March 2006 - Air-L - lists.aoir.org

Re: [Air-l] CFP: Graduate Student Research Group
by Matthew Allen 24 Mar '06

24 Mar '06

Dear all Recently Ted Coopman, the elected AoIR grad student representative, posted the call for expressions of interest in being involved in the AoIR Graduate Student Research Group, eliciting some discussion on the list. As President I just want to emphasise that this proposal is fully supported by the executive, based on Ted's detailed planning. It also follows on from some of the things that Ted indicated he wanted to do as grad student rep in the pre-election discussions in 2005.I also want to indicate (as Ted has already explained) that the GSRG is in a pilot stage and may or may not continue, or be changed, depending on what happens over the next year or so. Indeed the comments made on the list will prove useful in helping to shape and develop the GSRG in ways that are fully supportive of both the broad aims of the Association and specifically supporting and promoting graduate students. Can I ask that any graduate students who are interested in involvement in the group contact Ted directly for more information. Since it is a pilot project, involvement will assist us making sure that the GSRG continues and develops to meet a variety of needs within the Association. Shortly, Ted will provide some basic info and additional details as they emerge on the aoir website. Cheers Matt Dr Matthew Allen Associate Professor in Internet Studies President Association of Internet Researchers Faculty of Media Society and Culture Curtin University of Technology CRICOS Provider Code 00301J http://smi.curtin.edu.au/NetStudies/allen.htm +61 8 92663511 (v) +61 8 92663166 (f)

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Fwd: [Reader-list] IGF theme proposal: asserting the public-ness of the Internet as a guiding principle for Internet Governance
by Jeremy Hunsinger 24 Mar '06

