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07/21/2026
2027 ECA Convention Communication Law and Ethics Interest Group Call for Submissions
Call for Submissions
Communication Law and Ethics Interest Group
118th Eastern Communication Association Annual Convention
Conference Theme: Full Circle
Hyatt Regency Reston, Reston, VA
March 30 – April 4, 2027
Submission Deadline: October 9, 2026, 11:59 PM PST
For the first time in 16 years, the Commonwealth of Virginia will host the ECA Annual Convention. The 2027 convention will be held at the Hyatt Regency Reston in Fairfax County –an area where discourse shapes national dialogue, diverse communities converge, and history unfolds. The theme, "Full Circle," invites reflection on cyclical ideas, relationships, and professional journeys.
The Communication Law and Ethics Interest Group invites individual paper, panel, workshop, round table, symposium, debate, and open forum submissions that engage creatively and rigorously with the Full Circle theme. Both completed papers and works in progress will be accepted by the submission deadline; papers are expected to be complete on delivery at the late March/early April conference.
"Full Circle" invites reflection on the cyclical nature of ideas, relationships, and professional journeys. As scholars, we return – to foundational theories, to formative mentors, to the first questions that drew us to the discipline. As a profession, we cycle through waves of innovation and consolidation, of challenge and recommitment to core values. As an organization, ECA itself comes full circle to Virginia – renewing its connections to the region and communities where communication scholarship meets democratic life.
Suggested Theme Prompts for Communication Law and Ethics
- How do foundational questions at the intersection of communication and law come full circle in the academy?
- How do foundational questions in communication ethics come full circle in contemporary communication scholarship and pedagogy?
- What concepts, debates, or traditions within communication, law, and ethics have come "full circle," and what new possibilities are emergent?
- How can a return to origins, foundations, or universals shape the ongoing conversation of communication law and ethics?
- What problems, limitations, and complexities continue to confound the discipline of communication, law, and ethics? What legal and ethical issues need to be redacted, constructed, or developed?
- What does it mean for humanity for communication law and ethics to come full circle?
Communication Law and Ethics Submission Types
Individual Papers
Completed papers and works in progress addressing communication law and/or ethics are welcome. Papers are expected to be complete on delivery at the conference.
- Maximum 25 pages, in the academic style guide (e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago) appropriate to your work.
- Submissions must be blind of author, institution, and contact information.
- A one-page abstract is required.
- Include a statement of professional responsibility (see below) on the cover page.
Panels, Workshops, Round Tables, Symposiums, Debates & Open Forums
Panels usually have three to four speakers on a specific topic with an identified chair (and optional respondent). Workshops are led by a couple of experts expecting an active audience. Round tables of five to eight presenters share brief position papers with moderated, on-the-spot discussion. Symposiums may feature three to five speakers on specific topics with a chair facilitating introduction and question-and-answer. Debates may offer traditional pro-con statements and rebuttals, and open forums are semi-structured public discussions of a predetermined topic with audience participation. All conference program events will adhere to a 75-minute format.
When submitting a panel, workshop, round table, symposium, debate, or open forum, please include the following:
- A thematic title for the program.
- Names and roles of all participants.
- Full contact and institutional information for all participants.
- Individual titles and abstracts for each paper or presenter.
- A program copy of 75 words maximum for the final program.
- A detailed rationale.
- A statement of professional responsibility (see below).
Statement of Professional Responsibility
In submitting the attached paper or proposal, I/We recognize that this submission is considered a professional responsibility. I/We agree to present this panel or 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.
Questions? Contact your Interest Group Planner:
Christopher Graham, Interest Group Planner — grahamc6@duq.edu
Thomas Flynn, Chair — thomas.flynn@sru.edu
Acceptance Notifications: January 2027
