Honoring Excellence in Media Scholarship: The Galway-2026
Islam and Media Working Group (ISM-WG) celebrated its sixth consecutive year of recognising outstanding scholarship in the field by honoring research that significantly advances the understanding of Islam, media representations, and digital public spheres. The ISM-WG presented three distinguished Best Paper Awards, each winning paper received a $100 USD prize along with an official certificate signed by the IAMCR President and the ISM Chair.
Rigorous Evaluation Standards
To ensure the highest academic quality, the submission process required compliance with five strict standards evaluated by the award committee:
- Originality & Relevance: Unique insight and clear alignment with Islam and media studies.
- Methodology & Structure: Sound research methods and logical overall organization.
- Clarity & Style: Exceptional academic language and writing style.
- Literature Review: A comprehensive, cohesive engagement with existing scholarship.
- Impact & Contribution: Meaningful conclusions that expand existing knowledge in the field.
The selection process was guided by an award committee of esteemed scholars:
- Bushra Hameedur Rahman – ISM-WG Senior Member
- Basyouni Hamada –ISM & IC Senior Member
- Fatma Elzahraa Elsayed –Chair of ISM-WG
- Abida Ashraf –Vice Chair of ISM-WG
- Saima Shahid –Vice Chair of ISM-WG
Galway-2026 Winning Papers
Who Owns the Central Narrative? The Marginalized Collections of Sino-Arab Knowledge via OCLC Data
The paper investigates narrative ownership and knowledge marginalization in Sino-Arab collection data.
Unveiling Agency: Analyzing Muslim Girlhood on Global Screens Through Skam’s Character of Sana.
The paper examines representations of Muslim girlhood and agency in global television narratives.
Reconnecting Ummah in the Digital Public Sphere: Islamic Moral Narratives and Affective Communication on AJ+
The paper explores digital moral narratives, affective communication, and community building on digital media.
For six straight years, the ISM-WG awards have highlighted innovative research methodologies and critical perspectives within media studies. By recognising scholars across various stages of their careers, the working group continues to enrich the global dialogue around Islamic representation, digital discourse, and cultural identity.
Upcoming webinar
A webinar bringing together our top award-winning scholars to share the story behind their recognised research, offer insights into navigating academic excellence, and discuss where their work is heading next, will take place in September 2026. Our featured authors will take the mic to discuss:
- The Journey to ISM/WG: How they found their academic home within the working group and engaged with our global community of scholars.
- Crafting Award-Winning Research: The methodology, key decisions, and rigor required to achieve the highest standards of academic excellence.
- Lessons & Practical Insights: Tips for early-career researchers and scholars preparing future submissions.
- What’s Next: Upcoming projects, spin-off publications, and the future trajectory of their research.
Event details including, date, time, platform, and registration will be announced very soon.