6th International Media and Society Symposium

Transformations of Reality in the Post-Truth Era

 

May 14–15–16, 2026 | Istinye University, Istanbul (Hybrid Format)

 

The Faculty of Communication at Istinye University is pleased to announce the 6th International Media and Society Symposium (MASS 2026), to be held on May 14–16, 2026, under the main theme “Post-Truth.” The event will feature academic sessions, exhibitions, and workshops in a hybrid format (online and on-site).

 

Researchers conducting original theoretical or applied studies, as well as practitioners and artists producing creative works through digital technologies, are invited to share their latest projects and perspectives at the symposium.

 

 

Reality, Media, and Culture in the Post-Truth Era

 

Since the second decade of the 21st century, the notion of “reality” has undergone a profound transformation driven by digital technologies, algorithmic filters, and AI-assisted production tools. In this post-truth era, information circulates not through verification processes but through emotional persuasion, giving rise to a communication regime where truth is often displaced by affect.

 

Deepfake technologies, synthetic media, AI-generated imagery, and manipulated visuals circulating on social media have triggered a crisis of visual trust. Viewers now constantly question whether what they see can be believed.

 

In this new reality regime, artistic, media, and communication practices are being redefined on ethical, aesthetic, and political levels.

 

MASS 2026 aims to explore the impacts of the “post-reality age” on media, art, and culture through an interdisciplinary approach, bringing together researchers, artists, and thinkers interested in the fragility of truth and authenticity in contemporary media ecologies.

 

Possible Topics

            •           Information, emotion, and manipulation in the post-truth era

            •           Deepfake technologies and the crisis of visual credibility

            •           Simulation aesthetics and hyperreality in art

            •           Post-truth journalism, propaganda, and digital ethics

            •           Belief, doubt, and the quest for authenticity in visual culture

            •           “Seeing is not believing”: Politics of perception and representation in social media

            •           Artistic dimensions of AI and synthetic image production

            •           Archives, memory, and truth in the digital age

            •           Fiction, narrative, and the blurring of reality in art

            •           Post-truth aesthetics in new media art

 

 

 

Participation and Submission Guidelines

            •           Participants must submit an abstract of up to 300 words (in Turkish or English) and a short biography (100 words).

            •           Abstracts should include aim, methodology, findings, and discussion sections.

            •           At least five keywords must be provided.

            •           Abstracts should not exceed 250 words, excluding the title and author name.

            •           Abstracts must be written in both Turkish and English.

 

Full Paper Publication Opportunities

 

Accepted papers may be published through one of the following channels:

            •           ISBN-certified Full Paper E-Book Publication

            •           Edited Thematic Book Chapters published by Holistance Academy Publishing (International Publisher)

            •           Peer-reviewed journal publication options (with publication fee):

            •           Journal of Arts – https://journals.gen.tr/index.php/arts

            •           Journal of Awareness – https://journals.gen.tr/index.php/joa

            •           Journal of Original Studies – https://journals.gen.tr/index.php/jos

            •           International Journal of Art, Culture and Communication (Near East University) – https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/pub/ijacc

            •           Communication Papers (University of Girona) – https://www.communicationpapers.com/

 

 

Registration Fees

            •           Group registration (8 or more participants from the same university):

            •           Regular participants: 2000 TL per paper

            •           Student participants: 500 TL per paper

            •           Fees are charged per paper (each author may submit up to two papers).

            •           No additional fee is required for inclusion in the proceedings book.

            •           Participation with a paper, artwork, or workshop proposal is free of charge for Deans of Faculties of Communication, Fine Arts, and Art & Design.

            •           Special discounts apply for academic and administrative staff, as well as graduate students of Istinye University, University of Girona, and Doha University of Science and Technology, College of Computing and Information Technology (Qatar)

 

Abstract Submission Guidelines:

• Abstracts must be submitted in both Turkish and English.

• The entire abstract, excluding the title and author name(s), must not exceed 250 words.

• The abstract must include the objective, methods, findings, discussion, and at least 5 keywords.

Important Dates:

Deadline for abstract submission: April 15, 2026

Announcement of accepted abstracts: April 17, 2026

Registration deadline: April 18, 2026

Announcement of the program: April 19, 2026

Symposium dates: May 14-15-16, 2026

Publication of the abstract booklet on the website: April 23, 2026

Full text submission: June 22, 2026

Publication of the electronic proceedings: July 10, 2026

 

Registration Fees:

Registration Fee: 2000 TL

Second Paper/Work/Workshop Registration Fee:

Registration Fee for Graduate Students: 1000 TL

Registration Fee for Participants Serving on Symposium Committees: 0 TL

Registration Fee for Academic and Administrative Staff of İstinye University, Girona University, and Near East University: 0 TL

Registration Fee for Graduate Students of İstinye University: 0 TL