Call for papers: Information research in the francophone world/La recherche sur l’information dans l’espace francophone

[French version]

What national and linguistic specificities for our scientific activity? Indexed in world-known databases such as the Web of Knowledge, LISA or INSPEC, ruled by an editorial committee articulated around geographical areas (Luso-Hispanic area, Oceania and South East Asia, North America …), Information Research is the right journal to raise such a question and bring out considerations about French and francophone research. Definition of the scope of information research, and position towards works produced in other scientific spheres still have to be explained.

The origin of francophone researches could at first be explored, for example through the influence of the instigators of the Information and Communication Sciences (as we call them in France): Roland Barthes, Robert Escarpit and Jean Meyriat. Studying the reception of some of their translated works (Elements of semiology, The book revolution, Report on the general principles governing international bibliographical work...) or of their francophone posterity would certainly be fruitful. It would help us to question the existence or the role of a French and francophone common scientific culture, and its identity. If the creation of Information and Communication Sciences as an academic discipline is initially characterized by works in semiotics, literature or aesthetic, its evolution and encounter with other culture might invite us to reconsider the value of such a legacy.

Another specificity, perhaps most essential, deserves to be analyzed: the desire to develop research in the field of information and communication sciences which is a real singularity. The discipline's name seems to invite us to explore the articulations between those two concepts. Isn't one of Abraham Moles works goal to show that we can not understand information without taking into account aesthetic and graphic perception within the communication? In the same vein, don't Yves Jeannerey proposals invite us to think about the information in terms of transmissions and movements within the society?

Rather than impose or oppose two concepts, it is well to think of them all as fully complementary. This horizon invites us to consider the ins and outs of an information notion that would report to a different model of the anglosaxon Information sciences or studies. The research on communication is not confined to the Media studies and research on information can explore other scientific territories… We would absolutely love to read from our Anglo Saxon colleagues about this vision: all methods, theories and positions are welcome.

Editors

Benoît Berthou and Caroline Courbières

Publication date

The thematic issue is planned for publication in September 2017. On average, papers take approximately eleven months from submission to publication. This means that papers should be submitted through the journal management system by the end of January 2017. If earlier publication is possible we shall rearrange our schedules. The journal's author instructions should be used in preparing papers