CALL FOR PAPERS

• Indian Edition

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  Global Media Journal-Indian Edition

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  Topic: Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) for Development

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  Although of much recent origin, one has witnessed a rapid increase in the growth of Information and Communication Technologies in developing nations. India has been one such developing nation that made a giant leap in a span of a decade from that of being a predominantly agricultural society to that of an information society.
  
  Although a much-debated issue, neither the concept of development nor that of ICTs has been over the hill, due to the dynamic nature of the dissemination and use of these technological advancements in our day-to-day life. The myth of developmental issues remaining only in the realm of rural life is also being broken with the tremendous pressure and effect these changes are having on the urban population. Thus, if we are witnessing a spate of suicides due to crop failures by farmers of almost all states, we are also being mute spectators in the midnight drama being played out in the BPOs, in the name of outsourcing, to serve in real time, the overseas customers. They do concern two vulnerable sections of the population, viz., the rural populace and the women, who are faced with glaring disadvantages, in a predominantly male dominated urban centric society. On the flip side we might be witnesses to success stories due to the power of Information and the use of technology in varied areas of education, agriculture and other organised and non-organised sectors.
  
  What exactly constitutes development and how Information and Communication are playing a part in this, is the broad area of concern in this maiden issue of our journal, Global Media Journal (GMJ).
  
  The papers could be conceptual or field based in nature, and can discuss any of the areas that impact the social, cultural and political life of an individual, or an organisation, while governmental policies in terms of Information and technology could also be another challenging area that can be addressed.
  
  What would be the future of our society, with the Right to Information Bill being passed on the one hand and the ‘knowledge gap’ between the ‘haves’ and ‘have-nots’ increasing at a tremendous pace on the other, is another contentious area that requires some debate.
  
  While this could form the broad base for the issue, the authors are welcome to diversify and include any of the areas they deem fit to be included under the head of ‘ICTs and development'. The underlying statement being of course that it is in the Indian context.
  
  
  
  The journal: The first issue of Global Media Journal, devoted to exploring the world of communication, was launched online in fall of 2002. Since then, this groundbreaking publication has steadily and firmly established itself as a journal to address diverse interests of students, teachers, scholars, researchers, and institutions engaged in international activities, particularly communication.
  
  Global Media Journal publishes works that assess existing media structures and practices, such as global media concentration, globalization of TV genres, global media and consumer culture, the role of media in democratic governance and global justice, propaganda, media reception and cultural practice, commercialization of news, new media technologies, media regulations, regional media, alternative media, and other timely issues.
  
  Global Media Journal is published in Arabic, English, Chinese, Spanish, (in print format) and is now currently starting the online Indian edition. It is advised by an editorial board of prominent International Communication scholars from throughout the world. It publishes refereed papers, media analysis, and book reviews. It also offers an opportunity to graduate students to publish their work.
  
  Global Media Journal is published bi-annually and is hosted by the Department of Communication and Creative Arts at Purdue University Calumet, Hammond, Indiana, USA. It is also the official publication of the Global Fusion Consortium (http://www.globalfusion.siu.edu/). It publishes a selected number of refereed and non-refereed papers presented at the annual conference of GFC. However, views expressed in this Journal are not necessarily endorsed by the editors and/or Purdue University Calumet.
  
  The Managing Editor of GMJ is Prof. Yahya Kamalipour of Purdue University, Department of Communication and Creative Arts, USA. The editor of the Indian edition of GMJ is Prof. Buroshiva Dasgupta, Director, Manipal Institute of Communication, MAHE, Manipal 576104. E-mail: buroshiva.dasgupta@manipal.edu.
  
  
  
  Submission procedure: GMJ encourages media scholars, media professionals, and graduate students to submit scholarly articles, critical essays, graduate research results, book reviews, and opinion pieces--related to the global communication--from throughout the world.
  
  All scholarly articles should adhere to the following guidelines:
  
  · Articles and essays must be written according to the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, latest edition.
  
  · Articles should include: (a) article title, (b) author name/s, (c) current position/affiliation, (d) brief biography, (e) email and mail addresses, (f) a brief abstract, and (g) the URL for author/s' personal web page, all in a separate page.
  
  · Submissions must be in camera-ready format and include tables, graphs, charts, etc. within the text.
  
  · Although there is no absolute limit on length, submitted papers should be confined to approximately 7000 words.
  
  · Authors are expected to carefully proofread their work before submission.
  
  · Articles that do not conform to the stated submission guideline will be returned to author/s for revisions.
  
  · Authors are responsible for obtaining any necessary permission from copyright holders for reproducing previously published material, including charts, graphs, photos, tables, etc.
  
  · Authors should consider including links to any references, web pages, or sites related to their work (this is a strong advantage of electronic publications).
  
  · Manuscripts must be submitted to the Guest Editor electronically via email, CD, or HD disc in Microsoft Word, Word Perfect, or text format. The email to which articles for the Indian edition are to be sent is: mic.gmj@manipal.edu.
  
  
  
  Scholarly articles will go through a blind peer review process while other submissions (invited papers and commentaries) will be reviewed by the GMJ editor.
  
  Invited articles may vary in length but should follow the above guideline. Authors are highly encouraged to include related and useful web links in their work. This would certainly allow the Journal to maximize its potential by offering authors, readers, researchers, students, and professionals immediate access to a wide range of existing electronic resources and web sites!
  
  Deadlines: Contributors to the scholarly section are expected to send a proposal for their article in not more than 250 words before August 15, 2005. Once approved, final drafts will have to be submitted before October 31, 2005.
   

Prof. Buroshiva Dasgupta, Editor

Global Media Journal—Indian Edition

Director, Manipal Institute of Communication

MAHE, Manipal, INDIA 576104

E-mail: buroshiva.dasgupta@manipal.edu