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Philosophy, Theory and Critique

Mission:

Philosophy, Theory and Critique is broadly concerned with critical thinking that cuts across the various boundaries within the study of communication and its intersections with other modes of studying human interaction.

Consequently, it provides a forum in which scholars can explore the relations and intersections between the study of media and communication and the range of contemporary theoretical and philosophical concerns, arguments and positions. It is also committed to providing a space for those emergent interests challenging the common sense assumptions currently guiding our understanding of the practice of communication.

Its members come from many areas and subfields. The philosophical questions they raise vary greatly: from the nature of language, subjectivity or experience, to the epistemology of science and interpretation, to the politics of knowledge and communicative relations. Members bring many different philosophical orientations to bear upon these questions, including phenomenology and hermeneutics, Marxism, feminism, critical theory, media theory, post-structuralism, pragmatism, social theory and cultural critique. The Division seeks exchange, education and conversation, and it encourages tending to the differences produced by these differing orientations.

The result is that the Division offers a lively forum for contemporary ideas in the study of media and communication.

Announcements:

The C. Edwin Baker Award for the Advancement of Scholarship on Media, Markets and Democracy

The Philosophy, Theory and Critique and Communication Law and Policy Divisions of the International Communication Association seek nominees for the annual C. Edwin Baker Award for the Advancement of Scholarship on Media, Markets and Democracy.

The Baker Award recognizes work that has made significant contributions to the development, reach and influence of such scholarship. While the award committee favors research that consists of multiple projects and publications that have made a clear, coherent and sustained contribution to the advancement of such scholarship over time, single works and/or activities that have been highly influential in the field may also qualify someone for nomination.

More specifically, nominees for this award will have accomplished one or more of the following:

(1) opened up new theoretical and/or methodological territory in research on any aspect of the interrelations between media, markets and democracy;

(2) made other important contributions to the advancement of scholarship on these inter-relations;

(3) engaged in activism that advanced scholarship on these inter-relations.

The award is open to ICA members and to anyone else whose research can be shown to have a connection with the work of the ICA and its various divisions.

Members of the Award Committee may nominate, but no ICA member who makes a nomination or who is nominated for an award can serve on the committee judging the nomination.

We encourage self-nominations, as well as the nomination of others.

All nominators must: (1) Submit letter(s) of nomination, not to exceed two pages each. These letter must: (a) specify the relevant body of work and/or other contributions made; (b) address the work’s and/or activity’s contributions to scholarship of media, markets and democracy (in the case of research, this will involve theoretical and methodological assessments of that work); and (c) make a case for its influence and impact on the advancement of such scholarship.

(2) Submit representative examples of the work cited, along with a CV, to the chair of the awards committee.

(3) Have all materials electronically submitted by 11:00 pm EST, September 1, 2016.

The Baker Award was established in 2010 through an endowed fund created from the estate of Professor C Edwin Baker (1947-2009), who was the Nicholas F. Gallichio Professor of Law and Communication at the University of Pennsylvania Law School, and is intended to honor the enormous contribution made by Professor Baker to communications scholarship. The Divisions gratefully acknowledge the assistance of Professor Baker’s sister Dr Nancy Baker.

Nominations should be sent to: Alison Hearn at ahearn2@uwo.ca