The BEA2021 Convention Spotlight is….. Facing the Future — This year’s convention spotlight begins a three-year exploration of a theme, including Facing the Future (2021), Embracing the Future (2022), and Retracing the Future (2023). These spotlight topics can engage recursively with each other, invoking the past, present, and future. Facing the Future in BEA 2021 acknowledges the ever-increasing pace of change in the media industry. It also acknowledges the societal upheavals brought about by the combination of the coronavirus pandemic and increased awareness of social injustice. Before we turn our (hopefully optimistic) gaze next year to Embracing the Future, we must first assess where we are now, how we got here, and where our threats and opportunities lie. We must begin by Facing the Future.
 
Facing the Future serves as the BEA2021 spotlight, but papers and panels are not limited to this area of research.  Papers should be submitted to the division that best fits that division’s goals and objectives.  Please visit the paper and panel calls for more information.