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

iCS Conference cfp reminder
by bl506＠york.ac.uk 22 Mar '06

22 Mar '06

Just a quick reminder that the deadline for abstracts for the iCS Conference is fast approaching. Many thanks to all of you who have submitted something so far and for those who missed it cfp follows: CALL FOR PAPERS Journal of Information, Communication, Society 10th Anniversary International Symposium University of York,UK. 20th 22nd September 2006 Supported by: Social Informatics Research Unit (SIRU), Department of Sociology, University of York In association with Oxford Internet Institute (OII) Taylor & Francis Publishers Conference Chairs: Brian Loader, Co-Director of SIRU Professor William Dutton, Director of the OII Powerful new convergences of digital technologies together with rising adoption of information and communications technologies (ICTs) into everyday commercial, political and social life has led to pronouncements of a second generation of information society development. But what evidence exists to support this idea of a significant step change in the development and social, economic and political diffusion of ICTs? This symposium seeks to take forward this debate by critically analysing key issues emerging from new inter-relationships between information, communication and society. Symposium Themes The symposium is multidisciplinary and original papers are sought from researchers in all relevant subject areas. Papers submitted should address at least one of the broad areas around which the proceedings will be organised: e-health; spatial informatics; e-commerce & economics; young and older generations; privacy, trust and surveillance; e-governance; e-learning; and, policy issues cutting across all these themes. Submission of papers Proposals for papers should be submitted as abstracts of no more than 500 words, and should include details of the proposers name, position, affiliation and contact details. Proposals should be submitted electronically to bl506(a)york.ac.uk . Submissions are welcome from established scholars and post-graduates alike. Deadline for proposals: 1st April 2006 Authors of accepted papers notified by: 2ndMay 2006 -- Brian D. Loader, Co-Director, Social Informatics Research Unit, Department of Sociology, Wentworth College, University of York, Heslington, YORK YO1 5DD. United Kingdom. Tel: +44 (0) 1904 432639 Fax: +44 (0) 1904 433043 email: bl506(a)york.ac.uk

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brief rundown of aoir tools
by Jeremy Hunsinger 22 Mar '06

22 Mar '06

Someone asked me what internet resources aoir makes available to its members and their community, so I thought that I'd repost it to the list. Web resources: There is the main website: http://www.aoir.org it has all the aoir-centric information on it... it has forums, archives of papers, blogs, the list of lists, and various other functions. The wiki: http://wiki.aoir.org it has internet research information, quite a bit of it. but it needs more people to use it more often. The conference website: http://conferences.aoir.org The forums for elections are also on the web. Email resources: The Main list air-l @ listserv.aoir.org which is where i sent this list, so you know all about it. The other open lists: air-meet @ listserv.aoir.org the list to organize the associations annual meeting, which isn't very active. qualitativemethods @ listserv.aoir.org which isn't very active femptheoryqueer @ listserv.aoir.org list is somewhat active and is about feminist, post-colonial, and queer theory air-grad @ listserv.aoir.org which is a list for graduate students to do things with, it is somewhat less active these days. there are also: The irc channel: #aoir_general on irc://irc.freenode.net and a Jabber server (rarely used) and the cafe press store http://www.cafepress.com/aoir There might be more forthcoming or there might be consolidation in the future. I also may have missed something, so people can add to the list if they want. 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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CFP: Persistent Conversation minitrack: abstracts due 3/31
by Tom Erickson 22 Mar '06

