The Union for Democratic Communications has issued a call for papers for its 2012 international conference on “Climates of Change: Democracy Movements, Media and Global Environments.” The deadline for submission of abstracts is Jan. 15, 2012.

Hosted by The Florida State University’s School of Communication, the conference will be held May 10-12 at the Turnbull Conference Center and will address the intersection of new technology, economic inequality and global environmental instability.

“This is an academically rich conference, drawing top scholars in the field of critical media studies as well as activists, documentarians, journalists, media producers, policy analysts and others working toward the development of a democratic media system,” said Dr. Jennifer Proffitt, an associate professor of Communication and chair of the conference coordinating committee.

THE UDC (http://www.democraticcommunications.org/) is dedicated to critical study of the communications establishment; production and distribution of democratically controlled and produced media; fostering alternative, oppositional, independent and experimental production; and development of democratic communications systems locally, regionally and internationally.

Examples of potential paper topics include how social media tools are being used to liberate and/or enclose democratic participation; what forces are structuring contemporary debate about global climate change, how those debates shape policy, and the resulting cultural and economic impacts; what media and communication tools and strategies are social movements using to confront and counter obstruction, disinformation and denial; and how mainstream media’s news frames are challenged and reconfigured by new media news sources such as blogs, tweets, podcasts and citizen journalism.

Although the final deadline for abstracts is Jan. 15, 2012, earlier submissions will be reviewed as they arrive. In addition to Dr. Proffitt, other members of the conference coordinating committee are Dr. Steve McDowell, director of the School of Communication; Dr. Andy Opel, director of the School’s Media Production program; Dr. Jeanette Castillo, an assistant professor, and doctoral student Shea Smock.

“Hosting the Union for Democratic Communications conference is a wonderful opportunity to increase the visibility of the School of Communication, our faculty and our students, and to showcase our strong critical/cultural research focus as well as our dedication to social, political and economical justice,” Dr. Proffitt said.

For more information, go to the conference website at http://udc2012.wordpress.com/ or email UDC2012@gmail.com.