07/29/2025

2026 ECA Convention Political Communication Interest Group Call for Submissions

Call for Submissions 
Political Communication Interest Group 
The 117th Annual Convention of the Eastern Communication Association
Emergence  
Sheraton Station Square, Pittsburgh, PA  

April 9 – 12, 2026  

Submission Deadline: October 19, 2025, 11:59 pm PST

Pittsburgh will be the site for the 2026 annual convention of the Eastern Communication Association. Pittsburgh has emerged anew as a bustling hub for technology, healthcare, and education. Its affordability; robust sports culture; and bustling arts, entertainment, and food scenes have now made it one of the country’s “most livable” cities. 

Please join us at the Sheraton Station Square, Pittsburgh, PA from April 9-12, 2026, for the 117th ECA annual convention. 

The Political Communication Interest Group invites paper and panel submissions for ECA’s 117th Annual Convention. The 2026 convention theme is Emergence. You are encouraged to bring your creative take on:

• How can/will/must our discipline emerge in the context of the current political landscape? 
• How can understanding the historical roots of political communication strategies help shape more effective approaches to contemporary political challenges?
• In what ways can political communication serve as a bridge between theory and practice, contributing to broader public discourse and democratic engagement?
• What emerging ideas, frameworks, or rhetorical approaches in political communication help us better understand today's polarized and rapidly evolving media landscape?
• How are evolving technologies—such as AI, social media algorithms, and digital platforms—reshaping political messaging, campaigning, and public persuasion?
• What current trends are redefining the practice, teaching, or study of political communication in both academic and real-world contexts?

ECA utilizes Attendee Interactive to manage submissions and reviews. This is the direct link for submitting to ECA 2026 https://ww4.aievolution.com/eca2601/.To submit your work, you will be prompted to log in using ECA-specific credentials or prompted to create a new account.

Competitive Papers

Submissions of completed papers should be no more than 25 pages, excluding title page, abstract, references, and appendices. Completed papers should be written in accordance with standards set by the Chicago Manual of Style, the American Psychological Association (APA), or the Modern Language Association (MLA). All submissions of completed papers should be uploaded to Attendee Interactive and include the following:

When submitting a paper, complete the following Attendee Interactive fields: 

• Title  
• Author/s  
• Abstract  
• Categories: Indicate if student and/or debut paper.
• Additional Information:
  • Scheduling & Special Requests: Please identify any accommodations associated with physical or religious needs that may impact scheduling. .  
• Documents: Upload Main Document (Must be BLIND. Accepted file types are Word and PDF.) 
  • At the bottom of the cover page, please include the following statement of professional responsibility: In submitting the attached paper, I/We recognize that this submission is considered a professional responsibility. I/We agree to present this paper if it is accepted and programmed. I/We further recognize that all who attend and present at ECA’s annual meeting must register and pay required fees.

When submitting a panel, complete the following Attendee Interactive fields:

• Title  
• Chair/Respondents  
• Abstracts: Add individual presentation titles, descriptions, and presenters
• Panel Description  
• Rationale  
• Documents: Upload any relevant documents. (Must be BLIND. Accepted file types are Word and PDF.)  
  • In the document, please include the following statement of professional responsibility: In submitting the attached proposal, I/We recognize that this submission is considered a professional responsibility. I/We agree to present this panel if it is accepted and programmed. I/We further recognize that all who attend and present at ECA’s annual meeting must register and pay required fees.
• Additional Information:
  • Scheduling & Special Requests: Please identify any accommodations associated with physical or religious needs that may impact scheduling. 

When submitting a round table, complete the following Attendee Interactive fields:

• Title  
• Participants: Enter Chair and Featured Expert/s information  
• Round Table Description (100 words or less)  
• Rationale  
• Documents: Upload any relevant documents. (Must be BLIND. Accepted file types are Word and PDF.)  
  • In the document, please include the following statement of professional responsibility: In submitting the attached proposal, I/We recognize that this submission is considered a professional responsibility. I/We agree to present if it is accepted and programmed. I/We further recognize that all who attend and present at ECA’s annual meeting must register and pay required fees.
• Additional Information:
  • Scheduling & Special Requests: Please identify any accommodations associated with physical or religious needs that may impact scheduling.  
  • Target Audience: Describe the intended audience, including who would most benefit from attending.

Technology A/V Availability
The 2026 Convention will be fully equipped with technology capabilities. A projector, screen, sound, wireless mouse and slide advancer, and Wi-Fi will be available in all breakout rooms. Presenters must supply their own laptop. Google Slides and PowerPoint templates featuring the convention theme and logo are available on the convention tab of the website. We encourage all attendees to take full advantage of these resources to create engaging presentations

For questions about submissions to the Political Communication Interest Group, please contact the Political Communication Interest Group Program Planner (Danielle Mehlman-Brightwell, University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg) via email for further information: drm153@pitt.edu

Convention Acceptance Notifications: January 2026