This proposed collective book, situated at the intersection of linguistics and information and communication sciences, as well as other disciplines within the humanities and social sciences, aims, on the one hand, to examine televised debates as communication mechanisms, as mediation mechanisms, and as forums for the production of discourse, political staging, and the consolidation of a free, pluralistic, and responsible public voice. Furthermore, from a social science perspective, the aim is to analyse televised debates as mechanisms that reveal social tensions and hierarchies, power relations, social representations, and intersubjective and identity-related processes.

Argument

Since the liberalisation of the audiovisual sector in the 1990s, the Cameroonian media landscape has undergone profound transformation. Decree No. 2000/158 of 3 April 2000, which set out the conditions and procedures for the establishment and operation of private audiovisual communication enterprises, formally brought an end to the state monopoly on broadcasting. This regulatory shift paved the way for a proliferation of private channels whose editorial orientations span culture, sport, religion, economics, politics and entertainment (Tjiade Eone, 2001). These outlets have positioned themselves as platforms for public expression, notably through the scheduling of debate programmes. In this context, televised debates now occupy an increasingly prominent role in political, social and cultural life. Programmes such as Scènes de presse, Club d’Élites, Libre Expression, Canal Presse, Droit de Réponse, Le Grand Débat, 7HEBDO, CARTES sur table and La Grande Instance, among others, have become unmissable weekly fixtures. Studio panel shows, political faceoffs, citizens’ forums, and expert discussions, these formats function as genuine laboratories of social discourse, barometers of free expression in which social representations, identities, and power relations are contested and renegotiated.

Within the language sciences and particularly in interactional linguistics, debate is conceived as a competitive and constraining interactional genre, marked by a high argumentative load, in which participants confront one another’s ideas in order to gain ascendancy and to shape public opinion (Vion, 2000). As Garcia (1980: 101) notes, debate is concerned less with altering the convictions of the participants themselves than with persuading the audience of the relative legitimacy of the positions they defend. As an intrinsically agonal exchange, debate entails a symbolic and relational dimension: participants must perform credibly and demonstrate that they are equal to the occasion, notwithstanding the conflictual and polemical nature of the encounter (Avodo Avodo, 2025). The purpose of such debates is to inform citizens and to influence public opinion through argumentation and the presentation of competing viewpoints.

Television debates are likewise embedded within a democratic dynamic. As mediatised public spheres (Habermas, 1992), or as symbolic manifestations of the public space (Ngono, 2016), they contribute to civic expression, the diversification of discourse and the cultivation of an informed collective consciousness. According to Ngono (2016), they constitute arenas for exchange, discussion, and the production of critical, and at times, uncritical; commentary on political authority and the governance of public affairs.

In Cameroon, televised debates have emerged as central forums for democratic expression, arenas in which the legitimacy of political actors, the credibility of institutions and the vitality of civic discourse are publicly scrutinised. These interactive programmes provide social actors, politicians, academics, researchers, legal scholars, economists, experts and representatives of civil society, who are regarded as authoritative figures within Cameroonian informational culture, with opportunities to exchange views on pressing social issues and to shape public opinion. Yet this democratic potential is accompanied by notable shortcomings: contestation of discursive legitimacy, ideological and political rivalries, polarisation of exchanges, verbal aggression, and the excessive staging of participants at the expense of substantive information.

The present edited volume builds upon earlier research conducted in Cameroon, encompassing contributions from sociological (Nga Ndongo, 1993, 2018, 2020), communicational (Ngono, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2021, 2022; Modzom, 2022a, 2022b) and discursive rhetorical perspectives (Mohamdou Ousmanou, 2023; Avodo Avodo, 2024, 2025a, 2025b; Ndassibou, 2026). Situated at the intersection of the language sciences, the information and communication sciences, and other disciplines within the humanities and social sciences, the volume seeks, on the one hand, to examine television debates as communicative frameworks, mediating devices, sites of discourse production, instruments of political staging and mechanisms for consolidating a free, pluralist and responsible public voice. On the other hand, from a social scientific perspective, it aims to analyse television debates as objects that expose social tensions and hierarchies, power relations, social representations, and intersubjective as well as identity related processes.

Contributions may engage with the following research questions:

• What are the epistemological and media related stakes of television debates in the treatment of information?
• In what ways do exchanges between participants contribute to, or detract from the enlightenment of public opinion?
• Which discursive, rhetorical and interactional mechanisms operate within these communicative frameworks?
• To what extent do television debates consolidate or erode freedom of expression in Cameroon?
• How do these programmes reflect or reproduce social, political and cultural tensions?
• In what ways do the constraints of the televisual medium shape the communicational organisation and linguistic practices of participants?
• How might the exercise of speech in television debates be regulated?

