Committing to Service and WSCA

Dickins Award Nominations Sought

by Bill Sharkey, Editor, Communication Reports

Aloha WSCA Members:

The Milton Dickens Award for Exemplary Empirical Research recognizes an outstanding article published in Communication Reports during the editor’s term (i.e., every three years). William Sharkey, the Editor of Communication Reports, is requesting that WSCA members nominate articles published in Volumes 20-22 (2007-2009). These issues were edited by Todd Imahori (Vol. 20 & 21(1)) and William Sharkey (Vol. 21(2) & 22). Nominations must be received by November 1st to be considered by the committee. You may email your nominations to William (Bill) Sharkey at creports@hawaii.edu.

Planning for the Monterey Convention

by Mark Bergstrom, Executive Director

The main conference call is posted at:

http://www.westcomm.org/conventions/WSCA-2011-Monterey/call2011.pdf

The interest group calls are posted, and if your particular Interest Group call is not posted, there is a contact email for that group’s planner posted at:

http://www.westcomm.org/aboutus/leadership/interestgroups/index.asp

We don’t post registration until November, but the rates are up for information and planning purposes at:

http://www.westcomm.org/conventions/WSCA-2011-Monterey/registration.asp

Information on the hotel is also posted at:

http://www.westcomm.org/conventions/WSCA-2011-Monterey/Hotel.asp

See you in Monterey!

Monterey 2011

Interest Group Calls for Monterey
(see also WSCA News May 2010 issue)

submitted by Interest Group chairs

Health Communication

The Health Communication Interest Group (HCIG) of the Western States Communication Association invites you to submit your papers and panel proposals for the 2011 Western States Communication Association’s annual convention to be held in Monterey, California, February 18-22, 2011. The HCIG invites program proposals and research papers exploring any aspect of issues related to health and communication.  The interest group is especially interested in papers and panels that:

• Relate to the convention theme of “Communication and Community”
• Represent diverse methodologies, theories, and perspectives
• Examine the intersection between theory and practice
• Include health practitioners and professionals

Accepted papers and programs that relate to the convention theme of “Communication and Community” will receive priority scheduling. Panels co-sponsored with other interest groups will receive special consideration. All colleagues submitting a proposal either for a panel or a paper are encouraged to make themselves available to chair or act as a respondent in other panels.

All papers and proposals should be sent ELECTRONICALLY to the interest group chair, Dr. Heather Canary, at heather.canary@hum.utah.edu. All submissions must be received by September 1, 2010 in order to be considered. Acceptance of a paper or panel proposal obligates authors to attend the conference and present the paper.  

COMPETITIVE PAPERS

A. Competitive papers should not have been presented previously at another conference, (with the exception of a student-only conference), be accepted for publication, or have been published (with the exception of a student-only publication).

B. Submitted papers should include two separate attachments:

1. Title page, which includes the title of the paper, the names of all authors, AND each author’s address, phone number, email address, and affiliation.

a. Please label all debut papers with the phrase “DEBUT PAPER” in the upper right-hand corner of the title page. The WSCA Executive Club Debut Award is made to the author of a paper presented at the convention by an author or co-authors who have not presented a paper at a state, regional, national or international convention, or published in any academic journal. The paper also should not have been accepted for presentation or publication. Papers presented at student-only conferences are exempt from this requirement. All authors of a co-authored paper must meet these eligibility requirements for a paper to be considered a Debut Paper. Please indicate whether each author is a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral student.

b. Audio-visual requests should be listed on the detachable title page. (Please Note: Equipment availability is extremely limited. See the WSCA policy on Audio-Visual Equipment at Conventions in the Policies and Procedures Manual on the web site (http://www.westcomm.org/).

c. HEALTH COMMUNICATION STUDENT PAPER AWARD: The HCIG presents an award to the top student paper. Where appropriate, put “STUDENT” in the upper right-hand corner of the title page; indicate whether the paper comes from a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral student.  All authors must be students to be considered a student paper.

