Call for Applications

The Department of Social and Political Sciences of the University of Milan (Italy) and the Political Communication Division of the International Communication Association (ICA) seek applications for its co-organized 8th edition of the International Summer School in Political Communication that will be held 8-13 July 2024 in Milan.

The “Milan Summer School” addresses theoretical and empirical questions at the intersection of political communication and political sociology, with a special focus on the relationship between political communication, media coverage, and political participation and democracy. This year’s theme is: “Political Communication and Conflict.” Lecturers will address key concepts and phenomena vis-à-vis a host of contemporary contexts, including elections and war. They will speak to the construction and processing of mediated (conflict-based) content and their implications for citizens and society at large.

The Summer School gathers internationally renowned academics to engage with students. Confirmed speakers include Scott Althaus (U of Illinois), Michael Chan (Chinese U of Hong Kong), Kimberly Gross (George Washington U), Kate Kenski (U of Arizona), Patricia Moy (U of Washington), Eike Mark Rinke (Leeds U), Sebastián Valenzuela (U Católica de Chile), Karin Wahl-Jorgensen (U of Cardiff), Brian Weeks (U of Michigan), Moran Yarchi (Reichman U).

Similarly, participants from previous years have hailed from a multitude of countries: Australia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, India, Italy, Latvia, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, South Africa, Sweden, The Netherlands, Turkey, UK, USA, among others.

Building on the experience of the last 15 years, the 2024 Summer School offers a unique opportunity for 30 PhD candidates and early-career academics in communication, sociology, psychology and political science:

• to attend an intensive, six-day program that consists of lectures, master classes, paper presentations and mentoring sessions, and
• to build long-lasting personal and scholarly relations in a celebrated friendly and productive environment.

Participation will be on a competitive basis. Candidates interested in applying to the Milan Summer School should submit a three-page research proposal or an extended abstract of a research paper on issues broadly related to political communication. Submissions should include the name, email address, institutional affiliation, a brief bio (max. 200 words) mentioning main research interests and ongoing projects, and a recommendation letter. An international selection committee will review the applications.

• Application deadline: 29 February
• Notification of acceptance: 09 April
• Registration deadline: 24 May

Enrollment fee: € 900 (covers accommodation, lunches, welcome and farewell dinners). A number of travel grants are available. See how to apply here.