Maha Bashri, Associate Professor of Media and Communication at The Africa Institute, Global Studies University, and Director of Research and Programming at Global Studies University, led a half-day preconference titled “Beyond the Divide: Global South Agendas for a Plural Journalism Studies” at the 76th Annual Conference of the International Communication Association (ICA), held from June 4 to June 8, 2026 in Cape Town, South Africa.
The ICA Annual Conference is one of the largest international gatherings in the field of communication studies. The 2026 edition marked the first time the conference was held on the African continent, providing a setting for scholarly exchange across diverse global contexts.
Held on June 4, 2026 at the University of Cape Town, the preconference convened 11 invited scholars from regional knowledge hubs for a participatory knowledge lab focused on journalism studies. The session was structured around three interconnected strands: theorizing from Southern concepts, developing equitable collaboration models, and rethinking publishing infrastructures and access.
The initiative was sponsored by The Africa Institute, Global Studies University, with institutional recognition included in the official conference program.
As part of the ICA Annual Conference series, future editions are scheduled as follows: Glasgow, United Kingdom (June 3–7, 2027); Bangkok, Thailand (June 15–19, 2028); and Chicago, United States (May 24–28, 2029).
