National Conferences

COMMUNICATION AND POLITICS IN PANDEMIC
Online conference organised by the Institute of Political Science in Katowice

3RD MARCH 2021 – 09.00 AM – 03.00 PM CET

UNIVERSITY OF SILESIA, KATOWICE, POLAND

This annual conference aims to assess the current state of the communication process and politics in the time of pandemic and its impact on the democratic decline. It would seem that after the period of world wars, the fall of communism, the fall of major world dictators, democracy successfully dominated the world. Hopes for the elimination of injustice and a democratic future were very high. Unfortunately, we all experience the same prejudice and freedom boundaries to this day. Financial crises, conflicts, and corruption are just a few of the many signs that trouble us in the seemingly contemporary world. In the current reality, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is clear how international decisions affect people on every – international, national, and regional level. In the Internet age, network development has raised hopes for an increase in civil liberties. We can observe, however, how modern technology has provided citizens with more autonomy and knowledge but has caused them paradoxically to have less control over their lives. Emphasis on civic orientation takes place in a crisis of disinformation. One of the effects of increased autonomy is the fact that voters are increasingly reluctant to let politicians decide on their own lives. This causes a lack of expectations from politicians to meet citizens' needs. This attitude results in emerging tensions in the voter-politician relationship. Dialogue is the key to healing this connection.
There is a need to develop new communication solutions and modify the ways citizens and leaders interact.

We invite papers that address these developments and with the goal of explaining them in light of earlier literature on communication/politics and the current analyses of the pandemic impact on the global democratic decline. Comparative papers, as well as single-case studies, are welcome. Contributions should focus on one or more of the following dimensions:

• Modern technologies in political communication
• Contemporary challenges of political-voter relation
• Political attitudes of X, Y, Z Generations
• Innovations in the model of public institution management
• Policy after the covid-19 pandemics
• Political behaviour (such as elections, referenda, protests, violent acts, etc.)
• Solidarity/rivalry of countries in the time of a pandemic, effectiveness of international institutions)

Paper titles and abstracts of 100-150 words, along with author names, institutional affiliation and contact details, should be sent to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by Monday 22 February 2021.