We are pleased to announce the Call for Papers for the Sixth International Conference on the Image. The Image Conference will be held 29-30 October 2015 at the University of California, Berkeley, USA. We welcome submissions from a variety of disciplines and perspectives and encourage faculty and students to jointly submit proposals, discussing the image through one of the following themes:

Conference Themes

Theme 1: The Form of the Image
Theme 2: Image Work
Theme 3: The Image in Society
2015 Special Focus: Media Materiality: Towards Critical Economies of “New” Media

2015 Special Focus

Media Materiality: Towards Critical Economies of “New” Media
When speaking about “new” media, the claim to newness draws meaning from what is supposed to be the peculiar nature of digital technologies. This narrative is mirrored in the analysis of a historical shift from an industrial age, based in the logic of mass factory production and uniform consumption, to an information age centered on the production and communication of information. In an industrial logic “material” referred primarily to a critique of a political economy of real objects, whereas “immaterial” referred to a politics of identity and culture.

The conference will address this theme through a series of cascading questions. For example, could the lens of “media materiality” be a productive way to view the flows of political economy, identity, and sexuality in the context of a critical analysis of what is “new” in the new media? How can one address the intersection, co-dependency, and interplay of media materiality and immateriality? And, as this question pertains to the Image Conference, how do we understand the production, consumption, and distribution of images in an age of “new“ compared to “old“ media? How might we frame critical economies of “new” media in relation to the legacy, rebirth, and re-imagination of “old“ media?

Proposal Submissions and Deadlines

The current review period closing date for the latest round of submissions to the Call for Papers (a title and short abstract) is 5 March 2015*. Please visit our website for more information on submitting your proposal, future deadlines, and registering for the conference.

If you are unable to attend the conference, you may still join the community and submit your article for peer review and possible publication, upload an online presentation, and enjoy subscriber access to The Image Journal.

*Proposals are reviewed in rounds adhering to monthly deadlines. Check the website often to see the current review round.

Conference Highlights

Plenary Speakers
In addition to numerous parallel presentations by researchers and practitioners, the 2015 conference will feature plenary sessions by some of the world’s leading thinkers and innovators in the field. This year’s plenary speakers include:

Wendy Hui Kyong Chun, Modern Culture and Media, History of Art and Architecture, Brown University, Providence, USA
Jesse Drew, Cinema and Technocultural Studies, University of California, Davis, USA

Current List of Accepted Proposals
Deciding on whether to attend a conference is an important decision in your academic career, and many times your peers can play an important role in helping you to take that vital step in your research progression.
To view the current list of accepted proposals to date, click here.

Accommodations
Staying at the conference hotel is a great way to meet fellow delegates and to ensure an easy trip to the conference venue each day. To view details on conference accommodations, click here.