Call for Papers: Digital Media in Contemporary Conflicts

The journal Media and Communication (Cogitatio Press) invites submissions for a thematic issue on Digital Media in Contemporary Conflicts, edited by Kristin Skare Orgeret (OsloMet University) and Mulatu Alemayehu Moges (OsloMet University). This issue seeks to explore the multifaceted impact of digital media on conflicts worldwide—examining both its potential to escalate violence and its capacity to support peacebuilding and humanitarian action.

Objectives

• Explore the role of digital media in shaping conflict narratives and influencing public perception.
• Examine the use of digital platforms in mobilization, resistance, and peacebuilding.
• Analyze the risks of misinformation, propaganda, and cyber warfare in conflict contexts.
• Highlight the ethical, political, and policy implications of digital media in times of conflict.
• Investigate how digital tools can support humanitarian efforts, dialogue, and reconciliation.

Topics of Interest

• Digital propaganda and misinformation in conflict contexts.
• Cyber warfare: state and non-state actors’ use of digital tools.
• Social media as a tool for mobilization, protests, or violence.
• Digital storytelling, narratives, and memorialization of conflicts.
• Ethical challenges in reporting and sharing conflict-related content.
• The digital divide and its impact on conflict dynamics.
• Digital humanitarianism: crisis mapping, crowdfunding, and relief coordination.
• Policy and regulatory responses to digital media in conflicts.
• Social media for dialogue, peacebuilding, and reconciliation.
• Manipulation and control of digital platforms by conflict actors.
• Conceptualization of social media as a central force in modern conflicts.

Eligibility Criteria

• Open to researchers, scholars, practitioners, and interdisciplinary experts in communication, journalism, political science, international relations, and related fields.
• Abstracts must be in English (maximum 250 words, with a tentative title).
• Submissions can include original research articles, theoretical papers, case studies, or critical reviews.

Deadline:

• Abstract submission: 1–15 January 2026
• Full paper submission: 1–15 May 2026

For more information and to apply, please click here.