Call for papers

June 2026 Issue
Strategic Communication in the Digital Age: Rethinking Theory, Culture, and Practice

Journal: Global Media Journal-Indian Edition

Submission Deadline: July 31, 2026

Introduction: A Field at a Crossroads

The study and practice of strategic communication are undergoing a profound transformation. Once primarily understood through the lens of corporate communication, marketing, and public relations, the field has evolved into a rich, multidimensional domain concerned with how organizations create meaning, manage change, and sustain themselves in complex environments. Foundational scholars have long challenged narrow, rationalistic models of strategic decision-making, arguing that strategic choices are neither objective nor value-free, but are instead deeply embedded in cultural assumptions, gendered practices, and symbolic processes (Gagliardi, 1986; Hatch, 1997; Pfeffer, 1997). As Holtzhausen (2005) and others have noted, strategic communication carries the potential not merely for organizational efficiency but for inclusivity, ethical engagement, and the very constitution of management as a communicative practice.

Today, these foundational concerns are being radically intensified by the conditions of the digital age. The proliferation of media platforms, the fragmentation of audiences, and the erosion of traditional boundaries between internal and external communication have rendered the organizational environment more volatile and more contested than ever. Organizations now operate in a postmodern world characterized by virtuality, international interconnectedness, and the constant negotiation of meaning across cultural and linguistic borders (Habermas, 1979). In this context, strategic communication can no longer be understood as the deliberate transmission of messages from a centralized source; it must be examined as a dynamic, constitutive activity in which unintended consequences, stakeholder agency, and symbolic struggles shape organizational outcomes.

This special issue responds to the urgent need to theorize strategic communication anew. Drawing inspiration from the rich intellectual traditions outlined in foundational texts—including the emphasis on culture and change, the critique of gender and power in organizational discourse, the symbolic management of meaning, and the imperative to engage diverse stakeholders—we invite scholars to contribute to a mature, rigorous, and critically aware body of knowledge. As Kuhn (1970) observed, a field matures when it develops predictive theory, consistently achieves success, and demands the highest degree of talent and devotion. This special issue seeks to advance strategic communication toward precisely such maturity, with the digital age as its defining context.

Themes and Areas of Inquiry

We welcome conceptual, empirical, historical, and critical scholarship that engages with the following themes. Submissions may draw from corporate communication, marketing, advertising, public relations, organizational behavior, and related disciplines.

Theme 1: Culture, Change, and Digital Transformation
Theme 2: Gender, Language, and Power in Strategic Communication
Theme 3: Symbolic Management and Visual Narrative
Theme 4: Stakeholder Engagement, Inclusivity, and Organizational Survival
Theme 5: International, Virtual, and Cross-Cultural Communication
Theme 6: The Humanistic Dimensions of Strategic Communication
Theme 7: Emerging Contexts: Public Diplomacy, Social Marketing, and Beyond

Submission Information

Contact Information
Submissions and inquiries should be directed to:
Email: media.research@manipal.edu





Call for Papers: Special Issue Dec 26

Global Media Journal – Global Editions

Media and Communication Policy in a Shifting Global Landscape

The various editions of the Global Media Journal invite submissions for a special issue dedicated to exploring the evolving field of media and communication policy and its multifaceted impact on media and platform regulation, public discourse, political and cultural values, as well as academic research across global contexts.

In an era marked by platform capitalism, algorithmic governance, and surveillance infrastructures, media and communication policies are undergoing rapid and often contentious transformation. These changes are reshaping how media systems operate and what freedom of expression means. At the same time, these changes are also influencing the epistemological foundations of media research and the role of scholars in policy-making processes.

This issue seeks to foster a transnational dialogue on how media and communication policies—while shaped by distinct regional legal, political, and cultural frameworks—converge around shared concerns such as press freedom, data privacy, platform accountability, and the regulation of misinformation or the protection of minors.

Key Themes and Questions:

We welcome submissions from scholars across disciplines and regions, especially those engaging with critical, intersectional, and innovative approaches to media and communication policy on any of the following—but not limited to – communication policy challenges:

This call is jointly issued for the Australian, Canadian, German, Indian, and Turkish editions of the Global Media Journal. Each edition welcomes submissions that adhere to its respective style guide, language(s), and format (see details below). Regional focus areas are not limited to the countries represented by these editions. The special issue will be published in late 2026 as separate country editions, each connected to the others to enable context-sensitive and comparative perspectives. Prospective authors are strongly encouraged to submit their manuscripts in English.

Submission Guidelines for December, 2026 edition:

Important Dates:

Contact Information
Submissions and inquiries should be directed to:
Email: media.research@manipal.edu