Call for Proposals

Conference aims

The conference aims to explore how the recognition of trauma reshapes:

journalistic norms, values and professional identities;

newsroom cultures, leadership and institutional responsibilities;

journalism education, pedagogy and curriculum design;

ethical frameworks guiding reporting, teaching and supervision;

collective, cultural and transnational approaches to care, resilience and responsibility.

The conference welcomes multidisciplinary perspectives and encourages dialogue between researchers, educators, and media practitioners.

Topics of interest

Topics for papers and panels may include, but are not limited to:

1. Rethinking journalistic norms after trauma

Objectivity, detachment and emotional engagement

Moral injury and ethical tensions in journalism

Trauma and professional identity

2. From individual coping to institutional responsibility

Newsroom cultures, leadership and duty of care

Freelancers, precarity and unequal exposure to trauma

Organisational policies, support mechanisms and accountability

3. Journalism education after trauma

Trauma-informed pedagogy and curriculum design

Preparing students for emotional, ethical and psychological challenges

Teaching self-care without normalising harm

4. Images, technologies and mediated trauma

Secondary trauma and exposure through visual and digital work

AI, automation and the mediation of traumatic content

Teaching and working with disturbing imagery

5. Global, cultural and comparative perspectives

Trauma in different political, cultural and conflict contexts

Global South perspectives and structural inequalities

Comparative and transnational approaches to resilience and care

Submissions

We invite proposals for individual papers and pre-formed panels.

Individual paper proposals must include:

An abstract of up to 250 words

A short biography of up to 100 words

Panel proposals must include:

A 150-word rationale for the panel

A 250-word abstract for each paper

A biography of up to 100 words for each panelist

All submissions should clearly indicate the relevance of the proposal to the conference theme.

Important dates

Abstract submission deadline: 7 April, 2026
Notification of acceptance: 30 April, 2026
Conference dates: 25-26 June 2026

About JETREG
Launched in 2020 by Ola Ogunyemi (University of Lincoln) and Lada Price (University of Sheffield), the Journalism Education Trauma Research Group (JETREG) is a thriving international research network bringing together scholars, educators and practitioners interested in trauma, emotion and wellbeing in journalism. JETREG comprises over 250 members worldwide and includes regional research hubs in Europe, North and South America, Africa, Australia/New Zealand, South Asia, East Asia and the MENA region.

Contact information
Further information about submissions and the conference will be shared in due course.
Questions may be directed to the conference organizers: submissions@jetregparis.org

Call for proposals

Common Questions

Conference overview

The Journalism Education Trauma Research Group (JETREG) is pleased to announce its 2026 International Conference, to be held in Paris in June 2026. Building on the momentum of the JETREG conferences held in Sheffield (2023) and Oklahoma City (2024), the Paris conference marks a new phase in collective reflection on trauma in journalism.

Over the past decade, research has clearly established that exposure to trauma is no longer exceptional in journalism but structural. Journalists across beats, platforms and career stages routinely encounter violence, disaster, injustice and human suffering—often without adequate preparation or institutional support. While earlier research has focused on identifying trauma, stress and their consequences, a critical question now emerges:

What changes after trauma is acknowledged as a defining condition of journalistic work?

The Paris 2026 conference invites participants to move beyond diagnosis and toward rethinking journalism, journalism education and professional cultures in the aftermath of trauma.

What is the deadline?

Proposals must be submitted by midnight, Paris Time, on April 7th 2026.

How do I submit?

Submit your proposal through the online form linked on this page. Make sure all required fields are completed.

Are there any fees?

No, submitting a proposal is completely free of charge.

When will I hear back?

We aim to notify applicants within four weeks after the deadline.