Calls & Grants

For Digital Intimacies 11, we invoke Alan Turing’s seminal question: “Can machines think?” — but with a crucial reimagining for our era: “Can machines love? Or, how can machines love?” Just as Turing proposed his famous imitation game to test machine intelligence, we now face intimate interactions where the boundaries between human and machines blur. When we can no longer distinguish between human and machine-generated affection, what becomes of intimacy itself? We invite submissions across disciplines to engage with, question, appreciate, and evaluate the manifold manifestations of machines in intimate spheres: machines that we love, machines that we use for love, machines that can or cannot love, machines that serve as signs of love, and more. We welcome papers exploring topics including, but not limited to: • Cultural politics of human-machine intimacy and synthetic intimacy • Resistance to and non-use of AI-mediated relationship technologies • Dark sides of algorithmic intimacy and automated desire • Media and cinematic representations of AI romance or “artificial lover” • Modern “imitation games” where machines pass as human in intimate contexts • Methodological considerations in researching human-machine intimacies • Evolution and critique of matching algorithms in digital courtship • AR/VR and intimacies • Broader practices and phenomena of digital intimacies

Interculture Journal is looking for contributions in German, English or French for issue 02/2026 on the topic of "Photography and (Post-)Coloniality: Visual Representations of Colonial Encounters in Intercultural Perspective". This special issue explores the role of photography as a central medium of (post-)coloniality and welcomes contributions examining visual representations of colonial encounters from an intercultural perspective. Contributions may examine both historical and contemporary photographic practices to locate the medium of photography in (post)colonial and intercultural discourse. The bracketed prefix “(post-)” indicates that the colonial as an ongoing historical power structure is not always obvious, but is always present and must be deconstructed to achieve the decolonization of society and culture. This thematic issue explores the intersection of photography, (post)coloniality and interculturality offering a research perspective that has not yet been adequately examined and aligning with current German and international discussions about the insufficiently addressed cultural “legacy” of colonialism.

This conference will explore the dynamic and transformative impact of digital technologies on media, journalism, and communication in the modern era. We warmly invite scholars, professionals, researchers, and thought leaders from around the world to submit papers that address cutting-edge research, theoretical insights, and real-world applications in the field of digital media and communication. We welcome submissions that address (but are not limited to) the following core themes: - Artificial Intelligence in Media and Communication - The Flow of Information in the Digital Age - Audience Research and Targeting - Print or Online? Media Transformation and Hybrid Models - New Journalism in the Digital Era - Open Section: Digital Science and Communication

Our objective is to conduct a collective inventorisation of both well-established and emerging concepts and keywords that researchers identify as interesting for the study of how the internet has been historically imagined. Extending work done through Matter of Imagination—a newsletter, blog, and open-format working group based in Berlin and Groningen—the Collaborative Glossary invites researchers to think with and through the keywords that one can use to study the meaning-making that surrounds the internet. We invite proposals from established and early-career scholars working in STS, Media and Communication Studies, Web History, and related fields. Contributions may be grounded in empirical work, theoretical frameworks, or methodological reflections, and may come from any disciplinary or regional perspective. The Glossary will be published by the Institute of Network Cultures, supported by European Association for the Study of Science and Technology, and will be a digital Open Access digital publication (a zine with ISBN), licensed via Creative Commons and distributed non-commercially. We take inspiration from experimental and creative works like Keywords of the Datafied State, A New AI Lexicon, The Glossary of Decentralised Technosocial Systems, Keywords for Studying Media, Culture & Information: An Index, Critical Data Studies Collaborative Glossary. We envision the Glossary to be both used as a compact and mobile artifact that via circulation could enhance cross-dissemination of the ongoing work on these topics between different countries, research schools and collectives. It also could be used as a prompt for teaching and classroom discussion.

La convocatoria para el volumen 21, n.º 2 (dic. 2025) de la revista Texto Digital pretende reunir trabajos de investigadores, estudiantes, creadores y personas interesadas en Brasil y América Latina que analicen la literatura digital producida en la región. Esperamos recibir trabajos que traten las especificidades de la producción, la circulación, la lectura, la crítica, la preservación y la enseñanza de la literatura digital en Brasil y en países latinoamericanos, además de otros temas relacionados.

