View the photos of the conference
The program for the symposium organized by the School of Contemporary Chinese Studies at the University of Nottingham Ningbo Campus in China, the University of Westminster’s Africa Media Centre, and Rhodes University’s School of Journalism and Media Studies, is now available for download.
Download the Symposium Updated Program
Wenping He
Professor and Director of African Studies Section at the Institute of West-Asian and African Studies (IWAAS), Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS)
"Building China’s Soft Power in Africa:restraining factors and the way forward"
Gary Rawnsley
Professor of Public Diplomacy in the Department of International Politics, Aberystwyth University, UK
"To Know Us is to Love Us: an assessment of Chinese Soft Power"
Daya Thussu
Professor of International Communication and Co-Director of India Media Centre at the University of Westminster in London
"Re-configuring Cultural Diplomacy: Asian soft power in Africa"
Deadline for individual papers and panel proposals | 15 April, 2014 |
Notification of the status of the proposals | 15 May, 2014 |
Draft program | 31 May 2014 |
Early bird registration deadline | 30 June 2014 |
Full paper submission deadline | 1 August 2014 |
Symposium | 4-5 Sept 2014 |
Full fee: £120 (two nights’ accommodation, meals, local transport)
Early bird registration fee: £80
Outcomes
The review panel will select papers for proposal for an edited volume by a leading publisher such as Palgrave Macmillan and/or for a special issue of leading international journals such as Global Media and Communication.
Maps & Travel Information
Download the Maps and Travel Information.
Abstract / Paper Submission | chinesestudies@nottingham.edu.cn |
Logistics | chinesestudies@nottingham.edu.cn |
Local Information | chinesestudies@nottingham.edu.cn |
The School of Contemporary Chinese Studies at the University of Nottingham Ningbo Campus in China, the University of Westminster’s Africa Media Centre, and Rhodes University’s School of Journalism and Media Studies, invite submissions of abstracts and panel proposals for the International Symposium.
China has increased dramatically its economic engagement with Africa. At the same time, it has been promoting its soft power on the continent. As important platforms for the promotion of soft power, large investments are being poured into the official media organizations to improve their reporting and broadcasting, including greatly increased and increasing media presence, exchange programmes and training for African journalists, and providing infrastructural and technical support to the media sector in Africa.
The involvement of China in Africa has been controversial. It is seen by some to have negative consequences for the deepening of democracy on the continent, if China's attitude towards press freedom would be adopted by their new African partners. This symposium is to promote better understanding of China’s involvement in Africa, using its media engagement as an entry point. It welcomes proposals addressing the following topics:
All proposals must include: