A paradigm shift in media policy in the 1980s signified a move away from the post WWII public service media policy towards a new communications policy paradigm (van Cuilenburg & McQuail, 2003). Media policy research has also expanded into new territory (Just & Puppis, 2012). This year's course will explore contemporary issues in media policy and governance focusing on freedom of communication, access, control/accountability and public service media in European media systems in a comparative perspective.

As part of this year's course, the scientific conference Agents of power in the transformation of media systems will take place on Thursday and Friday (27 and 28 April, 2017), and will include attendance by the course participants. Speakers include Slavko Splichal, Paolo Mancini, Kaarle Nordestreng, Hannu Nieminen, Sally Broughton Micova, Tarik Jusić, Zrinjka Peruško, Andrei Richter.

The conference will be focused on significant changes in media landscapes in the period after the fall of communism due to globalization, media digitalization, financial crisis and the lack of alternatives (as once conceptualized in the idea of NWICO), experienced not only by the former communist countries but also all other countries. However, these processes usually remain completely 'impersonal' in scholarly literature and research: instead of actors, we only have processes. When J.K. Galbraith once wrote of the role of the 'market forces'—the concept that replaced the 'outdated' concepts of 'capitalism' and 'capitalists'— he suggested that, "It would be hard to think of a change in terminology more in the interest of those to whom money accords power. They have now a functional anonymity."

Indeed, it is crucially important to focus on the dominant social actors in and behind the long-term processes, who otherwise may remain 'functionally anonymous'. Instead of focusing on the role of the media within the economic, social, political and cultural systems of societies, we would like to examine the role of economic, social, political and cultural actors (such as media owners, corporate economic clients and advertisers, interest groups, content creators and journalists, audiences, citizens, civic movements, political parties, legislative bodies, constitutional court and judicial bodies, specific policy makers and regulatory bodies) in generating changes in media systems, particularly in the news media and journalism.

The aim of the conference Agents of power in the transformation of media systems is to focus on the key local, national and transnational actors who influenced the changes in media systems during the past 25 years. The newly established nation states that once were constitutive parts (republics) of former Yugoslavia may be used for a 'thought experiment' or exemplification to demonstrate how once a rather uniform media system (at least in terms of legal regulation) developed in different directions not only because of different 'objective' (e.g. economic) conditions but also or primarily because of different 'subjective forces' in action. Yet the same approach focused on the main power agents may also help explaining changes in media systems in the countries that did not experience the kind of (political) turmoil taking place in the former communist countries.

The aim of the postgraduate course is to gather doctoral students from media and communication or political/ juridical sciences occupied with media policy and regulation that want to discuss their current work with established and emerging scholars and get relevant feedback.

Course Organization:

This sixth "slow science" IUC-CMS is an interdisciplinary research conference & post-graduate course open to doctoral and post-doctoral students in media, communication and related fields. Each year the topic of the course will focus on one or a combination of areas that define media systems from a comparative perspective. A complementary methodological workshop will introduce selected qualitative and quantitative research methods.

Invited lecturers will deliver keynote lectures with ample discussion opportunities. Course attendees will have extended opportunity to present and discuss their current own works with the course directors and other participants in seminar form (English language) and in further informal meetings around the beautiful old-town of Dubrovnik (UNESCO World Heritage) over 5 full working days (Monday-Friday). The working language is English. All participants will receive a Certificate of Attendance.

Venue Information:

The Inter-University Centre was founded in Dubrovnik in 1972 as an independent, autonomous academic institution with the aim of promoting international co-operation between academic institutions throughout the world. Courses are held in all scientific disciplines around the year, with participation of member and affiliated universities.

Additional Information and Application:

For further information about academic matters please contact the organizing course directors: professor Slavko Splichal, European Institute for Communication, University of Ljubljana, slavko.splichal@guest.arnes.si or professor Zrinjka Peruško, Centre for Media and Communication Research, Faculty of Political Science, University of Zagreb, zrinjka.perusko@gmail.com.

To apply for the course and for information on accommodation and venue, please contact IUC office at iuc@iuc.hr or visit the IUC website: http://iuc.hr/course-details.php?id=997