The conference will address the relations between media and nationalism, extremism and dealing with the past in the Western Balkans.

Conference participants will have opportunity to discuss how media relates to ongoing relativism of nationalist elements and rhetoric present in the Western Balkans and to determine if media is backing up such occurrences with sensationalist approach and thereby promoting populist rhetoric, justifying deviant behavior, conspiracy discourse and theory and Anti-Western sentiment.

Papers on following subjects are more than welcomed:

• Media discourse on Nationalism, Extremism and Dealing with the Past;
• The Role of Media in promoting of Nationalism and Extremism;
• The Role of Media in dealing with the past;
• Ideologization of Media;
• Media and political abuse of dealing with the past;
• Media and Public interest;
• The Role of Media in Public policies making;
• Relations between Media and Religion in the context of religious minorities;
• Religion, Nationalism and dealing with the past in Media context;
• Religion, Media and LGBT rights 
• Media, Religion and RECOM Initiative;

The Conference will bring together 25 participants from the Western Balkans countries. Partner of Department of Media will be the Centre for the Study of Religion, Politics and Society (www.cirelstud.org) and funds are granted from the European network for literature and books - Traduki. The TRADUKI network was initiated cooperatively by the Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs of the Republic of Austria, Federal Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany, Swiss arts council Pro Helvetia, KulturKontakt Austria, Goethe-Institut and S. Fischer Foundation.

Members of the organizational board are: vice-dean for international cooperation dr Nebojša Majstorović, Chair of Department of Media, dr Dubravka Valić-Nedeljković, dr Žolt Lazar from Department of Sociology, Chair of Department of Philosophy, dr Željko Kaluđerović,  dr Zdravko Grebo from University of Sarajevo, dr Žarko Puhovski from University of Zagreb, dr Nikola Knežević from the Centre for the Study of Religion, Politics and Society, Srđan Sremac, PhD candidate at VU University Amsterdam and dr Dejan Donev from Faculty of Philosophy in Skopje, Macedonia.

Keynote Speakers:

Dr. Eric Gordy

UCL School of Slavonic and East European Studies

University College London.

Dr. David Tombs

Professor in Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation

Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin

Participation and Registration

Please send the abstract not longer than 250 words via email tozurnal@ff.uns.ac.rs with subject "The Role of Media in Normalizing Relations in the Western Balkans".  Applications should contain front page with main title and contact details of author. Any personal data should be removed from abstract due to blind peer review.

Deadline for applying is September 2, 2013.

Participants will be informed about results not after September 10. Working languages are BHSC (Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian/Montenegrin). Translation in English will be provided. Presented papers will be published in the conference proceeding. Conference fee is 20 Euro. Lunch and coffee breaks are covered by conference organizers, however, travel of hotel expenses will not be reimbursed.

Department of Media Studies 

Faculty of Philosophy, University of  Novi Sad

Dr Zorana Đinđića 2, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia

zurnal@ff.uns.ac.rs

www.ff.uns.ac.rs

www.odsekzamedijskestudije.org