Do you study the past? Perhaps you even do historical research and know the difference between the Internet and the Web, and even how to historically and technically explain them? Chances are this Call for Articles may be of interest to you... Are you conducting groundbreaking research in the field of Internet or web history? Do you spend hours immersed in the archives of the web? You didn't dare but would like to propose an article for a first publication... Would you like to share methodological and critical issues that demonstrate a promising work in progress? Do you want to discuss your project with advanced researchers who will be ready to help you develop your paper and support you in this first experience with friendliness and rigor? This Call is definitely for you! This call for papers is addressed to early career researchers whose research focuses on the history of the internet and/or the web, and histories of digital cultures — or any historical topic within the scope of the Internet Histories journal. We invite any interested early career researchers (masters students, doctoral students, and post-doctoral researchers) to send us an original article, between 6,000 and 8,000 words, by 1 October 2025. If the scholar has a PhD degree this must not have been awarded more than three years prior to the time of submission, exclusive of any leaves (parental, medial, etc.). Co-authored submissions will be accepted if all authors are early career researchers. In this case, the award will be evenly split between all authors. The journal embraces empirical as well as theoretical and methodological studies within the field of the history of the internet broadly conceived — from early computer networks, Usenet and Bulletin Board Systems, to everyday uses of the Internet with the web, through to the emergence of new forms of the internet with mobile phones and tablet computers, social media, and the Internet of Things. The journal is the premier outlet for cutting-edge research in the closely related area of histories of digital cultures. All selected articles will be published in a special issue of the journal Internet Histories in the second half of 2026 and also automatically be nominated for the “Internet Histories Early Career Researcher” Award, which carries a prize of 500 euros. In addition to the prize the winner will be asked to give a brief talk about the article (online or onsite). The winning article will be made free to access for one year.

The ReDICo project is pleased to announce an open call for submissions for the book series Studies in Digital Interculturality. This peer-reviewed series explores the diverse dimensions of intercultural practices and discourses within digital spaces, as well as their influence upon issues such as identities, group social cohesion and cultural change. In the series, we aim to publish thematically relevant monographs, edited volumes, dissertations and other contributions of the highest quality. A possibility also exists to publish all books as open access by the transcript Publishing House, in cooperation with the international de Gruyter Publishing House. To read the full call for submissions please see the link below.

This volume explores the largely untapped field of Rural Media Studies, focusing on the impact of digitalization beyond metropolitan centers. We aim to compile the final manuscript by *December 15, 2025*. Scope and Objectives The volume will examine the processes of digitalization and their unique influences in rural contexts, addressing the need for scholarship that moves beyond urban-focused research. Digitalization—the integration of digital technology across sectors of government, business, and society—is often examined through an urban lens, leaving the media landscapes of rural areas underexplored. This volume seeks to address this gap by establishing a *"rural turn"* within Media Studies. This shift is essential to avoid knowledge gaps and enhance decision-making across social, political, and environmental domains. Recognizing that transitioning to climate-neutral societies requires a robust understanding of media practices within rural populations, this volume encourages scholarship that moves beyond traditional urban-centric frameworks.

The special issue aims to bring together innovative, thought-provoking contributions, from different fields, national and regional contexts, exploring a range of topics, including: • Gender and visual political communication • African political communication and visuals • Disinformation, misinformation, and visual political communication • The use/abuse of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Visual Political Communication in Africa’s Digital Sphere. • Audience research on visual political communication, and digital spaces • Methodological considerations in researching visuals • Theoretical and conceptual concepts of studying Visual Political Communication in Africa/ African Visual Political Communication • Decoloniality and Visual Political Communication in Africa’s Digital Sphere. • Ethical issues in Visual Political Communication in Africa’s • Citizenship, activism, social movements, and visual political communication • Satire/humour, and the use of visuals in political communication • Political campaigns, electoral campaigns and the use of Visual Political Communication

