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ICA GCSC: Calls for Best Book & Best Dissertation Awards 2026
ICA GCSC: Calls for Best Book & Best Dissertation Awards 2026
admin_gcsc
January 22, 2026
11:38 am

We are excited to announce that the GCSC Division is now accepting nominations for its Best Book and Best Dissertation Awards for 2026.

ICA Global Communication and Social Change Division – Call for Best Book Award 2026

The Division for Global Communication and Social Change (GCSC) invites nominations for its Best Book Award.

Eligibility

  • The award recognizes a sole-authored or jointly authored book. Edited or co-edited volumes are not eligible.
  • Eligible books must have been published between January 1, 2024, and December 31, 2025.
  • At least one author must be a current member of GCSC at the time of nomination. Membership must be up to date for the book to be eligible.
  • While ICA is an international organization, books must be submitted in English or in an English translation to receive full consideration.

The nominated book should represent a major scholarly contribution to one or more research areas aligned with the mission of the GCSC division.

Nomination Materials

Each nomination must be submitted as one complete nomination packet and include the following materials, consistent with ICA General Nomination Guidelines:

  1. A signed nomination letter from the nominator (who may not be a nominated author), clearly explaining:
    • Why the book merits the award;
    • Its significance to fields represented by GCSC;
    • The quality of its writing, argumentation, and empirical or theoretical evidence.
  2. A signed supporting letter from one additional individual (who may not be a nominated author), addressing similar evaluative criteria.
  3. The curriculum vitae of the nominated author(s), including a complete list of publications.
  4. All available independent evidence of the book’s quality, such as published reviews.
  5. A copy of the full book for the award committee’s review. E-books or PDFs are acceptable.

Submission Process

All materials must be submitted electronically in a single nomination packet. Submissions should be emailed to the Division Chair:

Wenhong Chen
erika.wenhongchen@ntu.edu.sg

Submission deadline: Feb 28, 2026 (11:59 pm GMT)

Nomination packets may be prepared and submitted by one individual, including the author, the nominator, or the publisher.

Attendance Requirement

At least one nominated author must commit to attending the ICA Annual Conference in person in June 2026, including participation in the GCSC division business meeting, should the book receive the award.

GCSC Division Mission

The Division for Global Communication and Social Change exists to encourage and debate research on issues of production, distribution, content and reception of communications at global, "glocal," transnational, transcultural, international and regional levels. Within this purview it encompasses work across a wide variety of theoretical and methodological approaches, concerning communication in cultural, economic, political or social contexts, including strategic communication for development, social change or social justice.

ICA Global Communication and Social Change Division – Call for Best Dissertation Award 2026

The Division for Global Communication and Social Change (GCSC) is soliciting nominations for its Best Dissertation Award.

The award honors a dissertation successfully defended in the two calendar years preceding the nomination deadline, that is, between January 1, 2024, and December 31, 2025. Nominated dissertations will be evaluated on the importance of the problem addressed, the strength and appropriateness of the evidence, and the significance of the conclusions, all in relation to the mission of the GCSC division (see below). The review committee will also consider the soundness of methodology, the quality of writing and argumentation, and the content of the nominating materials.

Nomination Package

A complete nomination package must include:

  1. A letter of nomination (maximum 2 pages) addressing the award criteria outlined above and the division’s mission statement.
  2. The nominee’s curriculum vitae.
  3. No more than two sample chapters, one of which must be either the introductory or concluding chapter.
  4. One additional letter of recommendation (maximum 2 pages), preferably from the dissertation supervisor or a committee member, addressing the same award criteria. This letter is optional but encouraged.

Eligibility and Submission

All nomination packages must be prepared and submitted by one individual and may be submitted by either the nominee or the nominator.

The nominee must be a current member of the GCSC division and must commit to attending the ICA Annual Conference in person in June 2026, including participation in the division’s business meeting and reception, should they receive the award.

All materials must be submitted electronically and emailed to the Division Vice Chair:

Dr. Dani Madrid-Morales
d.madrid-morales@sheffield.ac.uk

The submission deadline is February 28, 2026 (11:59 pm GMT).

GCSC Division Mission

The Division for Global Communication and Social Change encourages and advances research on the production, distribution, content, and reception of communication at global, glocal, transnational, transcultural, international, and regional levels. The division encompasses a wide range of theoretical and methodological approaches addressing communication in cultural, economic, political, and social contexts, including strategic communication for development, social change, and social justice.

Category : Awards