For the first time in its history, the International Communication Association (ICA), one of the world’s leading academic organisations in communication studies, has brought its flagship annual conference to Africa, with scholars interrogating the growing challenges of inequality, artificial intelligence (AI), misinformation and digital power in a rapidly changing global communication landscape.
The 76th ICA Annual Conference, themed “Communication and Inequalities in Context,” is taking place in Cape Town, South Africa, from June 4 to 8, 2026, at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, with about 3,000 communication scholars, journalism researchers, academics and practitioners from around the world.
Organisers describe the event as a landmark moment for global communication scholarship and a significant recognition of Africa’s growing role in shaping conversations around media, technology and society.
Chairperson of the Local Organising Committee, Prof. Herman Wasserman, said the decision to host the conference in South Africa was both symbolic and timely.
“This is the first time that this event will be held on African soil,” Wasserman said in an interview with the African Journalism Education Network (AJENda), noting that while Cape Town had previously hosted a smaller ICA regional conference, the 2026 gathering marks the organisation’s largest global meeting ever held on the continent.
Wasserman, who is also a fellow and board member of the ICA, said the conference theme resonates strongly with South Africa’s realities as one of the world’s most unequal societies.
According to him, discussions at the conference will focus on how communication systems mirror and reinforce inequalities linked to race, class, gender, geography and political power, while also examining pathways toward greater inclusion and equity.
“The theme reflects urgent concerns about unequal access to information, unequal participation in digital systems and the uneven distribution of communicative power across societies,” he said.
The conference comes at a time when emerging technologies, particularly AI, are transforming journalism, governance and public discourse across the world. Participants are expected to explore the implications of AI-generated content, digital surveillance, platform monopolies and misinformation on democratic participation and social cohesion.
Wasserman noted that scholars attending the conference would examine how vulnerable communities are affected by technological disruptions and information inequalities, especially in developing regions.
Beyond inequality, the programme will feature extensive discussions on journalism transformation, media sustainability, digital communication, climate communication, health communication and social justice.
Research presentations will also focus on the growing use of AI in newsrooms, how African media organisations are adapting to technological innovation, and the representation of AI within African media ecosystems.
Another major area of interest will be the rise of disinformation networks and transnational online influence operations, issues that have become increasingly central to contemporary communication research.
Meanwhile, the Chapters initiative(Nigeria being one of the six pilot across the world) with ICA Nigeria being the 1st Chapter in Africa, founded in 2022 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, is expected to have a strong showing at the conference. Dr. Ekaette George, the pioneer Chair of the ICA in Nigeria is leading the delegation to Cape Town, South Africa.
The ICA Nigeria Chapter Chair, Prof. Desmond Okocha, alongside a dedicated team, will lead conference attendees to experience the conference virtually and live from the Port Harcourt Hub, Faculty of Humanities, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE), Rumuolumeni, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria.
With members in more than 80 countries and a global network of over 5,000 scholars, the ICA is regarded as one of the most influential organisations in the field of communication studies.
The annual conference serves as a platform for presenting new research findings, fostering international collaboration and shaping future directions in communication scholarship.
Organisers said the 2026 conference will adopt a hybrid format, allowing remote participation in selected sessions to broaden access and engagement.
More than 400 in-person sessions are scheduled, alongside plenaries, interdivisional panels, mentorship programmes, poster presentations, awards and networking events.
The conference is expected to extend into a wider two-week academic engagement through a series of pre-conference and post-conference events, reinforcing its status as one of the largest gatherings of communication scholars globally.
The Atlantic Bell reports that as debates over inequality, information disorder and technological disruption continue to intensify worldwide, the historic hosting of the ICA conference in Africa is viewed as an opportunity to bring perspectives from the Global South into the centre of global communication discourse.
