Here is some conference and Call for Papers information that your readers might be interested in:
Miami University's Center for Interactive Media Studies' presents its fourth annual conference,
"2003 Interactive Media Forum: Identity and Cultures in Cyberspace"
to be held at Marcum Conference Center, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio
October 27 & 28, 2003
This year's conference pushes the discussion of interactivity into the spheres of human interaction and creativity. At a basic level, we'd like to understand how people are reading, creating, communicating, learning, and interacting on the Internet. Beyond that, we'll branch into more theoretical discussion on the premise that the Internet has been described as a placeless society with unique and characteristic cultures.
For the Call for Papers and more details as they are finalized, see www.muohio.edu/ims/forum.
For additional information, feel free to contact cims(a)muohio.edu or at 513-529-1637.
This year, 2003 is the 10th anniversary of the posting on Usenet of
"The Net and the Netizen" by Michael Hauben. This research paper
introduced the concept of Netizen online and it has since spread
around the world.
An interesting concentration of the concept of Netizen recently appeared
in a paper that is online. Describing e-democracy, the author, Boldur Barbat
writes:
"To prove it, just some opinions of genuine netizens -- in fact, from
the author who coined the term: Michael Hauben (Hauben and Hauben, 1997):
Scrutinising the effect of the Net upon the future of politics, the
'ascendancy of the Commons' can be anticipated by reason of the new
technologies presenting 'the chance to overcome the obstacles
preventing the implementation of direct democracy'. The last
chapter -- perhaps the banner of their entire book: 'The Computer
as a Democratizer' -- claims that the 'step toward universally
available and affordable access' and "uncensored accessible press"
demonstrate that 'it is now possible to meet more of Mill's
requirements for democracy'. Extending a bit the horizon, the author's
defend also Hume's observation that 'arte' leads to intellectual
ferment, and, in turn, this ferment 'is the needed support for the
development of technology'. Such a flavour acts, in the netizens age
as a catalyst for IT."
from "Users in Front of ICT's. Facing the Interface"
Today, May 1, 2003 would be Michael's birthday. In honor of his
birthday we want to announce a special issue of the Amateur
Computerist on "Netizens Then and Now". The url for the issue is
http://www.ais.org/~jrh/acn/ACn11-2.pdf
We welcome comments on the concept of netizen as it has developed in
the past 10 years.
with best wishes
Ronda
