CONFERENCE CALL FOR PAPERS

Intercultural Communication Division

Godfried Asante, Ph.D.

Vice Chair and 2025 Conference Program Planner

Intercultural Communication Division

Associate Professor

Communication Studies Program

School of Communication  

San Diego State University

Email: gasante@sdsu.edu

The Intercultural Communication (ICC) Division welcomes research works that apply, extend or develop theory, method and analysis through an examination of how communication interacts with cultures within local, national, international and transnational contexts. ICC is dedicated to hosting interdisciplinary research at the intersections of culture, identities, histories, and geopolitical contexts. The Division works to advocate for and represent works of scholars from across the world and particularly encourages engagement with non-Western perspectives and from underrepresented communities and regions of the world.

In today’s rapidly evolving global landscape, intercultural communication research stands at a crossroads. On one hand, the field is witnessing unprecedented shifts driven by technological advancements, global migration, wars, social movements, and the redefinition of physical and cultural boundaries. These disruptions call for fresh perspectives and innovative methodologies that challenge traditional frameworks. On the other hand, the need to consolidate and refine existing knowledge remains critical, ensuring that foundational insights are not lost amidst the quest for novelty.

The ICC Division thus invites interdisciplinary papers that engage with a variety of questions on: how to communicate interculturally in order to help grow and sustain cultural diversity; how to engage in intercultural discussions that resist forces of homogenization; what theories would help identify ways to protect the diversity of communication with and emanating from national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities, and those based on other attributes, as well as indigenous peoples; etc. We welcome submissions that register how intercultural communication as a discipline is grappling with a wide variety of issues pertaining to cultural diversity. Both theoretical and empirical approaches are welcome.

We also welcome works that engage with the 2025 ICA Conference theme, Disrupting and Consolidating Communication Research. The ICC Division has close alignment with this conference theme because intercultural communication research has evolved to include critical questions that challenge normative understandings of culture and communication. As the mediums of communication change and adapt, we need to continue to ask ourselves if our research is helping us answer the critical questions relevant to our contemporary precarious world. How does our research broaden our understanding of cultural diversity while keeping communication and social justice at its core? What role does theory and praxis play in advancing responsible intercultural communication scholarship? The ICC Division thus encourages submissions that engage at the intersection of the conference theme, the idea of cultural diversity, and the core problematics of intercultural communication.

Submission Formats

All submissions MUST follow the APA 7^th edition style of formatting and citations.

•       Research Papers: These types of submissions should present complete papers on previously unpublished work on a topic of clear interest to members of the Division. Papers should not exceed 8000 words, including references (not counting tables). All submissions must provide a title, a 150-word abstract summarizing the topic and scholarly significance of the paper, and two or three keywords that identify the thematic focus of the work. All information identifying the author(s), including name(s), institutional affiliation(s), etc. must be removed. Student papers should be clearly marked as such on the title page. Submissions should indicate if the paper may be included on the Division’s interactive paper (poster) sessions for the 2025 conference (details below). All information identifying the author(s), including name(s), institutional affiliation(s), etc. must be removed. Student papers should be clearly marked as such on the title page.

•       Paper Panels: These proposals should include up to four papers organized around a coherent theme that will be of clear interest to members of the Division. If submitters wish to include a Discussant for the panel, proposals should name the same person to serve as Chair and/or Discussant. Panels that bring together participants from various universities as well as from across geographical regions will be preferred. These submissions require a 400-word rationale and a 75-word description (for the conference program) summarizing the topic and scholarly significance of the session, two or three keywords that identify the thematic focus of the session, and suggested divisional and interest group co-sponsors. Proposals should include names and institutional affiliations for each participant as well as a title and 150-word abstract for each paper to be featured in the session.

•       Extended Abstracts: These types of submissions should present extended abstracts on previously unpublished work on a topic of clear interest to members of the Division. The abstract would typically include information about the purpose, novelty or knowledge gap being addressed, results, conclusions and implications of the work conducted. Abstracts should have a minimum word count of 2500 words and should not exceed 3000 words, excluding references and tables. The Extended Abstract must provide a title, a 150-word abstract summarizing the topic and scholarly significance of the paper, and two or three keywords that identify the thematic focus of the work. All information identifying the author(s), including name(s), institutional affiliation(s), etc. must be removed. Student papers should be clearly marked as such on the title page. Submissions should indicate if the paper may be included on the Division’s media/poster sessions for the 2025 conference (details below). If accepted, the final full paper, based on the prompt for the Research Paper submissions above, must be turned in by Wednesday, February 12, 2025, @ 12:00 Noon EST (ICA Headquarters time) to gasante@sdsu.edu. Submissions will be considered complete only with the final full paper submission.

•       Interactive Paper (Poster) Session: All research papers and panel proposals submitted to the Division should indicate whether submitters are willing to have their papers included in the Division’s media/poster session for the 2025 conference. Submitters are strongly urged to propose papers that are particularly well suited to the visual/interactive format of the media/poster session and will present their work making the best use of these formats.

Exclusive Submission

The papers or panel proposals submitted to ICC may not be submitted to any other ICA Division or Interest Group. Submitters can submit one paper, extended abstract or panel proposal, as the first author and up to three different papers, extended abstracts and/or panel proposals as an author not in the first position in collaborative works to ICC. Please note that the paper, at the time of submission, should not have been published in the public domain (e.g. in a journal or edited collection).

Deadlines

All submissions are due online on Friday, November 1, 2024 @ 12:00 Noon EST (ICA Headquarters time). This deadline is strictly enforced. To reach the conference website, go to the ICA home page at http://www.icahdq.org and follow the link for 2025 Conference Submission section, which includes the general guidelines and instructions. It is essential that you read those guidelines and instructions carefully and prepare your submission prior to logging on to prevent being timed-out or related glitches. To avoid technical problems, early submission is strongly encouraged. Acceptance/rejection notices will be sent directly by ICA to submitters by mid-January 2025.

Awards for Top Papers, Poster, Travel

Based on submission ranks as yielded through the review process, ICC will confer “top paper” awards for the two highest ranked papers for faculty as well as students. A separate award will be given to the top poster presenter. The Division will also offer student travel awards based on ranking, financial need and geographic location. In order to be considered for any award, the recipient must be a member of the ICC Division. Students and early career scholars are specially encouraged to apply. Once you receive acceptance notification in January, write directly to the Division Chair, Sudeshna Roy at sudeshna.roy@marquette.edu, a short explanation (max. 400 words) describing the circumstances you are facing with regard to fulfilling the financial aspect of conference travel. More details on how to apply for these awards will be sent to all members once the decisions on papers/panels have been released by ICA.

Contact Us

If you have any questions about the ICA 2025 ICC submission process, please contact program planner Godfried Asante at gasante@sdsu.edu