2. A manuscript that includes: (a) a 250-500 word abstract of the paper (with title appearing on this page) and (b) a maximum of 30-pages of text, including tables and figures but excluding references. No information in the paper that identifies the author(s) (beyond that which appears on the title page). Please remove any identifiers, such as the author’s name, from the paper and electronic file from the header or on the file label. Any paper that exceeds 30-pages will not be reviewed. Please follow APA format guidelines.

C. All papers should be sent ELECTRONICALLY (in MSWord or PDF format) to the interest group chair, Heather Canary, at heather.canary@hum.utah.edu. All submissions must be received by September 1, 2010 in order to be considered. Please use the following convention to name the files:

1. Choose a descriptive word from the title. Do not use your first or last name.

2. For the manuscript, use the descriptive word, followed by mss, followed by the file type after a period.

3. For the title page, use the descriptive word, followed by ttl, then the file type after the period.

For example, a competitive paper submission is titled, "Exploring the impact of technology in hospice family meetings." The files submitted could have the following names:

􀂃 Hospicemss.doc (for the manuscript with abstract, references, and tables, in Microsoft Word format)

􀂃 Hospicettl.doc (for the title page, which includes the title of the paper, the names of all authors, AND each author’s address, phone number, email address, and affiliation)

D. Acceptance of a paper obligates at least one author to attend the conference and present the paper. 

PROGRAM PROPOSALS

A. Program proposals should focus on some unifying theme or concept relevant to research, theory, or instruction in the area of health communication.

1. Programs may consist of a chair, individual presenters, and a critic respondent; however round-table discussions, performance venues, or other unique formats are encouraged.
2. In alternative program formats, respondents may be included or omitted as appropriate.
3. Innovative program proposals, especially those that provide opportunities for engaged interaction among participants and attendees, are encouraged.
4. Programs co-sponsored with other interest groups are also welcome. Programs that relate to the convention theme, “Communication and Community,” are encouraged.
5. The panel organizer is expected to take responsibility for communication with the Interest Chair, alert her to any changes or problems and to ensure that panelists register for the conference and deliver their papers.

B. Program proposals should include the following:

1.  Thematic title of the program;
2.  One-page rationale for the panel, and explain how the papers are thematically linked
3.  Names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, and affiliations of ALL participants;
4.  Title and brief (1-2 paragraph/s) description of each presentation;
5.  Equipment needed for the program (Please Note: Equipment availability is extremely limited. See the WSCA policy on Audio-Visual Equipment at Conventions in the Policies and Procedures Manual on the web site).

C. All program proposals should be sent ELECTRONICALLY (in MSWord or PDF format) to the interest group chair, Heather Canary, at heather.canary@hum.utah.edu. All submissions must be received by September 1, 2010 in order to be considered. Please use the following convention to name the files:

1. Choose a descriptive word from the title. Do not use your first or last name.

2. For information about the program proposal, use the descriptive word, followed by mss, followed by the file type after a period.

3. For the title page, use the descriptive word, followed by ttl, then the file type after the period.

For example, a program proposal submission is titled, "Exploring the impact of technology in hospice family meetings." The files submitted could have the following names:

􀂃 Hospicemss.doc (for the manuscript with abstract, references, and tables, in Microsoft Word format)
􀂃 Hospicettl.doc (for the title page, which includes the title of the paper, the names of all authors, AND each author’s address, phone number, email address, and affiliation).

D. Acceptance of a panel proposal obligates at all presenters to attend the conference and present their papers. 

QUESTIONS

Please direct any questions to Heather Canary at heather.canary@hum.utah.edu or 480-650-2295.