22 Mar '06

CALL FOR PAPERS [online: http://www.visi.com/~snowfall/HICSS_PC.html ] Eighth Annual Minitrack on Persistent Conversation Hawaii International Conference on Systems Science (HICSS 40) Hilton Waikola Village Resort , Big Island, Hawaii January 3-6, 2007 The Persistent Conversation minitrack and workshop is a yearly gathering of those who design and study systems that support computer-mediated communication. === AT A GLANCE === = Summary of Topic = Persistent conversations occur via instant messaging, text and voice chat, email, blogs, wikis, web boards, MOOs, graphical VR environments, document annotation systems, text messaging on mobile phones, etc. Such forms of conversation play a crucial role in domains such as online communities, the sharing and management of knowledge, and the support of e-commerce, e-learning and other network mediated interactions. The persistence of digitally mediated conversation affords new uses (e.g., searching, replaying, restructuring) and raises new problems. This multi-disciplinary minitrack seeks contributions from researchers and designers that improve our ability to understand, analyze, and/or design persistent conversation systems. = Who = Researchers and designers from fields such as anthropology, computer-mediated communication, HCI, interaction design, linguistics, management, psychology, rhetoric, sociology, and so forth. We also welcome submissions from graduate students. = Chairs = Thomas Erickson, IBM T. J. Watson Research Center (snowfall(a)acm.org) Susan Herring, School of Library and Information Science, Indiana University (herring(a)indiana.edu) = Important Dates* = Fri, Mar 31, 2006: Abstract submission Fri, Apr 14, 2006: Feedback on abstracts Th, June 15, 2006: Paper submission - [Instructions will be on the HICSS site] Tu, Aug 15, 2006: Accept/Conditional Accept/Reject notice To be determined: Resubmission of Conditional Accept papers - Fri Sep 15, 2006: Final publication-ready papers due - Fri Sep 15, 2006: One author must register for HICSS - ---------- * For other dates, such as end of early registration and hotel deadlines, see the official HICSS conference site === DETAILS === = About the Minitrack = This interdisciplinary minitrack and workshop brings designers and researchers together to explore persistent conversation, the transposition of ordinarily ephemeral conversation into the potentially persistent digital medium. The phenomena of interest include human-to-human interactions carried out using chat, instant messaging, text messaging, email, blogs, wikis, mailing lists, newsgroups, bulletin board systems, multi-authored Web documents, structured conversation systems, textual and graphical virtual worlds, etc. Computer-mediated conversations blend characteristics of oral conversation with those of written text: they may be synchronous or asynchronous; their audience may be small or vast; they may be highly structured or almost amorphous; etc. The persistence of such conversations gives them the potential to be searched, browsed, replayed, annotated, visualized, restructured, and recontextualized, thus opening the door to a variety of new uses and practices. The particular aim of the minitrack and workshop is to bring together researchers who analyze existing computer-mediated conversational practices and sites, with designers who propose, implement, or deploy new types of conversational systems. By bringing together participants from such diverse areas as anthropology, computer-mediated communication, HCI, interaction design, linguistics, management, psychology, rhetoric, sociology, and the like, we hope that the work of each may inform the others, suggesting new questions, methods, perspectives, and design approaches. = About Paper Topics = We are seeking papers that address one or both of the following two general areas: * Understanding Practice. The burgeoning popularity of the internet (and intranets) provides an opportunity to study and characterize new forms of conversational practice. Questions of interest range from how various features of conversations (e.g., turn-taking, topic organization, expression of paralinguistic information) have adapted in response to the digital medium, to new roles played by persistent conversation in domains such as education, business, and entertainment. *Design. Digital systems do not currently support conversation well: It is difficult to converse with grace, clarity, depth and coherence over networks. But this need not remain the case. Toward this end, we welcome analyses of existing systems as well as designs for new systems which better support conversation. Also of interest are inquiries into how participants design their own conversations within the digital medium -- that is, how they make use of system features to create, structure, and regulate their discourse. Examples of appropriate topics include, but are not limited to: * Turn-taking, threading, and other structural features of CMC * The dynamics of large scale conversation systems (e.g., USENET) * Methods for summarizing or visualizing conversation archives * Studies of virtual communities or other sites of digital conversation * The roles of mediated conversation in knowledge management * Studies of the use of instant messaging in large organizations * Novel designs for computer-mediated conversation systems * Analyses of or designs for distance learning systems For other examples see the list of previous years' papers: http://www.visi.com/~snowfall/HICSS_PC_History.html = The Workshop = The minitrack is normally preceded by a half-day workshop open to all minitrack authors, as well as those who will form the core audience for the minitrack. We will know whether the workshop has been accepted for HICSS 2007 in early April. Watch the online version of this call for more details: http://www.visi.com/~snowfall/HICSS_PC.html = Instructions for Abstract Submission = Submit a 250 word abstract of your proposed paper via email to the chairs: Tom Erickson <snowfall(a)acm.org>, Susan Herring <herring(a)indiana.edu> by the deadline noted above. = Instructions for Paper Submission = * HICSS papers must contain original material not previously published, or currently submitted elsewhere. All papers will be submitted in double column publication format and limited to 10 pages including diagrams and references. Papers undergo a double-blind review. * Do not submit the manuscript to more than one Minitrack. If unsure which Minitrack is appropriate, submit the abstract to the Track Chair for guidance. * Submit your full paper according to the instructions that will appear on the HICSS web site: http://www.hicss.hawaii.edu/ = For More Information = * This call for participation, etc.: http://www.visi.com/~snowfall/HICSS_PC.html * History (papers and participants in previous minitracks): http://www.visi.com/~snowfall/HICSS_PC_History.html * About the minitrack, contact: snowfall(a)acm.org, herring(a)indiana.edu * About the HICSS conference, see: http://www.hicss.hawaii.edu/ === END, HICSS PERSISTENT CONVERSATION CFP === -- -- ------------------------------------------ Tom Erickson IBM T.J. Watson Research Center Email: snowfall(a)acm.org (preferred); snowfall(a)us.ibm.com(IBM confidential) http://www.visi.com/~snowfall/

