The Twenty-Third Annual Convention of the Media Ecology Association
Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
July 7–10, 2022
“Dewey opens an important chapter in Experience and Nature with the seemingly preposterous claim that ‘of all things communication is the most wonderful.’ …The object, then, of recasting our studies of communication in term of a ritual model is not only to more firmly grasp the essence of this ‘wonderful’ process, but to give us a way in which to rebuild a model of and for communication of some restorative value in reshaping our common culture.” (James W. Carey, 1989)
The annual meeting of the MEA provides an opportunity for our community of scholars, educators, professionals and practioners to exchange experiences and ideas in a friendly environment. Participants at MEA conventions address a wide diversity of topics in our programs, and before our submission deadline on March 25, we encouraged submissions that explore media ecological approaches from any number of different disciplines and fields of knowledge and social practice. We were interested in papers, thematic panels, roundtable discussion panels, creative projects, performance sessions, and other proposals of interest to media ecologists.
While we were open to explorations on any topic of interest to media ecologists, we also included a convention theme with the aim of generating further discussion and probes involving multiple perspectives. Submissions did not have to address the theme, but were invited to do so.
The theme of the 2022 convention is Celebration. A long period of turmoil has seen social division, self-isolation and perpetual stress become our daily norm. Through the various conflicts and trials, it has been the strength of our relationships and associations that have sustained us. Resilience is more than an individual trait. It is the product of self-care and mutual concern. The so-called “good life” includes our ability to individually and collectively endure great challenges, while reminding ourselves that joy must not be inhibited by the obstacles in our way. We continue to celebrate our accomplishments and our associations as an affirmative enterprise in making and remaking this human condition. The annual Media Ecology Association Convention helps our community mark these important milestones, celebrating our hard work and our commitment to one another. This is true in any year, but in particular in these times it is vital to raise up this sensibility and center it as a cause in our 2022 proceedings.
General topics of interest related to the convention theme (but not limited to):
- Community Life
- Rituals of Celebration and Affirmation
- Technology as a Connecting Agent
- Art and the Expression of Joy
- Education and the Learning of Resilience
- Surviving the Maelstrom…and Thriving
- Positive Psychology and Media Ecology
- Science and Sanity: General Semantics
Featured Speakers
Tiffany Shlain
The Neil Postman Award for Career Achievement in Public Intellectual Activity
Tiffany Shlain is an Emmy-nominated filmmaker, speaker, bestselling author, and founder of The Webby Awards. She has received over 80 awards and distinctions for her films and work, including selection for the Albert Einstein Foundation’s initiative Genius: 100 Visions for the Future, being on NPR’s list of Best Commencement Speeches, and being named by Newsweek as “one of the women shaping the 21st century.” She is the recipient for the 2021 Creating The Future Award from the Maui Film Festival. The Museum of Modern Art in New York premiered her live, one-woman “Spoken Cinema” show Dear Human right before the pandemic.
Tiffany’s book 24/6: The Power of Unplugging One Day a Week was published by Simon & Schuster’s Gallery Books and has been featured in the New York Times, Harvard Business Review, and the Washington Post. 24/6 received the MEA’s Marshall McLuhan Award for Outstanding Book in the Field of Media Ecology in 2020, a starred review from Publisher’s Weekly, and was included on bestseller lists including Best Business Books, Top Tech Books, the Library Journal national bestseller list, and Best High Tech Audio Books. 24/6 explores her family’s decade-long, transformative practice of turning off screens one day each week for what they call their Technology Shabbats; the past, present and future of technology; and the effects our 24/7 world has on individuals, our relationships, and our society.
To learn more, visit https://www.tiffanyshlain.com.
★
Paul A. Soukup, SJ
The Walter J. Ong Award for Career Achievement in Scholarship
Paul A. Soukup, S.J., has explored the connections between communication and theology since 1982. His publications include Communication and Theology (1983); Christian Communication: A Bibliographical Survey (1989), Media, Culture, and Catholicism (1996), Mass Media and the Moral Imagination with Philip J. Rossi (1994), and Fidelity and Translation: Communicating the Bible in New Media with Robert Hodgson (1999). This latter publication grows out of his work on the American Bible Society’s New Media Bible. In addition, he and Thomas J. Farrell have edited four volumes of the collected works of Walter J. Ong, S.J., Faith and Contexts (1992–1999). These volumes have led him to examine more closely how orality-literacy studies can contribute to an understanding of theological expression. Most recently, he has published a book of Biblical meditations on communication, Out of Eden: 7 Ways God Restores Blocked Communication (2006) and edited a collection of essays applying Ong’s thought, Of Ong & Media Ecology: Essays in Communication, Composition, and Literary Studies (2012).
