New Media and New Populism
(Media Studies)
Call for Papers
New populism is often – but not always – right-wing and posited against the ideals of deliberative democracy, a framework within which the elite are portrayed as having deprived the people of their rights, reward or sovereignty. New populism is seen as opposing informed dialogue and solidarity, embracing instead a venomous, othering and polarising rhetoric powered by instrumentalization of the media, in particular television and social media. Populist parties are adept at using social media,
with ardent followers on media vastly outnumbering their formal membership. The cementing of people’s anti-establishment identity and the arousing of their awareness and action is the result of a specific strategy of political communication made possible by the media. For this conference, topics related to the following are welcome but are not limited to:
Mediatization of politics in the digital age
Media freedom and free speech
Microtargeting on social media and algorithmic rise of the alt-right
Social media users and politics
Media and populism in the USA
Media and populism in Eastern Europe
Media and populism in Africa
Media and polarisation
Journalistic ethics under pressure of populism & social media
Professional values of journalism and their relationship with populist discourse
Panel Conveners
Prof. Naresh Rao H
Section Editor of 'New Media and New Populism' in the Encyclopaedia
Prof. Naresh Rao H, Associate Professor in the Department of Media Studies, CHRIST University, India. In the last twenty-seven years of working at the institution I having been teaching at both the under-graduate and post-graduate levels. My present research interest is at the intersection of social media and political communication. I have also published papers on political branding and television credibility. I am currently finishing a chapter that traces the role of Twitter in political communication for an edited book. I am also guiding three PhD scholars in areas as broad as privacy on mobile apps, Instagram as a marketing tool and the role of editorials in reflecting the political ideology. Lastly, I have proposed a major research project titled ‘Digital Democracy in India: Promises and Challenges’ to ICSSR.
Dr Savyasaachi Jain
Section Editor of 'New Media and New Populism' in the Encyclopaedia
Dr. Savyasaachi Jain is a Senior Lecturer at the School of Journalism, Media and Culture (JOMEC) in Cardiff University, UK. He specialises in the practice of journalism and documentary in contemporary contexts, international journalism, global media systems and the influences that shape journalistic practices and standards. These research interests align closely with his experience of training journalists across Asia, the Middle East and Africa in the coverage of politics, elections, terrorism, conflict, migration, the environment and health. He also brings to his teaching extensive practitioner experience as a print and television journalist and documentary filmmaker. He has initiated and led large international media development projects and supervised more than 50 international documentary co-productions.
Confirmed Participants
Interest: Development journalism, fiction writing
Dr. Mrinal Chatterjee is a Professor & Head of Institute at Indian Institute of Mass Communication, Dhenkanal, Odisha, India. Awarded PhD in September 2007 by Berhampur University, Orissa. Title of the Thesis: Barefoot Journalists of 21st century: Journalism as a profession in Orissa. He holds Master of Arts in English and Public Administration from Utkal University and a Master in Mass Communication from Guru Jambeshwar University.
Interest: New Communication Technologies, Communication Research, Development Communication, ICT based Health Governance, and Humanities and Social Science Interface with New Media
Dr. Pradeep Nair is an Associate Professor & Head of School of Journalism, Mass Communication & New Media at Central University of Himachal Pradesh, Dharamshala, India. He earned his Ph.D. in Development Communication from University of Lucknow.
Interest: Environment, media and society
Dr. Buroshiva Dasgupta is a Professor & Director, School of Mass Communication, Arts & Design, Sister Nivedita University, Kolkata. He was awarded a PhD from Calcutta University. Dr. Buroshiva Dasgupta is both a media professional and a media educator for over four decades.
Interest: News Studies, Broadcast Media/Film and Rhetorical Analysis
Prof. Rakesh S Katarey is a Professor of Film & Rhetorical Analysis at the College of Journalism & Mass Communication, Dayananda Sagar University. He did his Masters in Communication & Journalism from College of Arts & Social Science, Osmania University.
Interest: Gender, ICTs, Media and Communication Policy and Human Rights
Dr. Padma Rani is a Professor & Director at Manipal Institute of Communication, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India. She earned Post-graduation in Sociology and Mass Communication & Journalism and Doctorate in Sociology from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.
Interest: Political Economy, Communication, Media Studies
Dr. B P Sanjay is a Professor at Manipal Institute of Communication, MAHE. Former Vice-Chancellor Central University of Tamil Nadu, Thiruvarur. He has a PhD in Communication from Simon Fraser University, British Columbia, Canada and a MS in Communication from Bangalore University.
Interest: Media Literacy, Journalism Education, Information Communication Technology and Public Sphere
Dr. K V Nagaraj is a former Professor of Mass Communication, Mizoram University, Aizawl, India. He was Head of Mass Communication Department at Assam Central University and Dean, Faculty of Arts, Mangalore University. Awarded PhD in 1982 by Mysore University, Karnataka. Title of the Thesis: History of Kannada Journalism. He also got his MA in Journalism from Mysore University.
Interest: Media philosophy, media psychology, media ecology, social media studies, environmental communication and communication rights
Dr. Meljo Thomas Karakunnel holds a PhD in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Calicut and serves as Assistant Professor at the Department of Media Studies, CHRIST (Deemed to be University), Bengaluru, India.
Interest: Bollywood, Bengali movies especially of Satyajit Ray and Rituparno Ghosh, Journalistic ethics, PR and Celebrity Brands
Dr. Suparna Naresh holds PhD in Communication from the Bangalore University and serves as Associate Professor in the Department of Media Studies, CHRIST (Deemed to be University), Bengaluru, India. She has co-authored two text-books- ‘Introduction to Mass Communication’ and ‘Media Laws & Ethics-An Appraisal’. Dr Suparna Naresh has several research articles to her credit.
Interest: Political communication, Dravidian movement, Regionalism and Social media studies.
Dr. Rajesh Aruchamy is an Assistant Professor of Media Studies, School of Arts and Humanities, CHRIST (Deemed to be University). He holds a PhD in Educational Technology from Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, India and an MA in Communication and Journalism from PSG College of Arts and Science, Coimbatore, India.
Interest: Development Communication
Dr. Ashwini Arvind Falnikar is an assistant professor with the Department of Media Studies, Christ University. She holds a Ph.D. from the National University of Singapore.
Interest: Journalism
Dr. Pradeep Thomas J. A. is an assistant professor at the Department of Media Studies, Christ University. He completed his Ph.D. from Aberdeen University, Scotland. He has attended multiple workshops and trainings both at the international and national levels, some of which were organised by Google and the British Deputy High Commission in Bengaluru.
Interest: Journalism
Dr. Ajay Kumar is an assistant professor at the Department of Media Studies, Christ University. He has a Ph.D. from the Banaras Hindu University. He has published in the Aweshkar on Developing Reflective Practitioners Incorporating Faculty Research Into Management Education Curriculum.
Interest: Community Media and Populism
Prof. Padmakumar having completed his Masters in Philosophy from Annamalai University is currently pursuing his doctorate from CHRIST (Deemed to be University). He has published in journals such as the International Journal of Research And Analytical Reviews, Artha Journal of Social Science, Journal of Dharma to name a few. He has also written for periodicals such as Deccan Herald (DH), DH-Education as well as The Hindu.