October 2001 - Air-L - lists.aoir.org

internet in airports
by Barry Wellman 22 Oct '01

22 Oct '01

One reason that there are surprisingly few public Internet access points in airports is that because the airlines' business-class lounges often supply this to members for free. This removes a lot of the potential public access market. Altho I don't often fly business class, I do pay for an Air Canada Maple Leaf club card to get such access. It also works for the entire Star Alliance set of lounges: United, Lufthansa (much too smoke-filled alas), etc. Barry ___________________________________________________________________ Barry Wellman Professor of Sociology NetLab Director wellman(a)chass.utoronto.ca http://www.chass.utoronto.ca/~wellman Centre for Urban & Community Studies University of Toronto 455 Spadina Avenue Toronto Canada M5S 2G8 fax:+1-416-978-7162 ___________________________________________________________________

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Internet Studies programs
by Norman Clark 22 Oct '01

22 Oct '01

For those also interested, here's what I heard back from folks on this list about Internet Studies programs: Colin Koteles put up a website that lists Internet Studies programs around the country. The list primarily has Information Studies programs, but in the Non-ALISE section you'll find some actual degrees in Internet Studies (e.g. Brandeis University). http://www.students.uiuc.edu/~koteles/its.html <http://www.students.uiuc.edu/%7Ekoteles/its.html> Additional Programs: University of Alabama in Huntsville has an interdisciplinary program in web studies. They're setting up a new website, but for now info is at http://www.farskies.com/CMC/ Information and Communication Management, National University of Singapore http://www.fas.nus.edu.sg/icm/ Norm Clark Dept. of Communication Appalachian State University

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conference thoughts
by Nancy Baym 22 Oct '01

22 Oct '01

I thought I'd share some of my many thoughts on the conference also in hopes that others will chime in. I have to agree with all of Steve's comments, and the others that have been posted. I think these conferences and aoir were meant to happen, and I come home really excited about the continued intellectual stimulation and the interpersonal opportunities they offer. Like everyone else who went, I didn't get to hear as many papers as I wanted, not just because there were too many to choose from, but often because I found myself in a conversation that I didn't want to leave. The papers I did see were overall very good, and offered what I think is missing from internet work at other conferences -- the assumption that the audience knew a lot already, which meant many things were presented at higher levels than they would be elsewhere. I was also particularly struck by the quality of discussions that followed presentations. I would look around the room and see many people, including but importantly not limited to many whose work I have read and admired, engaging in really substantive conversation about advanced issues while everyone leaned forward, paid full attention, and nodded. I saw that level of high quality interaction and engagement repeated in room after room. There were also a number of interesting synergies and points of repetition between papers both within and across panels. A few recurrent themes that struck me: A strong shift to conceptualizing the internet as integrated into everyday life. Calls for differentiated understandings of the internet and its users. Curiousity about what we might learn from thinking about the significance of the net in terms of its absence. I'm sure others noted other conceptual themes, and I would really like to hear them. I was worried after Sept 11 that our international attendance might suffer, and I was thrilled at the internationalism of the event. On top of a dose of many of my favorite americans, i got to speak with people from denmark, austria, australia, the netherlands, finland, norway, sweden, israel, england, india, france, italy, canada, and more, and i know there were people i didn't get to speak with from still other nations. At every panel, there were multiple accents in the discussion. I admire the many people who contributed to this conference in English though it is not their native toungue and who flew long expensive flights across big time changes to get there. Thanks for the extra effort. It really affirmed that we NEED people from multiple points of view to keep us reminded of our own limitations and open up new avenues of thought. I really look forward to being in Maastricht next year. The conference's intellectual substance also made me think a lot about what aoir is and can become. Phil Agre's excellent keynote, which many of you missed, argued (among other things) that internet research is not a field but "a network of unique hybrids," by which he meant that each of us is a person who by the very nature of looking at the internet represents bridges our field of origin and other areas. A panel that followed later in the morning on social capital got me thinking of this association as a _community network_ of unique hybrids, and drove home for me that the point of aoir should be to raise the social capital of all of us hybrids. Part of this is providing opportunities like this conference to network with other individuals. Part of this will be providing resources such as archives of syllabi, papers, abstracts, data sets. There are also a lot of things we can do that we haven't thought of yet. We have the experts on using the internet to build community and raise communal social capital within our ranks, and I hope that those of you who study these things as observers might be motivated to apply them proactively to build our community. And I hope that anyone with ideas about what aoir can do will raise those ideas for discussion or email them to me offlist. For me, this conference did feel like community in a way that other conferences (except last years!) do not. The fact that so many people came back after last year made many faces familiar. Even though I didn't know most of the people there, I looked around the room so many times and thought that this crowd didn't look like a collection of colleagues but like a feast of friends. That the people I have taken to be my intellectual colleagues turn out to also be the sorts I want as friends is a massive treat. This was facilitated by everyone's casual and friendly attitude and attire, which made starting conversations easy. I think we succeeded in setting aside boundaries between disciplinary perspectives, topics of specific interest, nations, professional rank, and so on. I hope this tone continues for years. In this time of international violence and fear, being with this crowd was a wonderful and needed refuge. Thanks. I'm saving bits to help the war effort, so will stop here. Please share your thoughts were you there. And please come next year if you weren't. Nancy _______________________________________________________________ Nancy Baym, Communication Studies University of Kansas NEW! email: nbaym(a)ku.edu NEW! snail mail: 102 Bailey, 1440 Jayhawk Blvd., Lawrence, KS 66045, USA NEW! url: http://www.ku.edu/home/nbaym

