WAPOR 65th Annual Conference: Call for Papers

The New World of Public Opinion Research
June 14-16, 2012
Hong Kong

Organizer:
Public Opinion Programme, University of Hong Kong

Co-organizers:
Fudan Media and Public Opinion Research Center, Fudan University (Mainland China)
Election Study Center, National Chengchi University (Taiwan)

Supporting Organizations:
Center for Deliberative Democracy, Stanford University (USA)
ERS e-Research Lab (Macau)

The World Association for Public Opinion Research (WAPOR) will hold its 65th annual conference in June 14-16, 2012 in Hong Kong. The theme of this conference, “The New World of Public Opinion Research”, has a two-fold meaning. First, new technologies, new media and people’s new way of living have posted new challenges to opinion researchers and policy-makers around the world. Second, the world order also means new challenges to the development of opinion research and public engagements in developing regions around the world. As WAPOR adopts a new cycle of annual conferences, this is the first time in 65 years that WAPOR holds an annual conference outside Europe and North America. It is therefore a golden opportunity for opinion researchers around the world to discuss new problems and new methodologies at a new place in a new era. Building on WAPOR’s tradition of accommodating a wide range of topics in its annual conferences, and adding new themes for the new world in the new era, any paper on the following themes are welcome:

General Topics
§ Public Opinion Theory
§ Public Opinion on Social, Political, and Economic Issues
§ New Forms of Journalism and Citizen Opinion Expressions
§ New Media, Fragmented and Participating Audiences
§ Media Effects, Agenda Setting, Framing and Priming
§ Online Surveys
§ Mixed-mode Studies
§ Questionnaire Design
§ Sampling, Response Rates and Non-response
§ Cross-national Research
§ Panel Studies

Feature Panels (tentative)
§ Public Opinion in China (bilingual session organized by Fudan University)
§ E-democracy (bilingual session organized by National Chengchi University)
§ Deliberative Polling (organized by Stanford University)
§ Internet Polling in Chinese Societies (bilingual session organized by ERS e-Research Lab)
§ Exit Polling (organized by the University of Hong Kong)
§ Special Panel by AAPOR (American Association for Public Opinion Research)

Proposals
Two different types of proposals can be submitted:
1) Regular Research Papers: The proposals should include a general description of the research paper (research topic, specific research questions or hypotheses, methods and results, as applicable) as well as full contact information (mailing address, e-mail address and telephone number) for each (co-)author or participant on a separate sheet of paper. Maximum length: 750 words in English. The papers will be allocated to paper presentation sessions or a poster / interactive session, depending on the nature and content of the papers.

2) Panel Proposals: The proposals should include an overview of the panel (listing all papers, authors, titles and contact information of all presenters). In addition, it should list a short (100 words) summary of the different contributions, and specify the language of the presentations. There is a minimum of 4 and maximum of 5 papers for a panel. A written commitment of being present at the conference should be included from at least one author of each paper.

Maximum length of proposal:
1,000 words in English.

English will be the official language of conference, while presentations in Chinese will be accepted for designated bilingual sessions, where simultaneous interpretation will be provided. All papers and proposals must be written in English following APA guidelines for manuscripts, and all proposals must be submitted to wapor2012@hkupop.hku.hk no later than January 1, 2012.

Deadlines:
§ Abstract submissions: January 1, 2012
§ Notification of conference decision: February 1, 2012
§ Paper submission: May 1, 2012
§ Final registration: June 1, 2012

Please check out the WAPOR website at http://wapor.unl.edu/. Enquiries can be directed to the Conference Secretary Winnie Lee at wapor2012@hkupop.hku.hk or the WAPOR Executive Coordinator Renae Reis at renae@wapor.org.