Thematic Axes

Proposals may engage with the following thematic axes, among others:

• Forms and structures of communication in television debates
• Tones, language registers and the treatment of information
• Language practices, argumentation and discursive staging
• Verbal jousting, symbolic violence and regulatory strategies
• Politeness, linguistic impoliteness and the interpersonal relationship
• Truth-telling, fact-checking and information processing
• Ethos and logics of action of emblematic figures in television debates
• Reception and appropriation of debates by audiences
• Discursive construction of consensus or controversy
• Television debates, the public sphere and deliberative democracy
• Gender, identities and representations in television debates
• Television debates and social representations in the public space
• Informational culture of actors and discursive legitimacy

Submission Guidelines

Proposals for contributions, whether in French or English, should include:

An abstract of no more than 500 words, accompanied by five keywords. Formatting requirements: 12 point Times New Roman, 1.5 line spacing, fully justified.

A brief biographical note of no more than ten lines.

Proposals should be submitted to the following address: sciencesdiscours@gmail.com 

Timeline 

• Launch of the call for contributions: 30 June 2026

• Deadline for abstract submission: 1 September 2026

• Notification of acceptance: 30 September 2026
• Submission of full articles: 31 December 2026
• Publication of the volume: August 2027

Coordinators

• AVODO AVODO Joseph, Université de Maroua, Cameroun
• TAGMENI TAGMENI Chimène Laure, Université de Maroua, Cameroun

Scientific Committee

• Pr AMINA GORON, University of Maroua, Cameroon
• Pr ATENGA Thomas, University of Douala, Cameroon
• Pr AVODO AVODO  Joseph, University of Maroua, Cameroon
• Pr BALGA Jean Paul, University of Maroua, Cameroon
• Pr BANGA AMVENE Jean Désiré, University of Ebolowa,  Cameroon
• Pr BEBEY Théodore, University of Maroua,  Cameroon
• Pr BELIBI Alexis Bienvenu, University of Yaoundé 1, Cameroon
• Pr BITOND Adrien, University of Maroua,  Cameroon
• Pr EBANA Achille Armand, University of Douala, Cameroon
• Pr EBEHIDI KING Pauline Lydienne, University of Maroua, Cameroon
• Pr ELOUNDOU ELOUNDOU Venant, University of Yaoundé 1, Cameroon
• Pr EVOUNA Jacques, University of  Yaoundé 1, Cameroon
• Pr GUEBOU TADJUIDJE François, University of Maroua, Cameroon
• Pr KEMAYOU Louis Roger, University of  Douala, Cameroon
• Pr MADIBA Georges, University of Douala, Cameroon
• Pr MAIRAMA Rosalie, University of Maroua, Cameroon
• Pr MBARGA François, University of Yaoundé 1, Cameroon
• Pr MEDZOM François Marc, University of Yaoundé 2, Cameroon
• Pr MESSANGA OBAMA Célestin, University of Yaoundé 2, Cameroon 
• Pr MEUTEUM KAMTCHUENG Lozzi Martial, University of Maroua, Cameroon
• Pr MULO FARENKIA Bernard, University of Cape Breton, Canada
• Pr MUNNÉ BATET BOTÉTÈMÈ, University of  Douala, Cameroon
• Pr MOUKOKO KAMOLE Chantal, University of  Douala, Cameroon
• Pr NGA NDONGO Valentin, University of Yaoundé 1, Cameroon
• Pr NGONO Simon, Université de la Réunion, France
• Pr NGOUO TCHIO Herbert Rostand, University of  Maroua, Cameroon
• Pr TAKHALOUICHT Amal, Université Mohamed V de Rabat, Morocco       
• Pr TEMADJO Jacques, University of Douala, Cameroon
• Dr/HDR KAKDEU Louis-Marie, University of Maroua, Cameroon
• Dr TAGMENI TAGMENI Chimène Laure, University of Maroua, Cameroon

Selected Bibliography 

Atenga T. (2005), La presse privée et le pouvoir au Cameroun. Quinze ans de cohabitation houleuse, Politique africaine, 97,  33-48.

Atenga T. et Madiba G. (Dirs.) (2012), La communication au Cameroun. Les objets, les pratiques, Paris, Editions des Archives contemporaines en partenariat avec le Laboratoire des communications et du récit médiatique (LACREM).

Avodo Avodo J. (2023),  Le désaccord à la camerounaise : étude de la ritualisation du conflit dans les interactions verbales de l’émission l’Arène de Canal2 international, dans Ngouo H.-R., Hounda A. et Ngwe R. (éds), Verbalisations et écriture de la résistance en Afrique postcoloniale. Une analyse exploratoire des discours et productions littéraires, Berlin, Lincom Europa, 29-46.