A graduate of the University of Texas at Austin (Ph.D., 1985), Soukup holds the Pedro Arrupe, S.J., university endowed professorship and teaches in the Communication Department at Santa Clara University. Fr. Soukup has served on the Boards of Trustees of the American Bible Society and Loyola University of New Orleans; on the Communication Committee of the U.S. Catholic Conference; and holds membership in the Religious Communication Association, the National Communication Association, and the Media Ecology Association.
Program
Download a PDF version of the final program (10 MB) for our 2022 convention.
Travel Info
Flights
The Media Ecology Association offers the following examples to help guide your search for airfare at the best rates. As of late February 2022, flights from New York and Toronto or Winnipeg reflect the following pricing.
NYC → RIO
- 1 stop Copa Airlines: US$ 700-800
- 1 stop American/United: US$ 900
Toronto/Winnipeg → RIO
- 2 stops United + AirCanada: US$ 700
Hotels
Convention planners have partnered with a group of hotels to host MEA convention participants. They are offering a special discount at the following three hotels:
- Miramar by Windsor
- Windsor California
- Windsor Excelsior
The discount period for accommodations is reserved from July 1–17, 2022.
To make a reservation, go to https://windsorhoteis.com.
In order to secure the convention discount, enter the following code in all caps: MEA.
Note: The discount code will only apply to the three hotels listed above, not to all Windsor hotels.
Each hotel fits different budgets and profiles, but we are sure convention participants will be nicely lodged in any one of them. All are located near Copacabana Beach and are relatively close to PUC-Rio. Convention organizers will provide transportation from the airport to the hotels and from the hotels to the convention site at PUC-Rio every morning.
Rio de Janeiro, of course, has plenty of other options for accommodation. If you wish to stay elsewhere, for ease of transport during the convention we recommend looking for accommodation near Copacabana, Ipanema, or Leblon.
Some hotels of interest include:
Pestana Copacabana (4 stars)
Avenida Atlântica, 2964, 22070-000, Copacabana
Free cancellation
Breakfast included
from US$ 99/night
Sol Ipanema Hotel (4 stars)
Avenida Vieira Souto 320, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 22420-004, Brazil
Complimentary buffet breakfast
from US$ 140/night
Ritz Leblon (4 Stars)
Av. Ataulfo de Paiva, 1280 - Leblon, Rio de Janeiro - RJ, 22440-031
Breakfast included
from US$ 115/night
Promenade Palladium (4 stars)
Rua General Artigas, 200 - Leblon, Rio de Janeiro, 22441-140, Brazil
Cancellation allowed
Breakfast included
from US$ 138/night
Windsor Palace Copacabana (4 stars)
Rua Domingos Ferreira, 6 . RJ, 22050-010
Free cancellation
Breakfast included
from US$ 60/night
Ibis Copacabana Posto 5 (3 stars)
Free cancellation
Breakfast included
from US$ 42/night
Chez Lagarto Hostel Ipanema
Rua Paul Redfern, 41 - Ipanema
from US$ 30/night
El Misti Hostel Ipanema
Free cancellation
from US$ 16/night
Here is some additional travel information you may find useful:
- Convention organizers, as mentioned, will provide transportation for MEA convention participants from Galeão International Airport (GIG) to the three Windsor hotels listed above.
- During the convention, as mentioned, there will be transportation between the three hotels listed above and PUC-Rio in the morning.
- No visa is required to visit Brazil.
- PUC-Rio still has COVID restrictions, so it is important to have proof of immunization and a mask, as one or both may be needed.
- In the Southern Hemisphere, July happens in Winter. But in Rio de Janeiro, winter is mild, temperatures range from 19 to 25 degrees Celsius (66–77°F).
Registration
Registration costs are as follows:
- MEA regular member: $125
- Student member: $45
- Non-member: $225
- Non-member student: $50
Convention registration entitles you to attend all convention panels, plenaries, and special sessions. All prices are listed in U.S. dollars. Sustaining and Institutional members don’t have to pay for the convention, but they still must register for it by clicking the “Register now” button above.
All convention participants and attendees are encouraged to join the MEA.
Any payment questions should be directed to our treasurer Paul Soukup at treasurer@media-ecology.net or +1 (408) 554-4022.
Please email the convention planners at MEA2022Convention@gmail.com if you have any other questions and stay tuned for more!