The conference theme “Rethink Impact” offers media and communication scholars from a broad range of disciplines a frame to critically assess and actively shape impact of research and education in society while fostering European values of inclusiveness, equality, diversity and fairness. 

The organisers will welcome over 1,200 in media and communication research in Aarhus and are planning a range of special events along with partners in the city and media industry. The conference shall strengthen the ties of the Aarhus research community with international networks and offer citizens of Aarhus new ways to engage with research and education in the field. The local organising committee will seek to bring the conference to the city by collaborating with cultural and industry partners in the city and region, to create points of contact and dialogue between research and the Aarhus city community.

The Local Organising Committee (LOC) is led by Christoph Raetzsch (Chair), Anne Marit Waade (Vice Chair) and Henrik Bødker (Vice Chair) from the Department of Media and Journalism Studies, and Helle Kryger Aggerholm from the Danish School of Media and Journalism (DMJX): “We are very excited and happy about ECREA 2022 coming to Aarhus. Together with our colleagues at the university and partners in the city we want to engage the European community of media and communication scholars in new ways of innovative research, collaborations and dialogues with society. Welcome to Aarhus in 2022.”

The theme of “Rethink Impact” builds on a legacy of previous initiatives and experiences around rethink when Aarhus was the European Capital of Culture in 2017, bringing together stakeholders from academia, business, civil society and policy to develop pathways to a sustainable future society. A call for papers and contributions will be published in Fall 2021.

The organisers underline their strong outreach to students in shaping the theme of the conference. The host presentation video was produced by students in the Visual Media Production Summer Course 2021 at the Department of Media and Journalism Studies and supported by Visit Aarhus. The film introduces Aarhus city life and locations, set within a story of generational encounters and interaction:

The newly elected president of ECREA, John Downey, has circulated a letter to all members, saying this:

"Nevertheless, we all missed not being able to meet in person and the benefits of speaking informally to each other, of making new friends and meeting old ones, and so I am pleased to report that preparations are in a relatively advanced stage for an in person conference (with some hybrid features) in Aarhus from October 19-22 2022."

Read more about 9th European Communication Conference in Aarhus

About ECREA
The European Communications Research and Education Association (ECREA) is the largest European association of media and communication scholars with well over 2,500 members. ECREA is organised into 24 thematic Sections, each developing a distinctive field of communication studies, 4 Temporary Working Groups which focus on emerging or underrepresented fields within media and communication studies, and 3 permanent Networks representing specific socio-demographic categories of scholars.

Contact the Local Organising Committee:

Christoph Raetzsch
craetzsch@cc.au.dk