24 Mar '06

Begin forwarded message: > From: "lawrence(a)altlawforum.org" <lawrence(a)altlawforum.org> > Date: March 24, 2006 4:21:39 AM EST > To: commons-law(a)sarai.net, reader-list(a)sarai.net > Subject: [Reader-list] IGF theme proposal: asserting the public- > ness of the Internet as a guiding principle for Internet Governance > Reply-To: lawrence(a)altlawforum.org > > Hi All > > Please see below a request for endorsements from organizations on > the role > of public interest conseiderations in the Internet Governance > Forum, as a > part of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) process. > Do get > in touch with Parminder (Parminder(a)ITforChange.net) for more > details. The > last date for the endorsements is the 31st of March > > > Lawrence > > Original Message: > ----------------- > > Dear friends, > > > > We wish to bring to your notice what we think is an important issue > regarding the future of the Internet. > > > > The most important institutional gain from the World Summit on the > Information Society (WSIS) is the setting up of an Internet > Governance Forum > (IGF) which is mandated to take up important public policy issues > relating > to the Internet. Even though it is not a negotiating or decision > making > body, in the present context wherein the governance of the Internet is > captured mostly by dominant interests, the IGF becomes an important > global > policy space for pushing progressive and pro-development agenda in > relation > to the Internet. > > > > A noteworthy thing about the IGF is that civil society has > important, and > almost equal, official status in the IGF as governments and the > private > sector. Therefore, if the IGF does indeed evolve into an effective > global > policy space, it can serve as an important global governance > innovation as > well. > > > > We write this with concern over that fact that progressive forces > promoting > the public domain, communication rights, media rights etc do not > seem to be > engaged with the possibilities of the IG Forum sufficiently. And as > the > Internet increasingly emerges as a main arena for these issues, > this lack of > engagement can be disastrous. > > > > The imperative NOW: > > > > IGF has called for submission of themes for its first meeting. The > way the > substantive business of the IGF takes off initially will in many ways > determine and delimit the scope of the IGF. Civil society groups > need to put > forward progressive themes early enough to be able to define the > substantive > spaces within the IGF. (Experiences in forums like WIPO for pushing > development agenda are instructive on how it is necessary to capture > thematic spaces early in these global policy forums) > > > > We are especially concerned that with issues like network > neutrality already > threatening the Internet in very basic ways, (please see > <http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4552138.stm> > http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4552138.stm for one such > report on how > a multiple tiered Internet with content, services and access > differentiated > by ability to pay, and other considerations, is already taking > shape) there > is a need for the public and egalitarian nature of the Internet to be > asserted unequivocally as a fundamental principle for global public > policies > regarding the Internet. > > > > Why your participation in this process is URGENTLY REQUIRED > > > > Fostering the Internet's 'public' character- as a principle and in its > concrete policy expressions is an urgent imperative. The > implications for > policy span the three layers of the Internet - logical, content and > physical infrastructure - and the essential public and egalitarian > nature of > the Internet concerns all three layers. (Openness in Domain Name > System > space pertains to the logical layer, network neutrality and > preserving the > public domain issues implicates the content layer, while issues > like open > spectrum, community/municipality wireless, wireless commons etc > concern the > physical layer). The IG Caucus (a civil society caucus that has been > involved in the WSIS process) had invited themes for submission to > the IGF > and from IT for Change we have made a proposal on 'defining and > fostering > the public nature of the Internet' to be submitted for being taken > up at the > first meeting of the IGF. We are of the view that this issue should > get > wider support. > > > > If you feel that this is an important issue which must be taken up > by the > IGF, please send your endorsement to this proposal. As you will > appreciate, > the number of organizations backing this issue will decide whether > it will > be taken up by the IGF or not. > > > > The last date for submissions is 31st March, and therefore your > endorsement > should reach Parminder(a)ITforChange.net by the 30th. In case you have > further clarifications, please write to us. > > > > Thank you. > > > > Parminder > > > > > > Suggested theme for the first meeting of the Internet Governance > Forum: > Defining and fostering the 'public-ness' of the Internet - issues > of public > interest, public domain, public infrastructure and public good in the > context of the Internet. > > > > a. A concise formulation for the proposed theme > > > > In determining global public policy issues and directions for IG, > it is > important to first define and characterize the Internet. Its essential > public and egalitarian nature must be asserted as basic principles > through > open discussions at the IGF. And these principles can then be > interpreted in > terms of specific issues that face us today - content issues > (protecting and > promoting the public domain, network neutrality) infrastructure issues > (universal access, public infrastructure, open spectrum, Internet > as public > good), as well as many other issues. > > > > b. A