Democracies in the Post-digital World: cultural studies perspectives in global contexts
CALL FOR PAPERS
for a special issue of “Open Cultural Studies”
DEMOCRACIES IN THE POST-DIGITAL WORLD:
CULTURAL STUDIES PERSPECTIVES IN EUROPEAN AND GLOBAL CONTEXTS
“Open Cultural Studies” (www.degruyter.com/CULTURE) invites submissions for a special issue entitled "Democracies in the Post-digital World: cultural studies perspectives in global contexts," edited by Sara Brandellero (Leiden University, the Netherlands), Sini Hassinen (Leiden University, The Netherlands), Sonia Horonziak, (Institute of Public Affairs, Warsaw, Poland), and Monika Junker (Magdeburg-Stendal University, Germany).
DESCRIPTION
We invite contributions to a special issue exploring the challenges and transformations of democracies in the post-digital world from cultural studies perspectives. As David M. Berry and Michael Dieter in their book Postdigital Aesthetics. Art, Computation and Design (2015) emphasised, we are seeing a dramatic change in the way in which sociality is performed and mediated through new distributed digital media technologies in constant negotiation with the analogue. The rapid expansion of digital technologies, algorithms, and AI-driven communication has reshaped public spheres, political participation, and modes of governance. At the same time, cultures of resistance, grassroots mobilization, and new forms of collective identity emerge, both in physical and online contexts, highlighting both opportunities and threats for democratic practices globally.
This issue aims to address how democracy is lived, negotiated, contested, and imagined in the post-digital condition, where digital infrastructures are no longer new, but embedded in everyday cultural, social, and political life. We welcome interdisciplinary and critical approaches that situate democracy in relation to media, arts and culture, especially if embedded in grassroot mobilization, in European (local, regional or national settings) and/or global contexts. Contributions with a comparative focus are welcome.
We invite contributors to offer reflections and insights on the following suggested themes (and beyond) concerning the democratic practices and cultural life in the post-digital era. Possible topics include (but are not limited to):
· Cultural imaginaries of democracy in the post-digital age
· Digital activism, social movements, and civic engagement across cultures
· Aesthetics, art, and cultural production in shaping democratic futures
· Comparative and transnational perspectives on democracy and grassroots digital culture
· Intersections of democracy with race, gender, age, and class in digital and analogue contexts
· Grassroots democratic practices, expressions, and innovations: embodied and virtual experiences.
· Digital-analogue dynamics for democratic values in Europe and/or global context.
· Digital literacy in the context of disinformation, misinformation and fake news for democracy
· Regulation and ethics of digital platforms in the post-digital age
· Challenges and solutions for environmental sustainability and resources in the democratic post-digital world
· Digital spaces and identities in diverse understandings of democracy
HOW TO SUBMIT
Submissions of articles of 8,000 words maximum (with abstract of 200 words) will be collected from August 1 to September 30, 2026 via the online submission system at https://www.editorialmanager.com/culture/
Please choose section/category: “special issue: Democracies in the Post-Digital World"
Before submission, authors should carefully read the Instructions for Authors, available at https://www.degruyter.com/publication/journal_key/CULTURE/downloadAsset/CULTURE_Instruction%20for%20Authors.pdf
All contributions will undergo critical peer review before being accepted for publication.
As a general rule, publication costs should be covered by Article Publishing Charges (APC); that is, be defrayed by the authors, their affiliated institutions, funders or sponsors. Authors without access to publishing funds are encouraged to discuss potential discounts or fee-waivers with the journal’s Managing Editor, Katarzyna Tempczyk (katarzyna.tempczyk@degruyterbrill.com) before submitting their manuscripts.
Further questions about this thematic issue can be sent to democracyinaction@hum.leidenuniv.nl
In case of technical problems with submission, please write to AssistantManagingEditor@degruyterbrill.com
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Michal.Kowalczyk@degruyterbrill.com
Micha? Kowalczyk