Call for Papers – Special issue of Russian Journal of Communication on
“Changing Media Landscapes in Russia”
Until recently, Russia was regarded as a relatively closed regime that pursued a rather open internet policy (e.g. Oates, 2007; Toepfl, 2012, 2014). The Russian media has been called a two-tier, dichotomous media system “where some outlets, notably national TV, [were] very tightly controlled, while others, including the Internet, [were] allowed a substantial degree of freedom” (Dunn, 2014, p. 1425). However, the 2011 legislation and the amendments implemented in 2015 to 2017 signal a tightening of the regulations of the online sphere. The upcoming 2018 Russian Presidential elections might result in further pressure on various media outlets, platforms etc. At the same time, the control and co-optation of the media in Russia is not as uniform as it might seem (Bodrunova and Litvinenko, 2013, 2015). For instance, there are manifestations of alternative voices even in the state controlled traditional media such as TV (Hutchings and Tolz, 2015). There is therefore a need for a more nuanced understanding of media systems in Russia. Instead of treating the Russian media-scape as a uniform, homogenous, and tightly controlled space, this special issue aims at offering an up-to-date account of diverse journalist practices, regional differences, and converging media sub-systems in Russia.
In particular, in this special issue we’ll look at the changing nature of Russian media landscape through the following lenses – however, the list is not exhaustive and other topics are very welcome:
- The operational environment for media and journalists (regulation, ethics, pressures from outside the media field);
- Regional differences;
- New publication formats;
- Converging media cultures and challenges for journalism;
- Consumption patterns and market choices;
- Digitization and participatory audience cultures;
- Media manipulation, ‘cyber-hacking’ and media trust;
- Social media and protest.
We welcome contributions from diverse fields of study and methodologies.
Key dates
The deadline for abstracts is 22nd January, 2018 (300-500 words, please indicate the central questions, methodology, and theoretical framework). Submissions are to be sent to Dr. Katja Lehtisaari and Dr. Galina Miazhevich, katja.lehtisaari@helsinki.fi and MiazhevichG@cardiff.ac.uk
Authors will be notified of the decision by February 1, 2018
The deadline for completed articles will be 30th April, 2018, (max. 7,000 words; submission on ScholarOne and followed by a double-blind peer-review process). The final decision on acceptance will be made after the peer-review process. The preliminary publication date (after peer-review) is Autumn 2018.
About the guest editors
Dr. Katja Lehtisaari (University of Helsinki, Finland), Dr. Galina Miazhevich (Cardiff University, UK) and Dr. Svetlana Bodrunova (St. Petersburg State University, Russia) are the Editors of this special issue. The special issue is connected to the work of the Russian Media Lab, a multidisciplinary research project and international network focusing on Russian media and freedom of expression. The project examines the execution of state control mechanisms, censorship, and the remaining free spaces of independent reporting. The Russian Media Lab project (2016-2018) is coordinated by Aleksanteri Institute, University of Helsinki, Finland, and funded by Helsingin Sanomat Foundation (https://blogs.helsinki.fi/russianmedialab/).