visual Communication Interest Group and the International Visual Sociology Association concerning cosponsorship of a visual communication journal have come to a dead end. Despite common research interests, the IVSA leadership decided that it would lose too much control to ICA. A number of IVSA members attended ICA in Montreal. They were impressed with our work in Vis Comm and ICA generally, and we may gain some members from our exchange.
Kevin Barnhurst (Syracuse U ), Bob Craig (U of St. Thomas) and Dona Schwartz (U of Minnesota) have continued exploring possibilities for publishing a journal.
Recently, Schwartz was told that the U of Minnesota would provide server space and an editorial assistant to produce an electronic journal. Although a print journal is obviously preferable, it may be that an electronic journal will be the only medium that is financially feasible at this time.
The Publications Committee has cautioned the group that an electronic journal is also very expensive to produce and maintain. Still, we are proceeding cautiously. Schwartz and Craig are currently reviewing ICA protocol for sponsoring such a publication. Key decisions appear to be choosing an editor and editorial board.
Any ICA member interested in commenting on the prospects for an electronic journal should contact Barnhurst, Craig, and Schwartz at rlcraig@stthomas.edu as soon as possible. Discussions on this topic will continue to be a high priority.
Steven Leuthold will be organizing the Visual Communication Interest Group program for the 1998 ICA Conference. Please submit ICA papers and panels to him at College of Visual and Performing Arts, Shaffer Arts Bldg., Syracuse U, Syracuse, NY 13244-1210. Remember that preference will be given to completed papers.
Anyone interested in serving as a paper reviewer should send an email to Leuthold as soon as possible at smleutho@mailbox.syr.edu. Please include your name, rank, institutional affiliation, and address.
R. L. Craig, Chair
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Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Studies
We are fast approaching the deadline for paper and panel proposals for the Jerusalem conference. I encourage interest group members to read Howard Giles's detailed discussion of the theme, "(Mis)Communicating Across Boundaries," and consider the real and figurative borders constructed by and through sexual difference, sexual normativeness, and sexual decolonization. Cochair John Erni and I welcome papers and panels that address the theme, along with other analyses and critiques of sexual systems, discourses, and representations. We are particularly interested in convening an international and comparative panel on the representation of sexual community and sexual politics. If you are working in such an area, or would like to suggest other communication and cultural studies scholars who are, and whom we might contact, please get in touch. We need your suggestions!
I am pleased to acknowledge Amit Kama of the Hebrew U, who has volunteered to serve as interest group liaison in Israel. Amit and I are in email contact, exchanging ideas for innovative and participatory program formats. We welcome your suggestions here as well.
Thanks to the several people who wrote to me after receiving the last ICA Newsletter to volunteer as program reviewers. If there are still others of you available, please sign up! We particularly need specialists in interpersonal communication, broadly defined, as it figures among sexually identified individuals and communities. If you are available to review proposals (no more than three papers, which you'll have about three weeks to turn around), please let me know by email at lhender@comm.umass.edu, by phone at 413/545-4759; or by mail at the Department of Communication, U Mass, Amherst, MA 01003. Please note your name, number, and address(es), your areas of expertise, and whether you are a faculty member or graduate student. Detailed guidelines will accompany any manuscripts you receive for review.
I will keep you posted on further developments (the interest group name change to include "transgender," a web site, etc.), but meanwhile wish you a terrific Fall term, with a few high spirits alongside the tight budgets.
Lisa Henderson, Cochair
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