Communication Theory and Research

The Communication Theory & Research (CTR) Interest Group of WSCA welcomes competitive paper submissions and program proposals for the 2011 Annual Convention in Monterey, California.  The Communication Theory & Research Division is an excellent outlet for papers and programs that consider the intersections between theoretical and methodological perspectives, progressive applications of communication theories, and spotlights on the scholarship of distinguished communication theorists.  For the 2011 convention, the Division is particularly interested in papers and programs that:

1. Expand upon the convention theme, “Communication and Community”

2. Draw from diverse theoretical and methodological backgrounds

3. Examine the intersections between theory and practice

4. Spotlight key communication theorists/theories in our field

5. Elaborate on new methodologies in communication research

6. Collaborate with other WSCA divisions

7. Contribute to the overall development and progress of Communication as a theoretically mindful discipline

 COMPETITIVE PAPERS

1. Authors are encouraged to submit original research essays to the CTR Interest Group. We invite submissions from faculty and graduate students interested in Communication Theory & Research, as well as professionals and practitioners who apply Communication concepts. The Division offers competitive paper awards for both the overall top paper and top student paper.

2. Competitive papers should not have been presented previously at another conference, be accepted for publication, or have been published. Please use your ethical common sense.

3. Students: The CTR Interest Group strongly encourages student submissions, and interested students should mark their paper as STUDENT in the upper right corner of their cover page.  The Division offers competitive paper awards for the top student paper.
           
4. All manuscripts should be submitted by e-mail attachment. Please use RTF or MS Word (doc or docx) format for all documents. Submitted manuscripts should include two separate attachments:
           
A. A title page with title of manuscript, names of all authors, and the addresses, phone numbers, e-mail addresses, institutional affiliations of each author. Also include audio-visual requests. NOTE: Equipment availability is extremely limited. See WSCA Policy on the Use of Audio-Visual Equipment at Conventions.

B. The manuscript should include a 75-100 word abstract and a maximum of 30 pages of text (including references). Remove author names and any identifying information from the manuscript.

C. The essay should be prepared following the most recent Chicago, MLA or APA guidelines.

5. Electronic submissions must be received no later than 11:59pm CST, Wednesday, September 1, 2010. In your subject line please include “[Your Last Name] WSCA CTR IG Competitive Paper Submission.”

Please send to the email address of:
Elizabeth Richard, Ph.D.
Email: ericha11@slu.edu
Phone: 314-977-3192

PROGRAM PROPOSALS

1. Programs connected to the conference's theme are encouraged and generally expected. Programs may consist of a chair, individual presenters, and a respondent/facilitator. However, round-table discussions and other unique formats are encouraged. The CTR Interest Group especially encourages panels that spotlight influential communication theories/theorists or emergent methodological approaches for researching communication phenomena. Programs co-sponsored with other interest groups are welcomed.

2. All program proposals should be submitted by e-mail attachment. Please use RTF or MS Word (doc or docx) format for all documents. Submitted program proposals should include two separate attachments:

A. A title page with the title of the program and the name, address, phone, e-mail, and institutional affiliation of each participant. Also include any audio-visual requests. NOTE: Equipment availability is extremely limited. See WSCA Policy on the Use of Audio-Visual Equipment at Conventions.

B. A brief rationale for the program (approx. 250-500 words). If applicable, a title and brief description of each presentation (approx. 100 words each).   Remove author names and any other identifying information from this section.

C. The proposal should be prepared following the most recent Chicago, MLA or APA guidelines.

3. Electronic submissions must be received no later than 11:59pm CST, Wednesday, September 1, 2010. In your subject line please include “[Your Last Name] WSCA CTR IG Program Proposal Submission.”

Please send to the email address of:
Elizabeth Richard, Ph.D.
Email: ericha11@slu.edu
Phone: 314-977-3192

Environmental Communication

Call for
Competitive Papers, Paper Panels, and Alternative Sessions
focusing on theory, research, and the practical knowledge of
environmental issues and their communicative dimensions

The theme for the 2011 WSCA convention, “Communication and Community,” is extremely relevant for environmental communication issues, problems, concerns, and actions, especially in relationship to community.

Competitive Papers: Competitive papers may utilize any accepted theoretical framework, methodology, or form of critique, or extend the discipline’s understanding through literature reviews, theoretical articulations, and other forms of critical engagement.

