CALL FOR PAPERS
17th Global Communication Association Annual Conference 2025
THE DIGITAL POSTCOLONY: AI, COMMUNICATION, AND THE GLOBAL SOUTH
Al Akhawayn University, Ifrane, Morocco
28-30 May 2025

Submission Deadline: 15 December 2024
Submission Link:https://forms.office.com/r/aGA1TRYGFW  

The Global Communication Association (GCA) invites proposals for papers, panels, and workshops that speak to the conference theme, The Digital Postcolony: AI, Communication, and the Global South. We are excited to convene at Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane, Morocco, nestled in the mid-Atlas Mountains, close to historic locations of Fes and Meknes, with a distinct heritage as a colonial garden city.

 We are especially interested in proposals that address emergent and enduring issues in the political, epistemic, aesthetic, and cultural economies of digital media and communication, with a view to reconfiguring the field of study, research, and practice in response to the experience and particular challenges of the postcolonial global south (understood as a composite of historical, epistemic, cultural, and geopolitical relations shaped by colonialism, fascism, and neoliberalism).

Our premises are as follows:

1. that the digital revolution didn’t begin with nor shall end with Artificial Intelligence, hence a responsible assessment of AI and its impact on our world must track histories of communication, narrative, and technologies
2. that technologies of communication and the scientific and legal advances they corral, or are nourished by, require us to think about power and knowledge, theory and practice, in ways that are responsive to economic, social, historical, cultural, and geopolitical realities rather than as autonomous abstractions
3. that in considering the digitalization of knowledge and society, we have to understand the uniqueness of the global south including, but not limited to the unique pedagogical role media and communication practices play in these societies, so that we can understand the wider challenges and possibilities it poses for production and circulation of knowledge and ideas, and for sustainable economic activity in societies with young and growing populations
4. that the global south urgently needs an agenda around media and communication that is updated to the trends in machine learning and generative AI, which requires scholars and practitioners to come together

 Suggested topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

•  AI, digital technologies, and communication practices in the Global South
• Possibilities and propositions for crafting a policy related to AI centering the Global South
• The “digital promise” and its fulfillment in marginalized communities
• Digital literacy and local populations
• The economics, politics, and ethics of digital technologies and AI in the Global South (including the extraction of resources)
• Democratization, cultural preservation, and entrepreneurial innovation in relation to digital platforms
• Diversity, equity, inclusion, and digitalization
• The intersections of AI, communication, and sustainable development goals (SDGs)
• Challenges and opportunities in the digital transformation of the communication, media, and cultural industries
• The role of digital communication in political activism and social movements
• Innovations in AI-driven health communication
• Crisis communication and reputation management
• The future of work: AI, automation, and labor
• Economic deregulation, digital surveillance, and data privacy
• Intercultural and intercivilizational communication and the local-global divide
• Legal and cultural issues in the governance of the “global digital revolution”
• Paradigms of intellectual property and digital communication
• Media narratives of the digital postcolony, in war and in peace
• Memory, narrative, and digitalization
• Relationships between AI, communication, and the media landscape
• Digital platforms and the rise of fascism
• AI and the public-private divide
• The role of journalists, artists, filmmakers, and storytellers after AI
• Institutional and organizational strategy for digital communication
• The role and influence of social media in transformation public relations as a field
• Interpersonal, stakeholder, and interorganizational communication in issue-based campaigns
• AI communication as a platform for civic engagement and social leadership

Submission Guidelines for Proposals

• deadline 15 December 2024,
• decisions communicated by 10th January 2025,
• commitment to present and registration for presenters due by 25th January 2025
• completed proposals due by 1st April 2025

Proposals require,

• Title and abstract of 250-400 words, signaling original research or practice, method/process, and interlocution with other forms of scholarship. Final proposals include the title page, abstract, references, and appendices, and should be shared no later than 1st April 2025.
• For a poster presentation on ongoing research, title and abstract of 250-400 words.
• For full or partial panels or roundtables, a description of 500-750 words including abstracts for each component and full contact information of panelists.
• For workshops, a description of 750 words including abstract, rationale, target audience, and learning outcomes.
• All proposals should adhere to The American Psychological Association (APA) style manual. For details, visit https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/0
• The Global Communication Association at GCA utilizes the following link for submissions: https://forms.office.com/r/aGA1TRYGFW

We encourage proposals spanning individuals from different institutions.

 Registration Fee (in US $) for presenters and attendees (including 4 nights of lodging and 4 group meals, airport pick-and-drop NOT included):

Industry Professionals
Regular Registration: $375
Late Registration $400

Faculty Members
Regular Registration: $375
Late Registration: $400

Graduate Students (Moroccan)
Regular Registration: $175
Late Registration: $200

Graduate Students (International)
Regular Registration: $275
Late Registration: $300
Regular Registration

*$60, conference attendance per day without lodging

Contacts:       

• Hamdi Echkaou, Fatima Matousse, Zain Saeed (GCA Conference Steering Committee Co-Chairs)
• Prof. Zain Saeed: Z.Saeed@aui.ma
• Dr. Asma Abbas (Dean), School of Social Sciences, Arts, and Humanities, Al Akhawayn University: gca-conference2025@aui.ma
• For questions about the Global Communication Association contact Dr. Yahya R. Kamalipour yrkamal@gmail.com.

PUBLICATION:
Conference proceedings may be published at a later date in print and/or online form.

CONFERENCE LOCATION:
The conference will take place on the beautiful campus of Al Akhawayn University (AUI) in Ifrane, Morocco, from 28-30 May 2025. https://aui.ma.
Al Akhawayn University is a distinguished institution, known for its liberal arts curriculum and state-of-the-art facilities. Located in the tranquil town of Ifrane, AUI offers a unique educational environment in the heart of the Middle Atlas Mountains. The university follows an American-style educational system and is committed to fostering a global perspective among its students. Its scenic campus features modern architecture, world-class academic buildings, and a vibrant student life. AUI plays a pivotal role in shaping future leaders with a focus on intercultural understanding and sustainable development, making it an ideal setting for this global conference.

IFRANE:
Ifrane, often referred to as “Little Switzerland,” is known for its scenic beauty, distinctive European-inspired architecture, and serene environment nestled in the Middle Atlas Mountains. Visitors can enjoy the tranquil atmosphere, clean air, and a variety of outdoor activities such as hiking and skiing. For more information about the city, including top attractions, restaurants, and accommodations, visit the Tripadvisor page here: Tripadvisor - Ifrane.

TRANSPORT:
By Air: The closest major airports to Ifrane are:

• Fes-Saïss Airport (FEZ): Approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes from Ifrane by car.
• Rabat-Salé Airport (RBA): About 2 hours and 30 minutes from Ifrane.
• Mohammed V International Airport (CMN), Casablanca: 3 hours and 30 min by car.
• Airport Transfers: Private car hire and taxis are available from Fes, Rabat, and Casablanca to Ifrane. You can also use services like CTM buses or Supratours for transfers.
• By Train: From Rabat or Casablanca, take the train to Fes, and then a taxi or bus to Ifrane. For bus information, visit CTM or Supratours.

ENTRY VISA TO MOROCCO:
For information about visa requirements, please visit the following website: https://www.consulat.ma/en/visa-information. You can easily apply for a visa or an eVisa online 24/7. Applicants need to provide their identity, passport, and travel details, and pay the visa fee online through the website.

​

SEE YOU IN EXCITING MOROCCO!