ICA 2026: A Recap

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One week ago, the 76th Annual Conference of the International Communication Association in Cape Town came to a close. Time to wrap up our coverage and look back at some highlights.

Even before the main conference began, many of our colleagues were present with their research at ICA's numerous preconferences. Dr. Jana Laura Egelhofer and Dr. Bernhard Goodwin, for instance, co-organized the preconference "The 'Dark Side' of Social Conversations Around Science", which featured not only a range of timely talks, but also a drumming session and a traditional Braai dinner. Speaking of science communication: ICA now has a dedicated Science Communication Interest Group — with our colleague Prof. Lars Guenther as its inaugural Chair. Congratulations!

During the conference, we presented the full breadth of research at our institute across 70+ talks — health, political, and science communication, and much more. It is virtually impossible to single out one highlight.

We (and especially the team around Prof. Diana Rieger) also had reason to celebrate some awards: Ulrike Schwertberger and Simon Greipl won the Mass Communication Division's Top Student Paper Award for their study on media multitasking as a tool for mood management. Ursula Kristin Schmid and Diana Rieger, together with Andreas Nanz and Yannis Theocharis (both TU Munich), received a Top Paper Award from the Intergroup Communication Division for their study on how entertainment cues affect reactions to online intolerance. Finally, Sophie Lexhaller and Sophia Rothut received the Top Student Paper Award from the Activism, Communication and Social Justice Division for their study on women in female far-right activism. Notably, the paper originated as a bachelor's thesis at IfKW, where it had already received the Best Thesis Award — and had previously won a Top Student Paper Award at the 2025 annual conference of the DGPuK Political Communication division.

As outgoing President, our colleague Prof. Thomas Hanitzsch delivered the 2026 ICA Presidential Address. The central theme: academic freedom. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/ePwkpDFM

Prof. Hanitzsch also leads the Worlds of Journalism Study, which celebrated its 20th anniversary right after the conference. Our colleagues Mia Grünewald and Corinna Lauerer, who handle data management for the study, were also there to celebrate.

And of course, Cape Town delivered beyond the conference halls too. Hikes up Table Mountain, lazy seals at the Waterfront, the sound of the ocean, a stunning botanical garden…

With that, we close our coverage of ICA 2026 — and look forward to seeing everyone in Glasgow next year!