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Re: airports
by Bram Dov Abramson 22 Oct '01

22 Oct '01

From a recent trip: Copenhagen's airport has a wireless area in the regular waiting area, near the cafe and so forth. It provides 802.11b wi fi networking, and binds credit card charges to DHCP in a nifty way. The main flaw: no SMTP service available, which is perhaps understandable, but defeats the usefulness of using one's laptop considerably. (An aside: as this sort of thing becomes more not less common, someone should really set up an account-based SMTP service. It would be incredibly useful. Right now the SMTP user interface is attached to a notion of e-mail accounts, when it should be attached to interface configurations. As in, my outbound e-mail server changes, not according to my inbound POP service, but according to whether my laptop is in the office, on a dial-up, etc.) Prague's airport has a combination casino/Internet access place. The computers (running on NT) are in a separate space from the casino part, and there is lots of room on the countertops for spreading out papers and such. >1) pay phone similar devices in quite a few airports, but they are expensive >and not very handy My experience is that these are not uncommon in U.S. and Canadian airports, and can be both cheap and handy. Before travelling I usually add phone numbers for my access provider in each city whose airport I expect to spend time in, and where the pay phone jacks can be used -- they can be tricky to get the hang of, and I've given up on some (Ameritech springs to mind) -- they allow Internet access for the cost of a local phone call. Which pay phones now seem to be metering in much of the U.S., but still not bad. cheers Bram -- / Bram Dov Abramson / babramson(a)telegeography.com / / Director of Internet Research / TeleGeography, Inc. / / tel: +1 202 741 0047 (new numbers) / fax: +1 202 741 0021 (we've moved)

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Call For Papers: Critical Cyberculture Studies
by Donald Snyder 22 Oct '01