Sección 7 – Perspectivas decoloniales en la enseñanza de dinámicas culturales hispanoamericanas: cruzando umbrales hacia la pluralidad y la post-digitalidad. Formatos para las presentaciones (una propuesta por persona): 1: Ponencia interactiva de unos 45min (30min con 10min de discusión) 2: Taller práctico (90min) Lengua: español o alemán Es crucial que en las escuelas como lugares de socialización y formación, la enseñanza crítica y decolonial sea parte del currículo. No solo en los materiales que se utilizan sino también en la práctica docente. Es notable que haya estudiantes que llegan a su formación universitaria sin haber reflexionado sobre continuidades poscoloniales. Este hecho puede ser un indicador de la ausencia en la sociedad en general de perspectivas críticas sobre estas continuidades, o de un inadecuado tratamiento de éstas en el sistema escolar en particular. El presente panel propone crear un espacio de reflexión sobre cómo incorporar e implementar perspectivas críticas de lo poscolonial en la enseñanza de dinámicas culturales en Hispanoamérica y España, en consideración de todos los ámbitos involucrados en este proceso. Esto es considerar, junto a la enseñanza del idioma español, las transformaciones sociales de los contextos de sus hablantes y cómo éstas son abordadas y/o representadas por miembros de las respectivas comunidades. También significa considerar el contexto de aprendizaje, vale decir la escuela o centros de formación adulta, puesto que las condiciones de la poscolonialidad generan realidades también en el interior de las instituciones educacionales y se manifiestan, entre otras cosas, en los programas de enseñanza. Esta propuesta se enmarca entonces en la necesidad de cruzar umbrales epistemológicos y metodológicos para fomentar una comprensión crítica, diversa y plural que cuestione los imaginarios dominantes (Castoriadis, 2005) y dé voz a narrativas subalternas, propiciando así polifonías decoloniales. Considerando las experiencias de personas que trabajan en los distintos contextos de enseñanza, el panel busca discutir sobre perspectivas y herramientas de implementación para el fomento de una educación crítica y representativa de la pluralidad de los contextos en los que se habla la lengua. De esta manera se busca también contribuir a la necesaria transformación de currículos e inclusión de nuevas metodologías y prácticas. Se propone un abordaje interdisciplinario, que combine los aportes de la teoría poscolonial (Coronil, 2000 / Hall 2013) e interseccional (Lugones, 2008 / Mignolo, 2005 / Spivak, 2017), con un enfoque que reconoce la “mediatización profunda” (Hepp, 2020) y la continuidad entre los mundos “en línea” y “fuera de línea”, es decir, post-digitales (Knox, 2019). En este contexto es que las nuevas tecnologías y los medios pueden servir para explorar nuevas formas de enseñanza con materiales innovadores para los estudios del español, las dinámicas culturales de sus hablantes y la representación y mediatización de éstas. La interdisciplinariedad puede manifestarse también en los acercamientos metodológicos. Se invita a reflexionar sobre cómo las herramientas digitales y las plataformas de redes sociales pueden ser utilizadas para crear espacios de diálogo intercultural (López García, 2024) y de construcción colectiva de conocimiento. Se destaca la utilización del cine y otros medios audiovisuales (Troncoso Salazar, 2021) como vehículos para explorar imaginarios sobre el sur global, la diversidad de voces subalternas y su mediatización. El análisis crítico de producciones cinematográficas y series televisivas pueden reflejar realidades sociales y procesos culturales, entregando imágenes de mayor resolución, vale decir, más complejas, de las comunidades de la lengua estudiada. El panel busca entonces explorar experiencias pedagógicas que reflexionen sobre los siguientes posibles tópicos, sin limitarse a ellos: 1) Metodologías en la enseñanza del español y de estudios culturales sobre Hispanoamérica y España que incorporen una perspectiva crítica poscolonial. 2) Utilización de medios audiovisuales y digitales para explorar imaginarios emergentes subalternos. 3) Análisis crítico de sitios de redes sociales y plataformas digitales como espacios de producción cultural. 4) Desafíos y oportunidades de la post-digitalidad en la enseñanza de lenguas y culturas.