CALL FOR CONTRIBUTIONS- The Press in Central Asia since Independence

Distrib. by: Central-Eurasia-L - Announcement List for Central Eurasian Studies

CALL FOR CONTRIBUTIONS- The Press in Central Asia since Independence

Posted by: Eric Freedman <freedma5@msu.edu>

Call for Chapters for The Press in Central Asia since Independence

Editors: Eric Freedman, Michigan State University, and Richard Shafer,
University of North Dakota

Introduction

The dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 led to independence for
the former Central Asian republics of Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan,
Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Early hopes for democracy
there, including press freedom, failed to come to fruition, and the
five regimes still maintain varying but severe restraints on the
media, including censorship, harassment and intimidation, tax audits,
licensing regulations, and onerous libel suits and criminal
prosecutions. The five governments generally regard the press as a
tool for developing national identity and promoting statehood, not as
an independent player or watchdog in a system of checks and balances.
Many talented journalists have emigrated, while many of those who
remain still adhere to Soviet press legacies.

The Overall Objective of the Book

This book will explore the press in Central Asia since independence.
It will put these press systems individually and collectively into the
context of largely failed efforts to democratize post-communist,
authoritarian regimes in a strategic world region with no history of
democracy or independent press.

Recommended topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

- The press systems of one or more off the five republics
- Journalism education and professional training
- The press as an instrument of civil society and democratization
in Central Asia
- Press rights and legal and extra-legal constraints on the press
- Media economics in the region
- New media and alternative media in Central Asia
- Foreign press coverage of news in Central Asia

The Target Audience

The target audiences for this book are academic libraries and scholars
in journalism, communication, political science, and Eurasian and
Russian studies.

The Editors

Eric Freedman is assistant professor of Journalism and assistant dean
of International Studies & Programs at Michigan State University.
Richard Shafer is professor of Journalism at the University of North
Dakota. Both are former Fulbright senior scholars in Uzbekistan and
have conducted journalism workshops and trainings in Central Asia and
elsewhere.

SUBMISSION PROCEDURE

Researchers and practitioners are invited to submit on or before
October 1, 2007, a 2-5 page manuscript proposal that clearly explains
the mission and concerns of their proposed chapter, as well as a full
CV. In lieu of a proposal, authors may submit a recently presented
conference paper or recently published journal article that can be
updated and adapted as a book chapter. Authors will be notified by
November 15, 2007 about the status of their proposals and sent chapter
organizational guidelines. Full chapters of 5,000-7,000 words are due
by February 15, 2008. All submitted chapters will be peer-reviewed.
The book is expected to be published by Michigan State University
Press as part of its Eurasian Political Economy and Public Policy
Studies series. Submissions should be sent by e-mail to both
Professors Eric Freedman (freedma5@msu.edu) and Richard Shafer
(undprof@hotmail.com).

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