Global Communication Research Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University

The School of Media and Design, Shanghai Jiao Tong University

The Department of Communication, Purdue University, USA

The 2008 Global Communication Forum accepts abstracts, papers, paper, information technology demonstration and poster proposals focusing on issues related to “New media and social reform”.

This year's theme takes a comprehensive look at the multiple dimensions of technology supported social reform. Contributions can address issues that emerge at the intersection of information technology and social reform, including but not necessarily limited by topics such as:

1. e-governance, transparency, and political reform
2. boosting civil society activities through information technologies
3. global idea, content, and know-how exchanges
4. global communities of social change
5. organizational “re/engineering” and technological “imperatives”
6. social change non-profit organizations and communication technologies

Contributions focusing on innovative applications of technologies rooted in theoretical frameworks are particularly welcome. Contributions can also address broader topics, especially those that help our understanding of the possible impact of information technologies on local and national institutional reform, such as:

1. low social tension reform programs
2. health and education campaigns
3. conflict resolution and peace making/keeping
4. interethnic and interconfessional tension reduction
5. social reconstruction after civil conflicts, etc.

The forum has two tracks, one for academic/theoretical contributions and one for practictioner/business/governance applications. A distinguished panel of academics and practitioners, including Patrice Buzzanell, the acting president of the International Communication Association, will participate at the conference.

The 2008 GC Forum will be co-sponsored by the Global Communication Research Institute, SJTU, the School of Media and Design, SJTU, the Department of Communication, Purdue University and the International Communication Association (ICA). Professor Pamela J. Shoemaker, Syracuse University, USA will be the forum chairperson.

April 15 for papers, abstracts, and proposals

May 15 accepted full papers

All papers should be submitted as an email attachment (Pdf, html, MS Word, rtf, or txt) to gcforum@163.com.

All abstracts and proposals should be submitted in English. Final papers can be submitted in any language of international circulation (Chinese, French, Spanish, Arabic, Russian). The conference proceedings will be conducted in English and Chinese.

Will be published by Shanghai Jiao Tong University after the Forum.

The first “Global Communication Forum” (2007 GC Forum, Shanghai) was successfully launched in April 2007 in Shanghai, China. Focused on the theme “New Media Education and Research: in the Time of Globalization”, speakers from U.S., Japan, UK, Singapore, Korea, China Taiwan , Hong Kong and mainland contributed presentations after the opening remarks by the forum chair, Professor Maxwell McCombs. Over 250 scholars, professions and students attended this event.

The Global Communication Research Institute of Shanghai Jiao Tong University has announced that the GC Forum will become an annual event. The 2008 GC Forum will be co-sponsored by the Global Communication Research Institute, SJTU, the School of Media and Design, SJTU, the Department of Communication, Purdue University and the International Communication Association (ICA). Professor Pamela J. Shoemaker from Syracuse University, USA will be the forum chairperson.

Shanghai Jiao Tong is one of the oldest universities in China. It enrolls 36,000 students, half of which are graduate. The University, through its century-long history, has nurtured large numbers of outstanding figures and made significant contributions to the thriving and prosperity of the nation and the development of science and technology. Its famous alumni include JIANG Zemin, LU Dingyi, DING Guangen, WANG Daohan, QIAN Xuesen, WU Wenjun, ZOU Taofen, MAO Yisheng, CAI Er, HUANG Yanpei, SHAO Lizi, WANG An and so on. More than 200 of China's Academy of Sciences and Academy of Engineering members are Jiao Tong University alumni.

SJTU is one of the Chinese universities that has embraced a large array of management reforms. A number of its disciplines have been advancing towards the world's first-class level, such as communication and electronic systems, naval architecture and ocean engineering, automatic control, composite materials, and metal plasticity processing. Today SJTU boasts 20 academic schools in fields such as Engineering, Management , International and Public Affairs, Foreign Languages, Life Sciences, Law, or Media.

SJTU has established collaborations with over 100 world universities and colleges as well as with many research institutions, corporations and enterprises in China and abroad. SJTU has invited more than 100 famous scientists and specialists as honorable professors or consulting professors, including the Nobel prize winners and physicists Yang Zhenning, Li Zhengdao and Ding Zaozhong. SJTU is the nodal point of “China Education Science and Research Networks” in east China region, and through computer networks, SJTU has faster and closer connection with universities, scientific research institutions and corporations both at home and abroad.

A brief video introduction (click the plus sign):

A more complete introduction to The Department of Communication Web Page, with details about its undergraduate and graduate programs.

Dr. Yao Junxi, Assistant Dean of the School of media and Design, Shanghai Jiaotong University,

800 Dongchuan Road, Min Hang,

Shanghai, PRC,200240

Tel: (86)21-34205808 Fax(86)21-34205809

jxyao@sjtu.edu.cn

Dr. Sorin Adam Matei, Associate Professor,

Communication Department, Purdue University,

West Lafayette, Indiana. 47907 USA

Tel (765) 494-3000 Fax (765) 496-1394

smatei@purdue.edu

Forum website http://global.unipaedia.net