CALL FOR PAPERS:
6TH BIENNIAL CONFERENCE ON COMMUNICATION AND ENVIRONMENT

Theme, Purpose, Possible Areas of Inquiry,

Publications, Submissions, Submission Protocols,

More Information

DATE: July 27-31, 2001
LOCATION: Cincinnati, OH (specific venue TBA)
HOST: Center for Environmental Communication Studies and Department of Communication, University of Cincinnati

CONFERENCE THEME: Communication and Public Participation in Environmental
Decision Making: Advances in Theory and Practice.

The Center for Environmental Communication Studies and the Department of
Communication at the University of Cincinnati are pleased to announce the
call for papers for the 6th Biennial Conference on Communication and
Environment.  The deadline for receipt of submissions is March 1, 2001.
Details are included below.


PURPOSE OF CONFERENCE

The purpose of this conference is to bring together environmental
communication scholars, environmental and community activists, and
environmental decision makers who are concerned with informed and empowered
public involvement in environmental matters.  Our hope is that the
conference will serve as an opportunity to establish a dialogue between
communication and other scholars interested in environmental matters, and
further the discussion of the relationship between academic research and
public policy, and between scholarly activity and public activism.

We invite papers and panel proposals that contribute to the theory and
practice of public participation in environmental decision making.    For
purposes of this conference, both "public participation" and "environmental
decision making" are broadly conceived.   "Public participation" includes a
broad range of communicative practices aimed at voicing public opinion,
influencing decision making, and/or shaping environmental policy.  Such
practices are undertaken by a variety of individuals and groups, including
elected officials, government agencies, scientific and technical "experts,"
citizens, activists, academics, social movement organizations, corporations,
public relations firms, and policy research institutes (think tanks).
"Environmental decision-making" includes deliberation over and enactment of
governmental laws and policies; development and enforcement of regulatory
actions; and a host of related activities by governmental and
non-governmental actors in personal, public, and institutional contexts.
Applied, critical, and theoretical explorations of the constraints on and
possibilities for public involvement; the strategies and tactics of public
advocacy; and the impact of public participation on environmental decision
making in local, national, or global environmental controversies are welcome.

In keeping with the tradition of the previous five Conferences on
Communication and the Environment, papers and panel proposals that are not
related to the 2001 Conference theme are also welcome.

POSSIBLE AREAS OF INQUIRY

A number of possible areas of inquiry are suggested by the Conference theme,
including, but not limited to:

  The Values, Mechanisms, and Practices of Democratic Public Participation

Papers would explore the assumptions and mechanisms of public involvement in
contemporary institutional contexts.  Points of inquiry include: critiques
of the models and mechanisms of contemporary public participation;
explorations of the assumptions and values of democratic participation;
discovery of innovative (formal and informal) mechanisms to improve public
participation in environmental decision making; strategies for effective
participation in institutional contexts; the impact of new communication
technologies on public participation.

  Social Movement Communication and Public Participation

Papers would explore social movement communication as a means of public
participation, and analyze the strategies and tactics of social movements
(organizations and activists) as they attempt to affect environmental
decision making.  Possible points of inquiry include: social movement
advocacy in institutional contexts; social movement public communication
campaigns; strategies and tactics of direct action; new forms of activism
and/as public participation.

  Public Communication Campaigns

Papers would explore public communication campaigns and their impact on
environmental decision making.  Possible points of inquiry include: public
advocacy campaigns of social movements; public health/information campaigns
of governmental and non-governmental (NGO) organizations; public relations
campaigns; corporate information/advocacy campaigns; the use of traditional
and new media and their impact on public participation and decision making.

  Academic Research and Public Activism

Papers would explore whether and how scholars studying public involvement
can contribute to more meaningful and empowered public participation in
environmental decision making.  Possible lines of inquiry include:
possibilities for collaboration between academics, activists, and decision
makers; the relationship between academic research and public policy; the
relationship between academic research and public activism; and the role of
the environmental scholar as public advocate.

CONFERENCE PUBLICATIONS

The 2001 Conference on Communication and the Environment will produce two
publications.  We are seeking a publisher for a book that will include the
top 10-14 essays that address the Conference theme.  We will also publish a
set of Conference proceedings.  We intend to pursue an on-line publication
of the Conference proceedings as well as publishing a hard-copy version.

CONFERENCE SUBMISSIONS

Four copies of papers or panel proposals should be mailed to:

Steve Depoe, Director
Center for Environmental Communication Studies
University of Cincinnati
ML # 0184
Cincinnati, OH 45221

The deadline for receipt of Conference submissions is March 1, 2001.

SUBMISSION PROTOCOLS

1.  We will accept completed papers on the Conference theme, panel proposals
on the Conference theme, completed papers not on the Conference theme, and
thematic panel proposals on a non-Conference theme. Abstracts will not be
considered for inclusion in the Conference.

2.  Anyone wishing to have their essay considered for publication in the
book must submit a completed paper by the March 1, 2001 deadline.

3.  Papers should be submitted with a cover page that includes the title of
the manuscript, the author's name and affiliation, and contact information.
A second separate page should include the title and a one paragraph abstract
of no more than 200 words.  Manuscripts should be typed and double-spaced
with notes and references on separate sheets, immediately following the
text.  Manuscripts should be no longer than 7,500 words (including text and
references).

4.  All panel proposals must include: a rationale for the panel and a
one-page abstract of each paper, along with a commitment of each participant
to attend the conference if the panel is accepted.  Any panel that involves
a respondent must include a rationale for including a respondent.

5.  Only completed papers submitted at the beginning of the conference will
be published in the conference proceedings.  Participants must submit two
hard copies, and an appropriately formatted computer diskette copy, of the
manuscript at the start of the conference.  Papers accepted for publication
in the Conference Proceedings must follow the APA style manual (4th Ed.,
1994).  We reserve the right to omit papers not conforming to final
manuscript guidelines (which authors will receive with notifications of
acceptance).

FOR MORE INFORMATION

For more information about the 2001 Conference on Communication and
Environment, contact one of the following individuals:

Steve Depoe, Conference Co-Planner
Director, Center for Environmental Communication Studies
University of Cincinnati
(513) 556-4449
depoe@uc.edu

John Delicath, Conference Co-Planner
Assistant Professor, Department of Communication
University of Cincinnati
(513) 556-4442
delicajw@email.uc.edu