Avodo Avodo J. (2025a), De l’impolitesse linguistique dans quelques débats télévisés au Cameroun, East African Scholars Journal of Education, Humanities and Literature, 8(6), 174-185. DOI : https://doi.org/10.36349/easjehl.2025.v08i06.003  Avodo Avodo J. (2025b), Stratégies d’adresse et (dé)construction de la relation interpersonnelle: étude pragmatique du débat Hervé Emmanuel Nkom – Albert Dzongang, International Journal of Arts, Languages, Linguistics and Literary Studies, 14(2), 32-45.

Boyomo Assala L. C. (2001), Communication locale et démocratie au « ras du sol » : remarques sur le processus de construction médiatique de l’espace public local au Cameroun, Langues et communication, 1(1), 151-174.

Cornu D. (1994), Journalisme et vérité : l’éthique de l’information au défi du changement médiatique, Paris, Labor et Fides.

Cwako Monkam G., Munné Batet Botétèmè et Aloumbe Aloumbe A. F. (2020), L’économie des médias. Dans les coulisses de la presse au Cameroun, Editions Universitaires Européennes.

Décret N°2000/158 du 03 avril 2000 fixant les conditions et modalités de création et d'exploitation des entreprises privées de communication audiovisuelle. 

Habermas J. (1992), L’espace public. Archéologie de la publicité comme dimension constitutive de la société bourgeoise, Paris, Payot.

Kaufman J.-C. (2011), L’entretien du quotidien, tome 1 : Arts de faire, Paris, Gallimard.

Loi N° 90/052 du 19 décembre 1990 portant sur la libéralisation de la communication sociale au Cameroun.

Modzom, F. M. (2022a). Contenus médiatiques et influences éditoriales. Fréquence Sud, (22), 199– 227. https://journals.uct.ac.za/esstic/index.php/frequence_sud/article/view/239 

Modzom, F. M. (2022b). Acteurs politiques, medias et opinion publique. Fréquence Sud, (24-25), 303–322. https://journals.uct.ac.za/esstic/index.php/frequence_sud/article/view/279 

Mohamadou Ousmanou (2023), La figure de l’expert dans les débats télévisés au Cameroun, dans Tio Babena G. (éd.), Dire le vrai. Perspectives situées. Québec, Éditions du Bien Commun. 

Nga Ndongo V. (1993), Les médias au Cameroun. Mythes et délires d’une société en crise, Paris, L’Harmattan.

Nga Ndongo V. (2018), Le Politique, le journaliste et l’intellectuel dans la société camerounaise : jeux et enjeux de pouvoir, Paris, L’Harmattan.

Nga Ndongo V. (2020), Débats ou combats télévisés. Esquisse de socioanalyse du jeu médiaticopolitique au Cameroun, Paris, L’Harmattan.

Ngono S. (2014), Les jeux d’acteurs dans les formes d’espaces publics au Cameroun : l’exemple des débats télévisés. Mémoire de master, Université Grenoble Alpes.

Ngono S. (2016), Les débats télévisés dans l’espace public au Cameroun, Paris, Edilivre.

Ngono S. (2017), L’espace public de débats télévisés dans le contexte « post-libéral » camerounais : logiques de constitution et structuration, Les doctorales de la SFSIC, Lyon.

Ngono S. (dir.) (2020), La communication de l’Etat en Afrique. Discours, ressorts et positionnements, Paris, L’Harmattan.

Ngono S. (2021), Médias audiovisuels et tolérance administrative au Cameroun. Enjeux communicationnels et logiques d’acteurs, Paris, L’Harmattan.

Ngono S. (2022), L’économie des médias et le numérique en Afrique, Saint-Denis de La Réunion, Presses Universitaires Indianocéaniques.

Nel N. (1983), Le débat télévisé : méthodologie et pédagogie, Pratiques, n°37, pp. 91-106.

Ndassibou, M. (2026), Les stratégies discursives dans les débats télévisés au Cameroun. Scènes de presse, Club d’élites et Canal Presse, Mémoire de master, Université de Yaoundé 1. 

Ouendji N. (2006), Médias et pouvoir politique au Cameroun, Paris, Les Belles Pages.

Rieffel R. (2001), Sociologie des médias, Paris, Ellipses.

Roudère G. (1999), Décrypter les débats télévisés. Outils et pratiques, Paris, ESF.

Sacriste V. (2007), Communications et médias, Paris, Foucher.

Schutson M. (2001), Le pouvoir des médias, Paris, Nouveaux Horizons.

Tjade Eone M. (2001), Démonopolisation, libéralisation et liberté de communication au Cameroun, Paris, L’Harmattan.

Vion, R. (2001). La communication verbale. Analyse des interactions, Paris, Hachette.

Wolton D. (1992), Les contradictions de l’espace public médiatisé, Hermès, N°10, pp. 95-144.