Competitive papers must include (a) title, (b) abstract not exceeding 200 words, and (c) main document (body and references). Papers may NOT exceed 25 pages double-spaced (excluding title, abstract, and references). In a separate document list the paper title, author(s), and contact information, and clearly indicate if the paper is a student and/or a debut paper.  Papers should not have been presented previously at a conference, be accepted for or published at the time of submission.

Paper Panel Sessions: Collection of individual papers working in concert within a single panel proposal (e.g., unified by a common theme, focus, methodology, etc.).

Alternative Sessions: This category is for panel submissions that are not of the traditional “four papers and a respondent” ilk. Examples include roundtable discussions (i.e., a clearly articulated environmental concept or issue around which participants will engage), performance panels, poster sessions, networking panels, activist-training panels etc.

Paper/alternative panel proposals must include (a) thematic title for the panel, (b) an abstract describing the panel’s thematic contribution, and (c) an extended abstract for each contributing paper/panelist. In a separate document please include the name, institutional affiliation, address, and phone/email for the chair, respondent, and each participant. The entire panel proposal should not exceed 1,500 words (excluding names and addresses).

Electronic submissions must be received no later than September 1, 2010. Please follow the submission guidelines detailed below.

For all paper and panel proposal submissions, email: ssowards@utep.edu

Stacey Sowards
Chair, Environmental Communication Interest Group
Department of Communication
University of Texas at El Paso
(915) 747-8854
ssowards@utep.edu

Submission Notes:
à Electronic Submission: All papers and proposals should be submitted as attachments to an email. Documents must be submitted in either in Microsoft Word or PDF. Emails must include two separate documents:     Cover page detailing title and contact information for all participants/authors including name, institutional affiliation, phone, email address. For competitive papers, please clearly identify student and/or debut papers on the cover page; Main document consisting of your paper or panel description and abstract(s), free of all identifying references to the authors and/or participants.

Audio-Visual Requests: Equipment availability is extremely limited and cannot be guaranteed. See the WSCA Policy on the Use of Audio-Visual Equipment at Conventions.  Audio-visual requests should be indicated on the cover page.

Note: It is the responsibility of the participants to directly provide the respondent with the most recent revision of their paper by February 1, 2011.

Media Studies Interest Group

Western States Communication Association Media Studies Interest Group (MSIG) encourages authors to submit papers and panels to MSIG for competitive selection.
I. Competitive Papers (deadline: received by 9/1/10)* Submit to Interest Group
II. Program Proposals (deadline: received by 9/1/10) Submit to Interest Group
III. Workshop Proposals (deadline: received by 9/1/10) Submit to Pat Ganer
IV. Pre-conference Proposals (deadline: received by 9/1/10) Submit to Pat Ganer

*Note: WSCA program planning uses only one deadline for all papers, programs, and workshops.

Submitted competitive papers to the Media Studies Interest Group (MSIG) must include:
• A detachable title page with title of paper, names of all authors, and their address, phone numbers, email addresses, and affiliations. Please also include requests for A/V equipment (note that equipment availability is limited). This page will not be shared with reviewers.
• A 250-500 word abstract of the paper with title appearing on same page as the abstract.
• A maximum of 25 pages of text.
• No identifications of the author(s) should appear in the paper beyond the title page.
• Papers submitted by first-time authors must be marked with “DEBUT” in the top of right-hand corner of the title page. To be eligible for the Top Student Paper Award, all undergraduate or graduate students should designate their papers with “STUDENT PAPER” in the top right-hand corner of the title page.

Paper submission guidelines
Media Studies Interest Group (MSIG) authors must submit papers electronically. Attach the submitted paper as a Word or RTF document and send it to Beth Bonnstetter at wscamsig@gmail.com.

Program proposal guidelines
Program proposals should be thematically unified. The Media Studies Interest Group (MSIG) encourages a range of program formats, including chair and individual presenters, round-tables, off-site venues, and other formats. The MSIG also encourages co-sponsorship with other interest groups.

