HYPE STUDIES CONFERENCE: (DON'T) BELIEVE THE HYPE invites you to contribute to one of the three thematic conference tracks. They are an orientation for your submission as we will organize the conference around these tracks.
After your submission the organizing team will assort your contribution to one of these THEMATIC TRACKS. You can choose the FORMAT with uploading your abstract at the submission page.
THEMATIC TRACKS
1. CONCEPTS AND CHARACTERISTICS
How to define hype against rivaling concepts in academic and media representations? What is the difference between hype an imaginaries, trends, alarmism, visions, expectations or futures? What features of language, power, histories, context, discursive prominence, over-promotion of evidence, or consequences constitute hype?
2. DYNAMICS AND TEMPORALITIES
How can hype be read, studied, assessed - or even anticipated? When and where does hype happen? What sites and data suit the empirical studies of hype? Who is affected? How does hype behave in different contexts and in relation to different actors? How can linguistic, narratological, artistic, historic, ethnographic, statistical and bibliometric, or discourse analytical approaches inform the study of hype? Can (should) hypes be prevented?
3. ENGAGING
How do practitioners and artists depict, experience, produce and deal with hypes? What can we learn about the logics of attention spans, aesthetics, folk knowledge, the financialization of media environments? How to understand hype as a societal phenomenon where media, capital, followers and politicians have a role? We welcome contributions on topics ranging from debunking, myth-busting, fact-checking, training in journalism, science and technology communication, artistic interventions etc.
FORMATS
(DON’T) BELIEVE THE HYPE offers three different formats to explore hype and its dynamics. The conference actively involves speakers, practitioners, citizens to create new perspectives and experiences through traditional presentations as well as interactive sessions, discussions, and installations. We offer two on stage formats (see below "Panel" and "Open Floor"), and a practice and action oriented format ("Making & Doing").
1. PANEL PRESENTATION
Traditional academic panel where you will present your research or insight into a topic, theory, initiative or project and its background. The conference organisers will put your proposal along other 3 similar.
Each presentation lasts 20 minutes followed by 10 minutes of Q&A. Each panel hosts 4 different presentations, after which there will be a closing 30min take-away discussion.
2. OPEN FLOOR
Curate a discussion space, where two or more people gather to discuss about a topic, concept, project or event. We expect this format to be interactive and participatory, including the audience.
Open floor will last 60 minute, hosting between 2 and 4 speakers plus one moderator. The last 15 minutes are expected to be devoted to a wrap-up discussion.
3. MAKING & DOING
Present on the conference space action-research projects, workshops, activist interventions, games, video art and other experiments. We will incorporate your work on the conference location.
Installations: Larger, ideally interactive, works and projects that relate to the conference theme or have a stand-alone impact, adding value to the festival through relevance and on a current topic (upon consultation, can be installed for the duration of the whole event).
Workshops: Interactive, participatory workshops or games that explore or play with hype in a strategic, creative or critical way.
Media: Documentaries, video essays and media art work in general that can be looped in the setting of a screening area (upon consultation, can be permanently installed throughout the conference).
Or, if you find that boring...
Open Format: You can also pitch a format you find inspirational. Please consult with the conference organizers.