brief description of why it is important > > > > The Internet, as understood by most of us, is what it is basically > because > of its egalitarian and public nature. It is important to articulate > these > fundamentals of the Internet strongly, and use them as the guiding > principles to debate and develop global public policies on IG. WSIS > was an > arena that required quick resolutions for consensus positions. This > imperative did not allow sufficient informed debates on developing > public > policy principles for IG, including characterizing the essential > public and > egalitarian nature of Internet as the technology that promises a > 'better > world for everyone'. IGF is the right forum for initiating this > process, and > taking it forward in a sustained manner. Formulating these > 'essentials' of > the Internet, and due exposition of their implications in various > contexts, > will enable better global policy responses to pressing issues > including > network neutrality and universal access. If these essential > principles that > define the Internet are not discussed and settled urgently, the > Internet is > likely to disintegrate, along both political and economic lines. > Even if it > is going to be a difficult and protracted process, discussing and > resolving > this is essential and the IGF is the right forum to initiate it. > > > > c. How it is in conformity with the Tunis Agenda of the > World > Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) > > > > The WSIS Declaration of Principles assert ". . our common desire and > commitment to build a people-centred, inclusive and development- > oriented > Information Society, where everyone can create, access, utilize and > share > information and knowledge, enabling individuals, communities and > peoples to > achieve their full potential in promoting their sustainable > development and > improving their quality of life.. ". > > > > The earlier mentioned issues of characterizing the global resource > of the > Internet fall within these overall ideals agreed at the WSIS. Para > 31 of the > Tunis Agenda declares > > > > "We recognise that Internet governance, carried out according to > the Geneva > principles, is an essential element for a people-centred, inclusive, > development oriented and non-discriminatory Information Society." > > > > d. How it fits within the mandate of the IGF as detailed in > para 72; > > > > Discussion on the stated issue is important in order to develop > guiding > principles for laying down a public policy framework on IG. > > > > (72 a of Tunis Agenda: Discuss public policy issues related to key > elements > of Internet Governance in order to foster the sustainability, > robustness, > security, stability and development of the Internet;) > > > > Such discussions will lay the guiding principles for, and help > clarify, > possible policy responses to important emerging issues of network > neutrality, public internet infrastructure, spectrum de-licensing etc. > > (72 g: Identify emerging issues, bring them to the attention of the > relevant > bodies and the general public, and, where appropriate, make > recommendations;) > > And most importantly, it puts IG discussions in the context of the > broad > guiding principles adopted at Geneva, and later in Tunis. > > (72 i: Promote and assess, on an ongoing basis, the embodiment of WSIS > principles in Internet Governance processes;) > > > > e. Who the main actors in the field are, who could be > encouraged to > participate in the thematic session > > > > All stakeholders - from governments, civil society, business and > multi-lateral organizations to those organizations currently > involved with > IG, like the ICANN, have an important role in discussing these issues. > However, more stress needs to be placed on the inclusion of > representation > from developing countries and (2) the development community without > core ICT > backgrounds. > > > > f. Last but not least, why should this issue should be > addressed in > the first annual meeting of the Forum rather than in subsequent ones. > > > > The first phase of Internet development was driven purely by > enterprise and > innovation, and in many ways by private sector leadership, which > served us > well. Internet grew mostly autonomous of public policy in this phase. > > > > But now with the power of Internet firmly established, and its > economic and > political threat to many entrenched interests increasingly obvious, > we are > into an important phase of development of the Internet where its > egalitarian > and public nature is increasingly under threat. To stem this trend and > possibility, global public policy response in the form of clearly > establishing the public and egalitarian nature of the Internet, and > laying > out its policy consequences, needs to come in urgently. > > > > In the absence of this, it may soon be too late to reclaim the > promise of > the Internet for developing a "people-centred and development oriented > information society" as envisioned by the WSIS. As a commentator > recently > said in the context of the issue of 'network neutrality', if urgent > policy > action is not taken, the situation may soon become intractable, and > it will > then be like trying to push the 'genie back into the bottle'. > > > > > > -------------------------------------------------------------------- > mail2web - Check your email from the web at > http://mail2web.com/ . > > > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request(a)sarai.net with > subscribe in the subject header. > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> Jeremy Hunsinger Center for Digital Discourse and Culture () ascii ribbon campaign - against html mail /\ - against microsoft attachments http://www.aoir.org The Association of Internet Researchers http://www.stswiki.org/ stswiki http://cfp.learning-inquiry.info/ LI-the journal