Program proposals must include:
• Thematic title for the program
• Names, address, phone numbers, email addresses, and affiliations of all participants
• Title and abstract for each individual presentation
• A/V Equipment needed for the program. Please note: Equipment availability is limited.

Problems / Questions?
Beth Bonnstetter
Adams State College
wscamsig@gmail.com
719-587-8142

Rhetoric and Public Address

The Rhetoric and Public Address Interest Group invites submission of competitive papers and panel program proposals for the 2011 WSCA Convention. The convention theme is “Communication and Community.” Submissions to the Rhetoric and Public Address Interest Group should adhere to the following guidelines:

Competitive Papers
Authors are invited to submit completed papers dealing with rhetoric and public address from any theoretical, methodological, or critical perspective. Competitive paper submissions should not have been presented previously at another convention/conference, be accepted for publication, or have been published. Competitive paper submissions must be submitted electronically and should include TWO separate attachments:

1) The first attachment must be an information page with the title of the paper, names of all authors, their institutional affiliations, addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses. This must be attached as a separate document. Audio-visual requests should also be listed on the information page, but please note that equipment availability is extremely limited (see the WSCA policy on Audio-Visual Equipment at Conventions in the Policies and Procedures Manual on the web site: http://www.westcomm.org/);

2) The second attachment of your electronic submission should be the paper. The submitted paper should NOT include any author(s) identification anywhere in the document, including on the title page or in the header. The paper should include:
            a) A 100-150 word abstract (with the title appearing on this page);
b) A maximum of 25 pages of text (excluding title page and notes/references). Longer papers will not be sent out for review;
c) Authors “who have not presented a paper at a state, regional, national or international convention, or published in any academic journal” should include the word “DEBUT” in the upper right-hand corner of the title page. Papers authored by students should include the word “STUDENT” in the upper right-hand corner of the title page. All authors must meet debut or student criteria for the paper to be so designated.

Panel Program Proposals
Panel program proposals should focus on a unifying theme relevant to research, theory, or criticism in the area of rhetoric and public address. Programs may consist of a chair, individual paper presenters, and a critic/respondent; however, round-table discussions, performance venues, or other unique formats are encouraged. In alternative program formats, respondents may be included or omitted as appropriate. Innovative program proposals, especially those that provide opportunities for engaged interaction among participants and attendees or those that address the conference theme directly, are encouraged. Programs co-sponsored with other interest groups are also welcome. Panel program proposals should include:
1) Title and 250-500 word rationale for the thematic panel/program;
2) Title and 100-150 word abstract of each presentation;
3) Names, affiliations, addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses of all participants;
4) Expected size of audience;
5) Equipment needed (please note that equipment availability is extremely limited).

Paper/Program Submission Process
Submit competitive papers and panel program proposals to Dan Brouwer, Chair of the Rhetoric and Public Address Interest Group, via email at brouwer@asu.edu. Papers and program proposals must be submitted in Microsoft Word 2003 (doc) or 2007 (docx). Paper submissions should include two separate attachments: 1) The title/information page, and 2) The paper with all author(s) identification removed. Only electronic submissions will be accepted. All submissions must be received via email by 11.59pm (MST) on Wednesday, September 1, 2010.

Western Journal of Communication

WJC Features Special Issue

by Brian Ott, Editor

SPECIAL ISSUE: MEDIA AND POLITCS

Getting Clipped: Denial and Masculinity Politics in the 2002 U.S. Senate Race in Montana Philip D. Dalton and John R. Butler

Un-Queering Horror: Hellbent and the Policing of the “Gay Slasher”
Claire Sisco King

Fighting for Father: Fight Club as Cinematic Psychosis Joshua Gunn and Thomas Frentz

To Open a Door and Look Inside: Dead Man Walking as a Prima Facie Case George N. Dionisopoulos

Articulating Identity: People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and the Animal/Human Divide Wendy Atkins-Sayre

News of Members

Mara Adelman Videos Available on YouTube

Mara Adelman, Ph.d. (Seattle University) has posted all her ethnographic videos and Safe-Sex Talk video on Youtube. All videos have study guides.   Either enter "Mara Adelman" or the titles of her videos.

