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Editor's Column
By Annabelle Sreberny
We are now in the post-WSIS epoch. Further thoughts on the WSIS process are offered by a number of colleagues as well as suggestions as to how IAMCR’s momentum of involvement in WSIS processes can be maintained and developed.A field comes of age when it starts losing its fathers. We include brief tributes by some who knew him to George Gerbner and his contribution to the field. We also republish a short essay by him that encapsulates many of his key ideas about the social functions of story-telling. A conference in Cairo suggested many diverse themes for plenary sessions. As the locus of one ancient empire and in the region of others, a focus on notions of empire, both historical and contemporary, seems appropriate and invites us to take a new look at the rich work of Harold Innis on the nature of empire and communication.
The region has seen the birth of a number of global religions and is home to the practices of many. The ability of different religious and ethnic groups to find a rapprochement in the region is vital, and Egypt’s recognition of Israel was an early marker of the possibility of peace. Another plenary explores questions of religion, ethics and communication, with speakers coming from a range of religio-cultural backgrounds. And yet other themes relevant to the region have recently presented themselves, often forcibly, on the analytic and political agenda: issues about visual imagery, humour and representation of others; the question of whether democracy can be seen as a ‘gift’ that can be bestowed upon others or only as process for which a people has to struggle; the Arab Development Report’s concerns about issues of gender equity, human rights, education and communications for development. Many of these will be addressed in section and working group sessions and promise to make Cairo a very significant event.
On the penultimate pages you can find a membership form and details about our new fee structure. Many people have welcomed the provision of a journal as part of IAMCR membership and the first issues for 2006 are being sent out. All those coming to Cairo for their first IAMCR conference will be automatically given one year of membership and we hope that many people will decide to join permanently.
We still remain a truly international association and our conferences are wonderful and inspiring cross-cultural encounters. Looking forward to Cairo, where we can learn how to walk and talk like an Egyptian!  Newsletter April 2006, vol. 16/ 1 (2.71 MB)
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