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question for the list: who coined "talk/write"?
by andrea baker 24 Mar '06

24 Mar '06

Hi, all, In working on an article about expression emotion online, I remember early on in the literature on online communication, someone used the term "talk/write" to describe online textual communication, whether in chat or email. Understanding that theoretically anyone could put those two words together to describe the tone of much online interaction, especially among friends, I wonder if you know who first used those words in a scholarly book or article? Also, feel free to suggest any other terms or to provide links to those. Thanks much in advance, andee/andrea baker

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Re: [Air-l] Languages on the Internet - air-l Digest, Vol 20, Issue 28
by Michel J. Menou 23 Mar '06

23 Mar '06

For those interested in this "controversial" subject, the Funredes Foundation maintains an observatory of languages and culture on the Internet http://funredes.org/lc/index.html It developed an original measurement methodology and was a major contributor to the recent UNESCO study that was mentioned in an earlier message > Furthermore, you might want to look at the following UNESCO > report on measuring Linguistic Diversity on the Internet: > http://portal.unesco.org/ci/en/ev.php-URL_ID=20804&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECT… As to quote of Prof. Crystal mentioned by Alex Kuskis > "Every significant cultural innovation of modern times - from the invention > of the radio, to the Internet, to air traffic control - began in an > English-speaking country or was immediately facilitated by an > English-speaking country. It really is amazing." it is sort of ... hum, symptomatic of the kind of cultural chauvinism human kind would be well inspired to keep away from. Note the absence of a mention of television and a few other things. Michel Menou -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.385 / Virus Database: 268.2.6/288 - Release Date: 22/03/2006

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Re: [Air-l] languages on the Internet
by William Bain 23 Mar '06

23 Mar '06

Jeremy Hunsinger wrote: "Isn't the cosmopolitan goal to have a plurally linguistic internet for all, with global access and its related cultural production as appropriate to the people/s participating? Granted of course... the internet is still mostly owned by corporations... which are owned by people...." This and a number of other contributions in the last air-l letter made me think of an article by Albert Bastardas i Boada. The article is titled "Towards a 'linguistic sustainability': concepts, principles and problems of human communicative organisation for the twenty-first century." It can easily be found online (I just typed <bastardas linguistic sustainability> into a search engine). He talks about the hegemony of languages and about possibilities of looking for answers in bilingualism and of using different languages for different functions. I think this quote gives a good idea of the way he develops his discussion: "We should thus begin by establishing the meaning of the term. Sustainability clearly comes from the tradition of thinking that criticises a vision of economic development that overlooks almost totally the natural environment where precisely this development takes place, and which thus leads it to a final end devoid of resources and clearly prejudicial for the environment of human beings. To an end, that is to say, which is clearly unsustainable. To this vision, certain academic and activist enclaves have opposed the perspective of sustainable development or lasting development. In other words, they have theorised, constructed, and begun to practice an economic and urbanistic development respectful of, integrated into, and in keeping with the dynamic of nature. Such action provides a way of improving some of the material aspects of human life which do not damage other environmental aspects still more necessary and fundamental for the qualityand even for the simple possibilityof human life. In fact, this is a synthesis of possible opposed patterns. It does not renounce material and economic improvement, but nor does it exclude a fully healthy environment that is appropriate for the continuation of the species." Best regards, William Bain --------------------------------- Yahoo! Messenger with Voice. Make PC-to-Phone Calls to the US (and 30+ countries) for 2¢/min or less.

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who owns the internet(in north america)?
by Jeremy Hunsinger 23 Mar '06

23 Mar '06

http://blogs.cio.com/node/209 cio.com has a nice map illustrating who owns various parts of the internet backbone in North America. jeremy hunsinger jhuns(a)vt.edu www.cddc.vt.edu jeremy.tmttlt.com www.tmttlt.com () ascii ribbon campaign - against html mail /\ - against microsoft attachments http://www.stswiki.org/ sts wiki http://cfp.learning-inquiry.info/ LI-the journal

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language(s) on the Internet and AoIR
by William Bain 22 Mar '06

22 Mar '06

On the recent posts dealing with language(s): I'd like to thank Nancy Baym for the important clarifications on AoIR in this regard. I think the Association is doing very well and I'm especially pleased to find a forum that's as open and informative as this one. William Bain --------------------------------- Yahoo! Messenger with Voice. PC-to-Phone calls for ridiculously low rates.

