CfP Symposium: Communication Reimagined: Narratives, New Media, and Beyond
Open Call for Flash Talks and Poster Presentations!
Symposium: Communication Reimagined: Narratives, New Media, and Beyond
Centre for Language Studies,Radboud University, Nijmegen, Thursday 12 June 2025
We invite researchers in all stages of their career, to take part in the upcoming symposium Communication Reimagined: Narratives, New Media, and Beyond, taking place on 12 June 2025 at the Center for Language Studies, Radboud University in Nijmegen.
About the Symposium:
As our everyday interactions continue to shift into digital spaces mediated by new media and technologies, narratives experienced and shared through these media are no longer viewed as mere tools for entertainment but as central to shaping our attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors. This also raises questions about how we envisage current developments shaping the future of (narrative) communication research. What does it mean to trust, to identify with, or to be moved by narratives within an increasingly complex media communication landscape? How do we expand our understanding of narrative and communication as it evolves through novel technologies? And can these opportunities be harnessed to enhance our capacity for empathy, perspective-taking, and positive social impact? When, in contrast, can they be abused, and how can we prevent that? With these and many related questions in mind, the Communication Reimagined: Narratives, New Media, and Beyond symposium will focus on narrative persuasion across diverse contexts, as well as the use of new media in communication (e.g., social media, AI-generated content).
The symposium will bring together researchers and leading scholars in the field, including Professor Raymond Mar, director of the MAR Lab at the Department of Psychology at York University, Toronto. Dr. Mar’s research focuses on the cognitive, social, and emotional impact of fiction. His core topics include the relationship between reading fiction and social abilities like empathy, how the brain processes narratives, and the influence of imagined experiences on realworld cognition and emotions. Details about two additional keynote speakers will be announced shortly.
The event is open to a maximum of 50 participants and is organized by members of the Center for Language Studies Research Group Language and Communication Effects: Dr. Sebastian Sadowski, Dr. Ilja Croijmans, and PhD Candidate Nele Kadastik.
If you are interested in presenting your research, or work in progress, receiving feedback, and connecting with others working on related topics, we welcome applications for two presentation formats:
- Flash Talks
We offer 12 spots for flash talks. Each session will consist of six 10-minute presentations, followed by 5 minutes of questions and feedback. - Poster Presentations
Additional opportunities are available for poster presentations that will be featured during an evening session with drinks.
Submissions:
If you would like to present your research and visit our beautiful campus in Nijmegen, please send your application to dr. Sebastian Sadowski (sebastian.sadowski@ru.nl) latest by 23.05.2025. You will be notified about the outcome of your application within one week of the submission deadline. Registration is free of charge. Please include in your application a short version of the paper you intend to present (either as a flash talk or as a poster). Submissions should comply with the following requirements:
- Paper Title. This is the title that will be published in the program.
- Author(s). Provide the official name, email, and affiliation for each author.
- Short Abstract (50-word max).
- Extended Abstract (500-word max; excluding references, figures, or tables; singlespaced). Please provide an extended abstract to give us an impression of what research you would like to share during the symposium.
- References.
Both the flash talks and poster session are an excellent opportunity especially for young scholars to share their work in progress, receive feedback, respond to questions, and engage in dialogue with peers and scholars in the field. It is, however, also open for more senior researchers – we welcome submissions from researchers in any stage of their career!
We are looking forward to meeting you in Nijmegen!
