Three Open-Rank Positions at UCLA

UCLA’s Department of Communication Studies invites nominations and applications for 3 open-rank positions over the next two years. Applicants should have high visibility and outstanding research in Mass Communication, Political Communication, Digital Media, related subject areas, or (ideally) work that combines these areas. Title, rank will be commensurate with credentials and experience. Salary will be competitive.

The appointments will begin in July 2015 or 2016. Responsibilities will include maintaining an active and impactful program of research, teaching at both the undergraduate and (in the near future) graduate level, and university service.

Qualifications: Candidates should have a Ph.D. in Communication or have distinguished themselves in a communication-related field of study. Applications are welcome from scholars with expertise including—but not limited to— the analysis of digital media, human-computer interaction, lab and field experiments, large-scale collections of data, media institutions, or visual information. We also encourage applications from scholars with demonstrated excellence in undergraduate teaching and graduate mentorship & advising.

Applicants are to apply for these positions online at https://recruit.apo.ucla.edu/apply/JPF00357. The requirements are: a cover letter; a statement of research and teaching interests; a curriculum vitae, 3- 4 letters of recommendation (or for especially distinguished figures, a list of 3-4 individuals who can serve as a reference). Review of applications will begin on October 20, 2014, but will continue until all three positions are filled.

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, age or protected veteran status. For the complete University of California nondiscrimination and affirmative action policy see: http://policy.ucop.edu/doc/4000376/NondiscrimAffirmAct

The Department of Communication Studies is committed to building a more diverse faculty, staff and student body as we respond to the changing population and educational needs of California and the nation.

Tenure-track Assistant Professor Position in Political Communication at The University of Kansas Communication

The University of Kansas Communication Studies Department invites candidates to apply for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position in Political Communication with an emphasis in social media or new media studies and a strong preference for candidates using quantitative methods of inquiry. Superior candidates will be those who can also compliment to other areas of department focus, including interpersonal communication, intercultural communication, rhetorical studies or organizational communication. Candidates should have a demonstrated record of research in the field and evidence of teaching excellence. This position is designed to fit within the university’s strategic initiatives that include: Sustaining the Planet, Powering the World; Promoting Well-Being, Finding Cures; Building Communities, Expanding Opportunities; Harnessing Information, Multiplying Knowledge. Application materials should speak to the ability of the candidate to meet one or more of these strategic initiatives. For more information see http://www.provost.ku.edu/strategic-plan/initiatives. Candidates will be expected to teach courses in the political communication track at both the undergraduate and graduate level as well as participate in departmental and university duties, including student advising and committee work.

The Communication Studies Department at the University of Kansas emphasizes the following: critical thinking in constructing and analyzing arguments, research and discourse; fostering understanding in the ways in which communication shapes and in turn shapes a diverse society; understanding of the relationship between community and communication; transfer of communication skills to public, professional and personal endeavors; and synthesis of existing communication theories and application to contemporary understandings. Women and minorities are especially encouraged to apply.

KU is a Research 1 (RU/VH) institution, the flagship of the Kansas system, and a member of the AAU. It is located in Lawrence, a thriving and progressive community a short drive from Kansas City.

Qualifications:

1.     A Ph.D. or ABD in Communication Studies or a related discipline from an accredited school is expected by the start date of the appointment [August 18, 2014].

2.     Demonstrated ability to work in interdisciplinary and collaborative environments.

3.     A proven record or demonstration for high potential in research and publications.

4.     Demonstrated ability to teach effectively at undergraduate and graduate levels.

For a complete announcement and to apply online, go to https://employment.ku.edu/academic/1697BR  or https://employment.ku.edu and click “Search Faculty Jobs”; search by key word [POLITICAL].  A complete online application includes the following materials:  cover letter, curriculum vitae, proof of teaching experience (e.g. course evaluations), teaching philosophy, research statement, and the names and contact information for three references. 

Initial review of applications will begin October 8, 2014 and will continue as long as needed to identify a qualified pool.

KU is an EO/AAE.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), age, national origin, disability, genetic information or protected Veteran status.

Article of Interest: Crowd use of Techonology to Produce Organization

Please visit  http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/rics20/17/2#.Uup6J_apphJ for Lance Bennett, Alexandra Segerberg and Shawn Walker's article regarding how crowds use technology to produce organization. The article is available open access.

Lance Bennett, Alexandra Segerberg and Shawn Walker, "Organization in the Crowd: Peer Production in Large-Scale Networked Protests." Information, Communication & Society, (2014), 17 (2) 

Call for papers: Social Media and the Transformation of Public Space University of Amsterdam June 18-20, 2014

 The main question driving the Social Media and the Transformation of Public Space Conference is how social media, looked at from different angles and scholarly approaches, are transforming concepts of public space or “publicness.” More particularly, we will ask how social media are involved in the transformation of particular domains, including news production, public broadcasting, activism, and law and order. Examples of possible topics follow below."

For more information please visit the following site: 

http://acgs.uva.nl/news-and-events/upcoming-events/item/social-media-and-the-transformation-of-public-space.html

Call for AEJMC Submissions

The Political Communication Interest Group invites submission of original, non-published research papers to be considered for presentation at the AEJMC conference, August 6 to 9, 2014, in Montreal, Canada. The deadline for paper submissions is April 1, 2014, at 11:59 p.m.

We welcome both faculty and graduate student papers of all methodological approaches and levels of analysis. Research papers should be directly related to mediated political communication, broadly defined. Possible relevant topics include processes and effects of mediated political communication in relation to political news, political journalism, public policy, political figures and candidates; citizen engagement and mobilization; public opinion; campaigns and political advertising; advocacy; and political economy of the media.  All submitted research papers should be clearly grounded in theory and methodology.

The Political Communication Interest Group has established the McCombs Shaw Award for Best Student Paper in Political Communication with a $100 prize to be given annually to the best graduate student paper submission. Student papers may not include any faculty authors/co-authors and must be clearly labeled as “Graduate Student Paper” on the cover page. In addition, the interest group annually honors the top three papers in political communication; both faculty and graduate student paper submissions are eligible for this honor.

2014 Special Topics Paper Call: Big Data

The use of Big Data as a tool to target, reach, and influence increasingly specific and complex segments of the population represents a growing trend within the field of political communication. Therefore, the Political Communication Interest Group, as part of a multi-session exploration of this trend, extends a special call for papers that engage the use of Big Data within the confines of political communication, either as the basis for original academic research or from a critical/cultural analysis of the practice. Please indicate your desire to be included within this group on the cover page of the manuscript.

All entries should follow the guidelines of the AEJMC uniform paper competition. Paper length is limited to 25-pages, not including references, tables, figures or appendices. All submissions will undergo a blind review process by a panel of independent reviewers. Papers are accepted on the understanding that they have not been previously published or presented elsewhere. Paper authors must remove identifying information from paper. Failure to do so will lead to an automatic disqualification.

To submit your paper, please use the AEJMC website.

If you are interested in reviewing, please complete this brief survey. Your participation in the survey will allow us to make reviewer assignments with your area(s) of expertise in mind. If you agree to serve as a reviewer, you should expect to receive manuscripts to review during the first week of April, and completed reviews will be due by April 30. Note that participation in the review process does not disqualify you from submitting papers to the PCIG paper competition 

If you have any questions, please contact research co-chairs Emily Vraga (evraga@gmu.edu) or Jasun Carr (carrd@susqu.edu).