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Re: [Air-l] languages, carnival of air-l
by Samuel Klein 22 Mar '06

22 Mar '06

On Tue, 21 Mar 2006, William Bain <willronb(a)yahoo.com> writes: > (a wiktionary? sorry) to deal with this issue? Further to this, Beverly > Trayner wrote about a carnival of blog and it struck me that possibly as > a simple trial air-l (or for that matter air-la or both) could for a > limited period (a week? a few days?) accept posts in a number of > languages, for example the working languages used by the European I only subscribe to air-l, but this would be lovely. --SJ +1 617 529.4266 blogs.law.harvard.edu/sj/ Wikimania 2006 in Boston: wikimania2006.wikimedia.org/wiki/

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Fwd: Second Call for Papers: Blue Sky II Forum - Innovation Indicators
by Dan L Burk 22 Mar '06

22 Mar '06

Of possible interest. DLB On 22 Mar 2006, Washington.Contact(a)oecd.org wrote: > > > Call for Papers > > > > Blue Sky II Forum: What are the Indicators for Science, Technology and > Innovation Policies in the 21st Century? > > September 25-27, 2006 > > Ottawa, Ontario, Canada > > The Westin Ottawa > 11 Colonel By Drive > > Registration Form > <http://www.statcan.ca/english/conferences/sciencetech2005/pdf/registrati= > on.p > df> > > > Description: > > The Blue Sky II 2006 Forum > <http://www.statcan.ca/english/conferences/sciencetech2005/index.htm> > will > examine new areas for indicator development and set a broad agenda for > future > work on science, technology and innovation (STI) indicators. Emphasis > will be > placed on indicators of outcomes and impacts in order to support > monitoring > benchmarking, foresight activity, and evaluation, applied to policies > and > programs, and their economic and social impacts. The Forum is expected > to > provide ideas and guidance for indicators work in both OECD and non OECD > countries, as well as in their international organizations. The Forum > will > include plenary sessions featuring invited guest speakers who are > leading > authorities in their fields. Break-out sessions will discuss papers on > specific themes selected through a call for papers. > > > The first Blue Sky Forum was organized by the OECD and held in Paris in > 1996. > It helped set the agenda for developing STI indicators over the past > decade. > The intent of Blue Sky II is to review progress made while looking > towards > development of policy-relevant STI indicators in today's global economy. > The > OECD has partnered with Statistics Canada, the US National Science > Foundation > and Industry Canada to host this landmark conference. > > The Forum covers four broad topics: > > * New uses of existing science, technology and innovation indicators; > * New uses of existing non STI indicators for the purpose of STI policy > making; > * Completely new science, technology and innovation indicators; and > * A synthesis of findings leading to an agenda for the next decade of > work on STI indicators. > > Call for Papers: > > Papers are invited on new indicators and approaches to support science, > technology and innovation policies. The audience will include public > policy > researchers, economists, social scientists and statisticians, together > with > policy makers, government officials and other stakeholders with an > interest > in science, technology and innovation indicators. > > All papers are expected to develop metrics and indicators that can be > useful > to policy making. Proposals must be in the form of a 500-word (maximum) > abstract submitted by Friday, March 31, 2006. Submissions should be > accompanied by a detailed r=E9sum=E9 as well as a brief biographical > note of no > more than 40 words. For more information, please see the "Call for > Papers > <http://www.statcan.ca/english/conferences/sciencetech2005/forumcall.htm> > " > website. > > We are soliciting policy-relevant papers with an emphasis on the > following > themes: > > * Globalization of research and development (R&D) activities and > networks > <http://www.statcan.ca/english/conferences/sciencetech2005/forumcall.htm# > 1> > * New understandings of the changing nature of science and innovatio > and their impacts > <http://www.statcan.ca/english/conferences/sciencetech2005/forumcall.htm# > 2> > * Capturing the value of scientific research and innovation > <http://www.statcan.ca/english/conferences/sciencetech2005/forumcall.htm# > 3> > * Human resources in science and technology (HRST) and global knowledge > flows > <http://www.statcan.ca/english/conferences/sciencetech2005/forumcall.htm# > 4> > * Building scientific knowledge capital > <http://www.statcan.ca/english/conferences/sciencetech2005/forumcall.htm# > 5>=20 > * Multidisciplinary science, technology and innovation fields including > emerging technologies > <http://www.statcan.ca/english/conferences/sciencetech2005/forumcall.htm# > 6> =20 > * Shifting science, technology and innovation landscape: regions, > players and issues > <http://www.statcan.ca/english/conferences/sciencetech2005/forumcall.htm# > 8> =20 > * New indicators for science and innovation policies > <http://www.statcan.ca/english/conferences/sciencetech2005/forumcall.htm# > 8> > > The abstracts must be submitted by Friday, March 31, 2006 by e-mail to:=20 > bluesky(a)statcan.ca <mailto:bluesky@statcan.ca> > > =20 > > Alternately, by regular mail to: > > Blue Sky Forum 2006 > Attn: Forum Secretariat, Paper Review Committee > Statistics Canada > R.H. Coats Building, 7th floor Section A > Ottawa, Ontario > Canada, K1A 0T6 > > > > For more information, please contact Alessandra Colecchia > <mailto:alessandra.colecchia@oecd.org> , OECD > > or Louise Earl <mailto:bluesky@statcan.ca> , Statistics Canada > > > > > This e-mail communication was sent to you by the OECD Washington Center > as a > courtesy. If you no longer want to receive e-mails on events and other > informative news please reply with 'unsubscribe' in the body of the > e-mail. > > > OECD Washington Center, 2001 L Street NW Suite 650, Washington, DC > 20036, > 202-785-6323, washington.contact(a)oecd.org > <mailto:washington.contact@oecd.org> > > Dan L. Burk Oppenheimer, Wolff & Donnelly Professor University of Minnesota Law School 229 19th Avenue South Minneapolis, MN 55455 USA *************************************** Voice: 612-626-8726