The Pilgrim Must Embark: Living in Communityis a 25-minute ethnographic video on the challenges facing community living in a residential facility for people with AIDS (PWA).   The book, The Fragile Community: Living Together With AIDS was co-authored by Mara B. Adelman, Ph.D. & Lawrence R. Frey, Ph.D. (1997), ISBN: 0-8058-1843-X, Published by Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Beyond consumption: Retail at the Edge presents a unique focus that blends marketing, consumption and social support through two unique shops; a consignment store (Venus) for large women and a sex toy-shop (Toys in Babeland) that caters primarily to women.

Safe Sex Talk  presents 7 very realistic, improvised vignettes of heterosexual couples talking about safe-sex (condom usage) prior to a sexual encounter.

LONGER DESCRIPTIONS:

Beyond consumption: Retail at the Edge  presents a unique focus that blends marketing, consumption and social support through two unique shops; a consignment store (Venus) for large women and a sex toy-shop (Toys in Babeland) that caters primarily to women.  Three themes emerge, 1) sites of empowerment unveils the semiotics of store settings and merchandise presentation in reducing stigma and creating a sense of community, 2) retail activism focuses on the ways retail roles, philosophy and interactions provide social support and 3) shopportunities in action provide testimonies of customers’ distress and consolations embedded in these remarkable retail encounters.  Study guides and articles available. Total time is 20 minutes. Produced by Mara Adelman, Ph.D, mara@seattleu.edu.

Safe Sex Talk  presents 7 very realistic, improvised vignettes of heterosexual couples talking about safe-sex (condom usage) prior to a sexual encounter.  These vignettes were designed to provoke discussion on possible scripts for males and females that would sustain passion but also communicate the necessity for condom usage.  These vignettes were improvised by Northwestern University college students to be used in teaching safe-sex education.  Vignettes range from 2-6 minutes.  Total is 22 minutes.  Study guides and articles available.  Produced by Mara Adelman, Ph.D., mara@seattleu.edu

The Pilgrim Must Embark: Living in Community is a 25-minute ethnographic video on the challenges facing community living in a residential facility for people with AIDS (PWA).  The video focuses on the interpersonal, group, and organizational tensions that accompany group living as residents cope with the mundane details of daily life and the harsh reality of chronic illness and death.  Specific attention is given to the communication practices that enable residents and staff to forge and sustain relationships in this fragile community.This video includes extensive coverage of various house activities (i.e., meals, dish duty, house meetings, support groups, and bereavement rituals) and interviews with 5 residents.

This video is designed to be used in a wide range of communication courses, including interpersonal communication, small group communication, organizational communication, health communication, mass communication, and communication research methods courses. This video can be used to illustrate an array of issues that are relevant to these communication courses, including:

The tensions that individuals feel as members of a group and organization, and how communication practices massage these tensions

• How interpersonal communication and relationships are the heart of community life.
• How newcomers are socialized into the ways of organizational life
• The important role that rites and rituals play in sustaining a community
• Communication practices that facilitate coping with chronic illness and death
• The purpose and practice of ethnographic communication research
• The value of video/film as a research tool

 The co-producer, Mara Adelman, Ph.D., spent 6 years as a volunteer and researcher in this home (mara@seattleu.edu). Study Guide and articles available. Produced by Mara B. Adelman, Ph.D. & Lawrence R. Frey, Ph.D.  

The book, The Fragile Community: Living Together With AIDS was co-authored by Mara B. Adelman, Ph.D. & Lawrence R. Frey, Ph.D. (1997), ISBN: 0-8058-1843-X, Published by Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Editor: Bill Eadie, San Diego State University
Submit items for the August issue by August 1 to the new editor, Michele Horner Jackson, University of Colorado, Boulder: Michele.Jackson@Colorado.EDU