To address these questions, we invite submissions for a special issue of Communication Studies on Dialogues and Polarization: (Im)probable Communication in the Mediated Public Sphere. We welcome original research articles, theoretical papers, and critical reviews addressing, but not exclusively, the following topics:

Dialogic communication and polarizing communication in the face of social changes and in the public sphere

The role of media in shaping public discourse, conflict and polarization

The impact of social media on political communication and civic engagement

The potential and limitations of dialogue across ideological and cultural divides

The role of communication and media in class struggle

The effects of filter bubbles, echo chambers, and algorithmic bias on public opinion and behaviour

The role of emotions, affect, and identity in shaping communication and polarization

The potential of deliberative, participatory, community and counterhegemonic media practices to foster dialogue, mutual understanding and conflict-resolution

The challenges and opportunities of cross-cultural and interfaith dialogue in the mediatized public sphere

The implications of media polarization for democracy, social cohesion, and human rights

Interdisciplinary approaches will be considered. We encourage submissions from scholars in communication, media studies, sociology, psychology, political science, philosophy, cultural studies, and related fields. We also invite submissions from practitioners, activists, and policymakers who can offer insights into the practical implications of the issues at stake.

Submission Guidelines:

Full papers must be submitted online through the journal's website.

Papers must be written in English, Spanish or Portuguese, with an abstract in the three languages.

Papers must follow the journal's guidelines for formatting and referencing.

All papers will be subject to double-blind peer review.

Important Dates:

Submission deadline: November,17,  2023

Notification of acceptance: February, 28, 2024

Publication of the special issue:  May 2024

For any queries, please contact the guest editors:

Joan Pedro-Carañana, joan.pedro[@]ucm.es  (Universidad Complutense de Madrid)

Ángel Carrasco-Campos, angel.carrasco.campos[@]uva.es (Universidad de Valladolid)

Cruz Márquez-Tornay, mtornay[@]nebrija.es (Universidad de Nebrija)