22 Oct '01

Members of AIR, I just wanted to pass along the cfp for a conference I am helping to put together. Last week's conference in MN was amazing and hopefully we can continue these interesting discussions in the spring. Please forward and feel free to contact me with any questions. Sincerely, D. Snyder Critical Cyberculture Studies: Mapping an Evolving Discipline Call for Papers April 26-27, 2002 University of Maryland The Cyberculture Working Group is soliciting proposals for its annual conference," Critical Cyberculture Studies: Mapping an Evolving Discipline." The conference will be held on April 26th and 27th, 2002 at the University of Maryland. The Cyberculture Working Group (CWG) seeks scholars from across the disciplines to examine and discuss the future of Cyberculture studies. The conference will feature an opening address from JOAN KORENMAN, Director of the Center for Women and Information Technology at University of Maryland Baltimore County, and keynote speaker, DONNA HARAWAY, professor in the program of History of Consciousness at the University of California at Santa Cruz. At last years conference, "Constructing Cyberculture(s): Performance, Pedagogy, and Politics in Online Spaces," David Silvers opening address reviewed the development of Cyberculture Studies, discussing the role Cultural Studies scholars need to play in imagining, brainstorming, and working toward a "Critical Cyberculture Studies." With this years conference, CWG is interested in both the conceptualization and formation of "Critical Cyberculture Studies" and its position within the possible emergence of Cyberculture as an object of inquiry, field of study, or even as a new discipline. Is it desirable for scholars working within Cyberculture for this field to emerge as a discipline, and if so, how should the discipline be conceptualized? Within this discussion, many points of inquiry surface: How are discourses of race, class, gender, ethnicity, and difference recontextualized in cyberspace? What are the relationships between online communities, virtual identities, online political advocacy, and "real subjects" in a globally mediated society? Additional questions of interest might include: How do we understand the visual nature of the Internet, especially in relationship to art and artists using new media technologies? What are the spatial effects and relations of cyberspace? And, how is knowledge "grounded" in cultures that heavily rely on the use of electronic communication? Proposals for individual papers (15-20 minutes) and full panels (2-3 papers plus a commentator and chair) should include a one-page abstract and a concise, one-page C.V. for each presenter. The deadline for submissions is December 3, 2001. Donald Snyder 2107b Holzapfel Hall Department of American Studies University of Maryland College Park, MD 20742 USA Or email proposal to dsnyder(a)otal.umd.edu

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FW: IAMEMS: FW: Community Networking Conference 2002
by Matthew Allen 22 Oct '01

22 Oct '01

Assoc. Prof. Matthew Allen Internet Studies Coordinator School of Media and Information Curtin University of Technology http://smi.curtin.edu.au m.allen(a)curtin.edu.au +61 8 9266 3511 Allen, SMI, Curtin Uni, GPO Box U1987 Perth 6845, WA > -----Original Message----- > From: Tony Hill [mailto:ed@isoc-au.org.au] > Sent: Tuesday, 16 October 2001 8:33 > To: ISOC-AU members list > Subject: IAMEMS: FW: Community Networking Conference 2002 > > > Advance information on the Community Networking Conference planned for > next year. > > regards, Tony Hill > > -----Original Message----- > From: Larry Stillman [mailto:larrys@vicnet.net.au] > Sent: Tuesday, 16 October 2001 10:02 AM > To: Lynne Thompson; Sue Scott; Comm-Vic; Randy Stoecker; > karen.groeneveld(a)dcita.gov.au; Staff/Vicnet; Tony Wilhelm; > cnnz(a)yahoogroups.com; CN99_announce(a)yahoogroups.com; > Globalcn2000(a)egroups.com > Cc: Tony Hill; CLAIRE.SHEARMAN(a)MCR1.POPTEL.ORG.UK; > canders(a)yprl.vic.gov.au; garyh(a)Vicnet.Net.Au; Markking > Subject: Community Networking Conference 2002 > > > Dear Colleague: Please forward to relevant lists and excuse > cross-posting. > ______________________________________________________________ > __________ > __ > > CONFERENCE ANNOUNCEMENT: ELECTRONIC NETWORKS - BUILDING COMMUNITY. > FIFTH COMMUNITY NETWORKING CONFERENCE, MELBOURNE AUSTRALIA > Monash University, Caulfield Campus, Melbourne: 3, 4, 5 July, 2002 > <www.ccnr.net/2002/> > > Expressions of interest for workshops, papers and presentations are > sought > for the Conference. We invite proposals for reports and presentations > (refereed and non-refereed) about current initiatives that respond to > the > main themes of the conference: > > · Community Building > · Knowledge Economy/Knowledge Community > · Digital Divide/Income Divide > > The Advisory Committee is particularly interested in papers and > workshops > that address the following areas: > > Electronic networks in indigenous communities; Electronic > networks for > women, community groups; Electronic networks for local communities; > Participation - promoting e-democracy in its broadest sense; Engaging > the > non-user; Employability and personal fulfilment; Building business > and > learning communities through partnerships using ICT; Technical - > practice > and skills for the community and non-profit sector; Social inclusion > in > the knowledge economy; Theoretical perspectives on electronic > community > networking and social capital. > > Please see the conference website, www.ccnr.net/2002/ for > details about > how > to submit an abstract or expression of interest for refereed and > non-refereed tracks. Abstracts should be submitted by 1 December 200, > and > earlier if possible. > > The aims of the conference are: > > § To energise practitioners, policy makers, academics and business > people > working in the field of community networking using information and > communication technology (ICT). > § To engage delegates in issues of community networking and increase > understanding in how community networking principles can contribute > significantly to community building. > > Previous conferences have been a feature of the electronic community > networking landscape in Australia since 1996, and participants have > attended > from all states, the Pacific, and other countries. This conference is > part > of a global trail of events associated with the Global Community > Networking > Alliance (www.globalcn2001.org) The Conference is being > organised by > the > Centre for Community Networking Research (CCNR) , Monash University, > www.ccnr.net. > > Members of the Advisory Committee include: > > Gary Hardy, Centre for Community Networking Research, · Larry > Stillman, > Centre for Community Networking Research; · Craig Anderson, VICLINK > (Victorian Public Libraries' Network); Tony Hill, Internet Society of > Australia, ISOC-AU; Patrick Moriarty, OurCommunity.Com.au; Inez van > Polanen, Womens' Information and Referral Exchange; Mark Samuel-King, > Knowledge Collaboration; Claire Shearman, Communities Online (UK), > Global > Community Networking; Leone Wheeler, Community Services / Regional > Partnerships, RMIT University; Ken Young; · Derek Whitehead, Library > and > Information Services, Swinburne University > > Larry Stillman & Gary Hardy > Centre for Community Networking Research, Monash University, > www.ccnr.net > 2002(a)ccnr.net > PO Box 197 Caulfield East, Victoria, 3145 > > Registration, and industry display inquires to Mediawise > mediawise(a)vicnet.net.au. > ----------------------------------- > Larry Stillman > Accessibility and Evaluation Unit VICNET > & Centre for Community Networking Research, Monash University > 03 9903 1801 > www.vicnet.net.au www.ccnr.net > -------------------------------------------------------------- > ---------- > ---- > > > > > > > -- > You are subscribed to the iamems mailing list. To unsubscribe, send a > message containing "unsubscribe" to iamems-request(a)isoc-au.org.au. >

