ECMI Successful with COST Action Application as Main Proposer for Advancing Linguistic Plurality in European Media
The ECMI is proud to announce its success in securing the highly competitive COST Action funding for the initiative titled “Language Plurality in Europe’s Changing Media Sphere” (PLURILINGMEDIA) (CA23105). This victory comes with the ECMI as the main proposer, leading an impressive consortium of researchers and practitioners. The success rate for applications in this Open Call (OC-2023-1) was 11.5%, underscoring the prestige and competitiveness of this achievement.
The PLURILINGMEDIA Action, spearheaded by ECMI’s Craig Willis and Sergiusz Bober, builds on a rich legacy of workshops, events, and network-building efforts in the minority language media sphere. With 67.7% of the additional proposers being women, 45.16% young researchers, and 72% from COST Inclusiveness Target Countries (ITC), the Action embodies inclusivity and diversity at its core.
Action Overview
Protecting Europe’s linguistic plurality and promoting multilingualism are paramount objectives of the European Union and the Council of Europe. However, the increasing dominance of larger languages, especially English, poses a significant challenge. This issue extends to the media sector, where global competition and shifting consumption trends threaten media spheres in both national and regional or minority languages.
PLURILINGMEDIA seeks to foster collaboration among scholars, facilitate knowledge transfer between academics and practitioners, and address the digitalisation shifts affecting media consumption and provision. By leveraging meetings, workshops, conferences, short-term scientific missions (STSM), and training schools, the Action aims to:
- Encourage involvement: Engage scholars from various disciplines to contribute to the discourse on language plurality in media.
- Facilitate knowledge transfer: Promote the exchange of best practices between academics and practitioners.
- Support smaller linguistic spheres: Provide particular support to smaller linguistic communities and lesser-funded media outlets to harness the benefits of digitalisation.
- Promote media plurality: Empower the use of regional and minority languages through diverse media platforms.
The Action’s interdisciplinary approach spans areas such as media and communications, sociolinguistics, identity studies, and international law. It addresses key topics including regional and minority languages, social media, and journalism.
Networking and Membership Opportunities
A unique feature of COST Actions, including PLURILINGMEDIA, is the ability to join and participate in the research network throughout its lifespan. This openness ensures continuous opportunities for networking, enabling researchers at all career stages to discover new opportunities, forge connections, and expand their research horizons. Interested researchers, practitioners, and stakeholders will soon be able to apply for membership in one of the Action’s working groups.
More Information
More information about the Action, including how to join its working groups and participate in its future initiatives, will be out soon on the ECMI website. Additional details about the Action's management committee and other relevant information can be found on the COST Action website CA23105 - Language Plurality in Europe’s Changing Media Sphere (PLURILINGMEDIA).
