LAGOS STATE UNIVERSITY, SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATION, OJO
ORGANIZES: 5 TH IDOWU SOBOWALE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE, 2021
THEME: MEDIA, PUBLIC OPINION AND GOVERNANCE IN AFRICA
Date: 29th March – 2nd April, 2021
Venue: School of Communication, Lagos State University
1. About Idowu Sobowale Conference
The First Idowu Sobowale International Conference was organised in 2009 to create the forum for regular dialogue on different aspects of intellectual and professional interventions of Professor Idowu Sobowale in media, journalism and public communication. Notable themes addressed at past conferences include:
“Media, Governance and Development” (hosted by the Department of Mass Communication, Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago Iwoye, Ogun State, 2009).
“150 Years of Journalism: telling the Nigerian Story” (held at Caleb University, Imota, 2011)
“Globalization, Media Entertainment and National Development” (Covenant University, Ota, Nigeria, 2015); and
Media, Integration, Peace-building and Intercultural Dialogue in Africa (Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leon, October, 2017)
The 5 th Idowu Sobowale International Conference has therefore been put together to dialogue on: Media, public opinion and governance in
Africa. The 2021 Conference provides unique opportunities for scholars, media professionals, veterans, contemporaries and academic disciples of Professor Idowu Sobowale to celebrate the legend as he marks his 80 the Birthday anniversary (29 th March 2021) and dilate on a subject matter of opinion polling that the Icon has globally distinguished himself. The choice of the venue is equally spectacular because Professor Idowu Sobowale served both as one of the founding fathers as well as the pioneer Dean of the Lagos State University School of Communication (LASUSOC).
2. Justification
There is a general assumption that public opinion is the cornerstone of democracy. In today’s world, citizen participation in the democratic processis among other, through deliberation and discussion. Hence, just as the news, which may be its carrier, public opinion could works as “an agent of representative democracy, documenting as well as legitimizing this form of political process as a working reality”, as well as “a resource for theaudience in a rather more participatory form of democracy” (Jensen, 1992, pp. 219-220).
With increase in population and the complexity of today’s societies, direct citizen participation in the form of town-hall meetings (the Greek agora) has become nearly impossible. Hence, the institution of representative democracy where the parliament has assumed a forum for expressing public opinion and forging consensus on public policy.
The other institution that has come to replace direct citizen participation isthe mass media in its various forms. The mass media have assumed the main public site for expression of public opinion. Haberma’s concept of the public sphere, despite the criticisms it has been subjected to, indicate the important role of the media in the formation and expression of public opinion. The mass media are expected to serve as a forum for the expression of diverse, plural and multiple views and voices.
There is another way of apprehending public opinion; public opinion poll. This has become very common and important as political actors adopt more marketing communication tools in their attempts to seek public support for their policies, candidates, beliefs and ideologies.
Whether through the media, parliament or public opinion polls active attempts are made by diverse social group to also “manufacture consent” through the generation of “public opinion”. It must however be noted that despite its popularity in every day discourse and importance in the process of politics and governance or probably because of this, the concept has attracted a lot of definitional problems as many concepts in the social sciences.
Public opinion has not received adequate attention by Nigerian media and communication scholars as an important area of study. This gap must be filled as democratic governance takes root in the country and Nigerians continue to engage in the process through the country’s robust though irreverent and cantankerous public sphere.
3. Conference Sub-Themes:
Public opinion polling, governance and emerging democracies in Africa
Propaganda and public opinion
Social media, public opinion and the public sphere
Public opinion research in Africa
Theories of public opinion
Public opinion and political campaigns
Social marketing and industry of public opinion
Journalism and public opinion
Public opinion and political campaigns
Advertising, public relations and public opinion
History of public opinion
Citizen access broadcasting and public opinion
Public opinion in the digital age
Fake news, hate speech and public opinion
Media and information literacy (MIL) and public opinion
Scientific journalism and opinion polling
4. Keynote Speaker: Professor Adigun Agbaje, PhD
5. Who to Attend:
Communication Scholars/Researchers
Professionals in the Media Industry
Post Graduate Students in Communication and related programmes
Marketing Communication Professionals
Corporate bodies
Policy makers, regulatory agencies in communications sector
Policy makers and regulatory bodies
Media professional bodies- NIJ, NIPR, AAAN, NIMARK, Etc
6. Important Dates:
Abstract submission deadline: March 15 th 2021
PowerPoint Presentation submission during the Conference
Full paper submission: Date for corrected full paper will be announced after the Conference
7. Payment for Registration: March 15th 2021
8. CONFERENCE FEE: N10,000.00 , PAYABLE TO: FIRST CITY MONUMENT BANK (FCMB) ACCOUNT NAME: IDOWU SOBOWALE
CONFERENCE, ACCOUNT NUMBER: 0501974025
Fee for Foreign participants: $50
9. Deliverables:
Full paper presentations will, amongst other deliverables, be considered for inclusion as chapters in a book to be edited by eminent professors in Media and Communication studies, in the tradition of previous conferences hosted to honour Professor Idowu
Sobowale.
10. Participants are hereby invited to submit abstracts in not more than 200 words on the theme/ sub-themes and or direct further
enquiries to:
sobowale.conference@gmail.com or rotimi.olatunji@lasu.edu.ng
11. Contact Persons:
1. Professor Rotimi Olatunji, PhD, arpa, MNIPR, Chairman, Idowu Sobowale International Conference Committee, Department of Public Relations & Advertising, School of Communication, Lagos State University, Ojo, Lagos, Nigeria (+234- 8034716840)
Or
2. Dr. Omolade Atofojomo Department of Broadcasting,School of Communication, Lagos State University, Ojo, Lagos, Nigeria (+234 8035871801)
OTHER DETAILS WILL BE PUBLISHED AS EVENTS UNFOLD