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Fwd: Call for proposals & NET Institute conference on 4/21/06
by Dan L Burk 22 Mar '06

22 Mar '06

Of interest. DLB On 22 Mar 2006, ECONOMIDES, Nicholas wrote: > Dear Colleague, > > I am writing for two reasons. First, to announce a call for > proposals for Summer 2006 grants by the NET Institute, > http://www.NETinst.org . For a fourth year, the NET Institute will > fund a number of scientific research projects in the areas of network > industries, including telecommunications, wired and wireless > networks, "virtual networks," electronic commerce, and the Internet. > Proposed research may be either theoretical or empirical, and may > also analyze issues of public policy. The deadline for proposal > submissions is May 25, 2006. Details on the requirements are at > http://www.netinst.org/call_for_proposals_2006.htm . Please > distribute this information to researchers who may be interested to > get funding for their research in these subjects. > > Second, I want to remind you of the third annual NET Institute > conference on network economics at the Stern School of Business on > April 21, 2006. Please see the conference outline at > http://www.NETinst.org/2006_conference.htm and RSVP to > Nicole McDermet mailto:nmcderme@stern.nyu.edu . > > The Networks, Electronic Commerce and Telecommunications Institute > (NET Institute) is a non-profit institution devoted to research on > network industries, telecommunications, the Internet, "virtual > networks" comprised of computers that share the same technical > standard or operating system, electronic commerce, and on network > issues in general. The NET Institute functions as a world-wide focal > point for research, open exchange and dissemination of ideas in these > areas. For more information see http://www.NETinst.org/ . > > Best regards, > > Nick > > ********************************************** > Prof. Nicholas Economides > Stern School of Business > 44 West 4th Street, New York, NY 10012-1126 > tel. (917) 776-8777, (212) 998-0864, fax (212) 995-4218 > mailto:ECONOMIDES@stern.nyu.edu > http://www.stern.nyu.edu/networks/ > Executive Director, NET Institute > http://www.NETinst.org/ > ********************************************** > > >Dan L. Burk Oppenheimer, Wolff & Donnelly Professor University of Minnesota Law School 229 19th Avenue South Minneapolis, MN 55455 USA *************************************** Voice: 612-626-8726 Fax: 612-625-2011

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