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ACASI with handheld computer
by Maude Frances 22 Mar '06

22 Mar '06

I have the following query from a colleague - has anyone used this? I am looking for practical help in setting up handheld ACASI that is audio computer-assisted self-interviewing using handheld computers. It seems that there is high usage of ACASI using laptops or desktops and for non-audio handheld surveys but I am interested in the two together. ___________________ Maude Frances Research Resource Manager National Centre in HIV Social Research Webster Building University of New South Wales Sydney, NSW 2052 AUSTRALIA Phone: 61 2 9385 6405 Fax: 61 2 9385 6455 m.frances(a)unsw.edu.au http://nchsr.arts.unsw.edu.au

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Re: [Air-l] Paper: Critical Information Studies
by Bram Dov Abramson 21 Mar '06

21 Mar '06

air-l-request(a)listserv.aoir.org (15:03, 21.3.2006): >A copy of the paper is available at the link, too.........rf >http://www.nyu.edu/classes/siva/archives/002930.html > >AFTERWORD: CRITICAL INFORMATION STUDIES >A bibliographic manifesto > >Siva Vaidhyanathan > >This paper takes measure of an emerging scholarly field that >sits at the intersection of many important areas of study. >Critical Information Studies (CIS) considers the ways in which >culture and information are regulated by their relationship to >commerce, creativity, and other human affairs. CIS You know, this recalls the ongoing debate around WSIS re: an "information society" or, as many activists argue, a "communication society": http://www.digitalopportunity.org/article/view/65050 http://gaz.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/66/3-4/203 etc. And, for that matter, "Critical Communication Studies" (CCS), a term which features its own histories and communities: http://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=%22critical+communication+studies%22 cheers Bram

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Paper: Critical Information Studies
by Richard Forno 21 Mar '06