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internet cafes
by Lokman Tsui 22 Oct '01

22 Oct '01

hi, there is an internet cafe at the CKS airport in Taipei, Taiwan. there are also modem jacks at the payphones if you want to connect your laptop directly. in Hong Kong, you can access the internet at payphone-like things at the airport. cheers, Lokman Tsui National University of Taiwan

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RE: [Air-l] Films/Pedagogy
by Matthew Allen 22 Oct '01

22 Oct '01

Love dot com is a neat little 30 minute discovery channel documentary made in Australia that shows three kinds of online relationships. The value of this film is length (fits a class well+discussion) and a wonderful quality of letting the participants speak - 1 or 2 minutes from the people in these relationships says more than I could in an hour. I rather like television programs too. Various popular TV shows (which, in Australia, we can record and use and the university pays a licence fee to cover this privilege) often have nice net references...I can think of the Ally McBeal show where she dates a 15 yo met online. My main comment though is...what is the pedagogic purpose of AV material? - I am regularly told by students that they find the use of a short video, or extract/segment, overcomes boredom, reinforces the points made etc. As a lecturer I find it useful to keep my work fresh - I tend to find new things in the films I show (and then comment on) each year. However, what difficulties does AV-based pedagogy pose for distance education online? Matt Assoc. Prof. Matthew Allen Internet Studies Coordinator School of Media and Information Curtin University of Technology http://smi.curtin.edu.au m.allen(a)curtin.edu.au +61 8 9266 3511 Allen, SMI, Curtin Uni, GPO Box U1987 Perth 6845, WA -----Original Message----- From: thomas/swiss [mailto:thomas-swiss@uiowa.edu] Sent: Monday, 22 October 2001 0:12 To: air-l(a)aoir.org Subject: [Air-l] Films/Pedagogy Hi, A pedagogical question. Can folks who use films in their internet studies classes offer a list of them, either to this list, or to me personally? Equally important, tho, would be a few sentences of WHY you teach them or HOW you teach them in relation to the issues yr class explores. We all know the ususal suspects: Bladerunner, for example, and those films that disrupt narrative (Time Code) but what other films or videos and why and how? Thanks in advance. Thom Swiss thomas-swiss(a)uiowa.edu _______________________________________________ Air-l mailing list Air-l(a)aoir.org http://www.aoir.org/mailman/listinfo/air-l

