“Cinema and Visual Media on the Images of Nations”

A joint international conference of the Korean Association for Public Diplomacy, Hanyang Graduate School of Cinema Studies, and Hong Kong Baptist University

l Date: December 6, 2025. 9am-6pm (Sat)

l Venue: Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea

l Hosted and organized by the Korean Association for Public Diplomacy (KAPD) & Contemporary Cinema Research Institute (CCRI), Hanyang University

l Supported by the Korea Foundation

The Korean Association for Public Diplomacy (KAPD) and the Contemporary Cinema Research Institute (CCRI) of Hanyang University are gladly announcing the 2025 international conference on public diplomacy and visual media in Seoul on December 6, 2025. While the conference is open to all topics and issues in public diplomacy and cinema & media studies, we welcome submissions on the special theme “Cinema and Visual Media on the Images of Nations.”

In recent decades, the world has seen rapid and extensive development of global and digital media. Visual media such as cinema and television have long been powerful source of constructing various images on nations and countries of the world. The globalized digital media today are streaming limitless amount of visual contents to every corner of global society. When the interest in soft power hikes up, the role of visual media in constructing and projecting images of nations are inviting intellectual interventions than ever before. This conference aims to gather attention on the varying roles of visual media in relation with public diplomacy.

Some of the main topics of the conference might include:

- Cinema and visual media in the construction of images on nations

- Public diplomacy in legacy media and social media

- Globalization of media production and consumption

- Soft power and cultural/media diplomacy

- Cinema and television in the Cold War and Post-Cold War

- Cinema, visual media and national/transnational culture

- And other topics in public diplomacy and visual media

Submission formats:

1. Abstracts (about 400 words)

2. Panels (3~4 papers per panel with a 1,000 word abstract for the panel. Around 200 words of descriptions on each paper should be included in the abstract.)

All with bios (50 word) of speakers

Submission due:

- Date: October 20, 2025

- Send to: kapd0702@kapdnet.org  

Conference timeline and format:

- Timeline: (1) Call for participation published by September 4, (2) Paper, abstract, or panel proposals with short bio (50 words) submission by October 20, (3) Acceptance announcement by October 30, (4) Program fixation by November 15, (5) Submission of full or well-developed paper of 4,000-8,000 words by November 25 (Optional), (6) Conference abstract proceedings with bios of presenters by November 30, (7) Conference on December 6.

- Travel support: For those who are travelling from abroad with submission of full or well-developed papers by November 25, small travel support in the amount of USD 200–300 will be provided in the equivalent Korean currency after presentations. As the level of travel expenses varies among participants, it is unfortunately not possible to cover all costs in full; this support is intended as a partial contribution to ease the burden of participation and to express our appreciation for your effort.- Since the purpose of the conference is to create an insightful forum among scholars, we accept various forms of writings including research papers, extended abstracts, and panel proposals.

- Publication plan: The scholarly journal Korean Social Science Journal, Journal of Public Diplomacy, and Contemporary Cinema Studies may consider publishing special issues/sections with selected papers from the conference. Those who want to get their papers published in the journal should submit complete manuscripts by January 15, 2026 in the length of 6,000~8,000 words.

- Conference will provide proceedings, lunch and reception dinner to all participants. Coffee and other soft drinks will also be provided during the conference.

- A post conference tour will be organized on Sunday, December 7 for the participants. Details on the tour will be available at the time of registration and those who want to participate can sign up at the registration.

- Inquiries and submissions to Ms. Sejin Oh at kapd0702@kapdnet.org 

Organizing Committee

- Shin Dong Kim (President, The Korean Association for Public Diplomacy, Korea & Professor, Hong Kong Baptist University)

- Chung Kang Kim (Director & Professor, Contemporary Cinema Research Institute, Hanyang University, Korea)

- Nikos Panagiotou (Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece)

- Anthony Fung (Chinese University of Hong Kong)

- Dianlin Huang (Communication University of China)

- Zhao Alexandre Huang (University of Gustave Eiffel, Paris, France)

     - Taesik Kim (Monash University Malaysia)

Thank you.

     KAPD