Deadline extended: CFP: Participatory Politics? Conference of the PSA Political Marketing Group

[Jenny]

CFP: Participatory Politics? Conference of the PSA Political Marketing
Group

Kingston University
10 - 11 May 2012

Participatory Politics? Relationships, Partnerships and Co-Creation in
Politics: the Gap between Theory and Practice

It has been suggested that the connection between citizens and those
seeking to govern is now broken, displaced by a culture of consumerism
and an obsession with celebrity culture. This is a global phenomenon.

The decline of partisan attachment to agents of the political
establishment or participation in democratic processes is visible in
nations across the world. However, this apparent disengagement does
not appear to signal the death of engagement as we find a variety of
types of political participation occurring, demonstrating that under
the right conditions citizens can be mobilised into political
activism.

Accordingly both marketing and public relations theory have moved on
from instrumental concerns with the dissemination of information and
messages, to the co-creational approach where voters and politicians
are the co-creators of shared interpretations and objectives. Yet,
political communications remains largely one-way and relationships
with political parties and governments asymmetrical.

Through a combination of panels and round table discussions featuring
both academic and practitioners, this conference explores the nature
of relationships between citizens and their elected representatives
and considers how the future may necessitate a more partnership based
and co-created politics.

We want to examine the concept of political engagement and the extent
to which existing channels meet the needs of citizens and invite
papers that respond to the follow questions:

• What does ‘political engagement’ really mean in the twenty-first
century?
• What are the root causes of political disengagement and have the use
of
• PR and political marketing techniques actually undermined the
political system as it stands today?
• Are citizens likely to demand more access to the political process
and how do we understand these demands?
• Can political organisations give a greater say over decisions while
retaining identity?
• Is there a movement towards alternative mechanisms for having a
voice?
• Due to the asymmetry, is democratic politics under threat from
alternative protest movements and, looking to the future, can
developments in technology facilitate relationships and partnerships
in the political arena?
•
We invite paper proposals of no more than 1,000 words that explore
aspects of the questions posed above. Papers can cover any aspect of
the relationships between citizens and politics and use theories from
any relevant discipline: political marketing, political communication,
political science, sociology and psychology

A number of the best papers will be selected for publication in a
special edition of the International Journal of Nonprofit and
Voluntary Sector Marketing.

Deadline for abstract submission: 13th February 2012
Email to send abstracts to: politicalma...@gmail.com