72nd Annual ICA Conference + SFSIC labelled pre-conferences

Our Honorary President, Daniel Raichvarg, has been chosen by the President of the International Communication Association as “Local Host” for the ICA 2022 Conference, which will take place in Paris from 26 to 30 May on the theme One World One Network?

In the context of ICA 2022, four laboratories are organising SFSIC labelled pre- or post-conferences (see the “SFSC labeled events” section) : CREM (Lorraine, “Post-Truth and Affective Publics’ Challenges to Social Ties”), CIMEOS (Burgundy, “Digital Health Communication: Issues and Perspectives”), IMSIC (Aix-Marseille, “Beyond the world of humans. Emerging Plant Communication in the Public Space”), CRESAT (Mulhouse, “Communication Privacy and the Literacies of a Networked Aged: A Critical Approach”).

“Welcome to Paris, France

Eiffel Tower, yes of course ! But you have to pay a visit to Gustave Eiffel’s appartment and his two wax figures : Gustave Eiffel and Thomas Edison. Actually, Edison came to Paris in 1889 for the Universal Exhibition, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of French Revolution and he offered Eiffel one exemplary of his new device able to reproduce voices. And, you know what ? Point 1 : Eiffel taped the famous french Republican philosopher Ernest Renan. Point 2 : this roll has been re-taped by French National Library. Point 3 : one can hear Renan’s important words about this communication innovation… Montmartre, yes of course ! But you have to pay a visit to « Musée de Montmartre » and « The Agile Bunny », a cabaret dedicated to André Gill, an incredible 19th century cartoonist – we all know that cartooning the world could be understood as a touchy democratic act. Victor Hugo’s house, yes indeed ! You have to visit HIM Place des Vosges and have a look to one of his paintings : The mushroom. Just see that on internet at first, and, for sure, you’ll decide to see it in real… as a metaphor of our present worldwide situation… Musée de la Vie romantique, Place de la République, Museum of Natural History… so many places in harmony with our « communication focus ». Enter in any coffeshops and just have a look, let your ears wander… And, please, end this Paris Communication Sigthseeing Tour by a moment in Albert Kahn’s Garden. Education, Peace and Culture were the societal entries of this openminded business man of the first part of 20th century : he decided to build his project The Archives of the Planet with so incredible series of films and photos from all around the world – men, women, daily life, arts. He designed his garden as a concentrate of the landscapes of the world. Albert Kahn’s garden have just been re-opened this month of April after a ten-year renovation. The results ? Words are missing to explain the atmosphere, to describe the use of latest museographic techniques for visuals and audiovisuals. Words are so poor to tell what your senses feel among bamboos, flowers, water games. Just « whaoo ». Kahn’s Garden is pretty close a subway station. 40 minutes from Porte Maillot… Please. GO THERE…

To put it more opportunistically : so many places in harmony with « One World, One Network ». Even the place where we will meet for our closing session – the Great Amphitheater of the Sorbonne – means « interculturality » and « communication ». I let you discover why this place is so important for us and for our community. So many places to ramble around with our communication researchers glasses and notebooks…

But don’t forget to keep time to attend the so-many presentations, live presentations after the pandemic has forced us to go digital. At that moment of this letter, we must have some emotional thoughts for our colleagues, in Gold Coast and Denver, who could not welcome our community… Therefore, it is a great honor for me to be your local host.

More than ever, facing the societal shocks all around the world – food, health and energy emergencies, migrations, wars, not to mention digital tensions -, we scholars do have to intervene and ACT. ICA conference is thus a great opportunity to discuss and consider innovative ways to exercise this social responsibility together. No doubt, as the City of Lights, Paris is a wonderful setting…”

Daniel Raichvarg

University of Burgundy (Research Unit : Lab. CIMEOS)

French Society for Information and Communication Studies