21 Mar '06

A copy of the paper is available at the link, too.........rf http://www.nyu.edu/classes/siva/archives/002930.html AFTERWORD: CRITICAL INFORMATION STUDIES A bibliographic manifesto Siva Vaidhyanathan This paper takes measure of an emerging scholarly field that sits at the intersection of many important areas of study. Critical Information Studies (CIS) considers the ways in which culture and information are regulated by their relationship to commerce, creativity, and other human affairs. CIS captures the variety of approaches and bodies of knowledge needed to make sense of important phenomena such as copyright policy, electronic voting, encryption, the state of libraries, the preservation of ancient cultural traditions, and markets for cultural production. It necessarily stretches to a wide array of scholarly subjects, employs multiple complementary methodologies, and influences conversations far beyond the gates of the university. Economists, sociologists, linguists, anthropologists, ethnomusicologists, communication scholars, lawyers, computer scientists, philosophers, and librarians have all contributed to this field, and thus it can serve as a model for how engaged, relevant scholarship might be carried out. CIS interrogates the structures, functions, habits, norms, and practices that guide global flows of information and cultural elements. Instead of being concerned merely with one's right to speak (or sing or publish), CIS asks questions about access, costs, and chilling effects on, within, and among audiences, citizens, emerging cultural creators, indigenous cultural groups, teachers, and students. Central to these issues is the idea of semiotic democracy¹, or the ability of citizens to employ the signs and symbols ubiquitous in their environments in manners that they determine.

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aoir & languages
by William Bain 21 Mar '06

21 Mar '06

On the discussion about languages and air-la that's recently started, I wonder if this might not be related to another issue that's occasionally been talked about, namely whether aoir needs a wiki. What occurs to me is that a language wiki dealing with technical terms might be in order. Technical terminology is bound to come up when posts get transferred (or translated) from air-la to air-l. Would it be of interest to have a wiki (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 Parliament. This short period of "carnival" might show that there's really no need for the two lists (l and la) and also whether online dictionaries *specific* to aoir are of any real interest. Best regards, William Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona --------------------------------- Yahoo! Mail Use Photomail to share photos without annoying attachments.

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Citation managers
by Axel Bruns 21 Mar '06

21 Mar '06

Dear AoIRers, many thanks for your many replies on- and offlist to my query about citation managing tools, and my apologies for not having been able to get back to each of you directly. I'll post a summary of responses here on this list in a few days... -- Dr Axel Bruns a.bruns(a)qut.edu.au - http://snurb.info/ Media & Communication Musk Ave, Kelvin Grove, Qld. 4059, Australia Creative Industries Faculty Z2-202, CIP - (07) 3864 5548 Queensland University of Technology CRICOS No.: 00213J

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Re: [Air-l] AOIR in Toronto
by Bram Dov Abramson 20 Mar '06

20 Mar '06

>Remember first and foremost the conferences have been AoIR >conferences, and not 'locality' conferences, that is a confusion that >often causes misunderstandings. As we attempt to further our >internationalization, we will bring more people into AoIR and we'll >expand as appropriate, but in my minds the pragmatics of the >organization such as not going bankrupt come first I can see that this is a touchy subject, so I don't want to stir the pot -- but do want to suggest that (1) whether or not panels are held in non-English languages, and (2) whether or not translation is provided for those panels, might be two separate questions. To wit: in Toronto I recall attending a panel in French. All attending that panel understood French. A number of us later met up for drinks, if I recall correctly (disclaimer: I left pretty early). It was nice to hear about research going on in other places. That was one of the things I enjoyed about Toronto. The translation was, to be frank, not particularly useful at the French-language panels if I recall correctly -- I think barely anyone actually used the headphones. (I'm not talking about the keynote.) Conferences are partly about exchange and dialogue with colleagues who are otherwise remote. Where scholarship takes place internationally in a non-English language, and the conference is held in a place associated with that language, the conference has the potential of becoming an international hub for researchers with common interests and a common language. That can be rewarding for the international community of researchers which interacts in that language -- even where there is no translation service provided. Ultimately there are many parallel panels going on anyway! cheers Bram

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AOIR in Toronto
by Barry Wellman 20 Mar '06

20 Mar '06

Re Alexis Kusis' comments about AoIR in Toronto. a) There were more than one American on the Executive Committee. b) The change in conference organizer had very little to do with the question of language. It had a lot to do with leadership. c) Other facts are not as I, or people working with me, remember them. I don't think it is appropriate to say more about an unhappy past experience. Barry _____________________________________________________________________ Barry Wellman Professor of Sociology NetLab Director wellman at 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 To network is to live; to live is to network _____________________________________________________________________

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