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RE: [Air-l] Films/Pedagogy
by Kendall, Lori 21 Oct '01

21 Oct '01

I'm very eager to hear what people have to say on this topic. We currently have absolutely no budget for films, and a very limited supply on hand, so I'm limited to what I'm willing to buy for myself, what I can tape off of television, and stuff I can easily rent from a video store. Here is what I'm currently using: I use the first hour of the three-part series (bought through PBS) entitled Triumph of the Nerds (I think I'm remembering that title right). It gives the students a bit of background on the development of the PC, but more importantly, I use it to talk about computer-related cultures and about identity and computers. The "nerds" are presented in this video in pretty stereotypical ways, and I discuss with the class what the stereotypes are, and what the implications and connections are concerning gender, class, and race. I show the two-part series (also from PBS) Digital Divide (http://www.pbs.org/digitaldivide) This primarily discusses the issue of computers in schools and does a pretty good job of considering issues of race, class and (some) gender. I like that it does not take for granted that computers *should* be in schools and that it brings up some issues regarding the future of work and the political implications of partnerships between corporations and public schools. Finally, I do a segment in my class on science fiction representations of computers and how these representations connect to cultural ideas (including hopes and fears) regarding computer technology. All of my students have seen (and mostly love) The Matrix, so I require them to rent it and view it again to discuss in conjunction with some classic "net"-related science fiction novels. I am considering putting together some clips from older science fiction movies (Colossus: The Forbin Project, 2001, Demon Seed, stuff like that) and projecting them through a laptop, but it is taking me awhile to find them all at local video stores. If anybody is using any of these old movies, I'd be interested to hear about their experiences. ______________________________ Lori Kendall Assistant Professor of Sociology Purchase College-SUNY lori.kendall(a)purchase.edu

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RE: [Air-l] Films/Pedagogy
by Kendall, Lori 21 Oct '01

21 Oct '01

I'm very eager to hear what people have to say on this topic. We currently have absolutely no budget for films, and a very limited supply on hand, so I'm limited to what I'm willing to buy for myself, what I can tape off of television, and stuff I can easily rent from a video store. Here is what I'm currently using: I use the first hour of the three-part series (bought through PBS) entitled Triumph of the Nerds (I think I'm remembering that title right). It gives the students a bit of background on the development of the PC, but more importantly, I use it to talk about computer-related cultures and about identity and computers. The "nerds" are presented in this video in pretty stereotypical ways, and I discuss with the class what the stereotypes are, and what the implications and connections are concerning gender, class, and race. I show the two-part series (also from PBS) Digital Divide (http://www.pbs.org/digitaldivide) This primarily discusses the issue of computers in schools and does a pretty good job of considering issues of race, class and (some) gender. I like that it does not take for granted that computers *should* be in schools and that it brings up some issues regarding the future of work and the political implications of partnerships between corporations and public schools. Finally, I do a segment in my class on science fiction representations of computers and how these representations connect to cultural ideas (including hopes and fears) regarding computer technology. All of my students have seen (and mostly love) The Matrix, so I require them to rent it and view it again to discuss in conjunction with some classic "net"-related science fiction novels. I am considering putting together some clips from older science fiction movies (Colossus: The Forbin Project, 2001, Demon Seed, stuff like that) and projecting them through a laptop, but it is taking me awhile to find them all at local video stores. If anybody is using any of these old movies, I'd be interested to hear about their experiences. ______________________________ Lori Kendall Assistant Professor of Sociology Purchase College-SUNY lori.kendall(a)purchase.edu

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