December 2020 - Air-L - lists.aoir.org

Intl Journal of Digital Signal Processing
by ijwa＠dline.info 19 Dec '20

19 Dec '20

International Journal of Digital Signal Processing and Artificial Intelligence for Automatic Learning (DSPAIAL) CALL FOR PAPERS The journal Digital Signal Processing and Artificial Intelligence for Automatic Learning (AL) invites submissions of original contributions. AL usually plays an important role in transitions from data storage to decision support systems based on very large signal databases, such as the data obtained from sensor networks, internet services, or communication systems. These systems stimulate the development of both computational solutions and novel models. Signals from real-world systems, such as speech, music, biomedical, and multimedia systems, are usually quite complex, making digital signal processing very useful for the automation of analytic operations to retrieve information from data storage. Topics will range from foundations for real-world systems and speech processing to language analysis, biomedicine, convergence and complexity analysis, machine learning, social networks, sparse representations, visual analytics, and robust statistical methods. Topics This journal solicits papers on machine learning approaches for all aspects of digital signal processing and artificial intelligence with regard to AL, including (but not limited to) topics such as: EDITOR IN CHIEF Ricardo Rodriguez Jorge, (JEP University, Czech Republic) MANAGING EDITOR Pit Pichappan, (Digital Information Research Labs, India & UK) DSPAIAL(Indexing/Abstracting) "In process" IMPORTANT DATES Paper Submission Due: January 15, 2021 Notification to Authors: March 15, 2021 Camera-Ready Papers Due: May 15, 2021 Please visit: [1]http://dspaial.org/ or contact ricardo.rodriguezjorge.mx(a)ieee.org for Submission information and additional details • Bayesian and distributed learning • Smart grids, games, and social networks • Computational intelligence • Data-driven adaptive systems • Data-driven models • Multimodal data fusion • Multiset data analysis • Perceptual signal processing • Applications (biomedical signals, biometrics, bioinformatics) • Learning theory • Cognitive information processing • Neural networks • Classification and pattern recognition • Nonlinear signal processing • Graphical models and kernel methods • Genomic signals and sequences • Multichannel adaptive signal processing • Kernel methods and graphical models • Sparsity-aware learning • Subspace/manifold learning IMPORTANT DATES Paper Submission Due: January 15, 2021 Notification to Authors: March 15, 2021 Camera-Ready Papers Due: May 15, 2021 Please visit: [2]http://dspaial.org/ or contact ricardo.rodriguezjorge.mx(a)ieee.org for Submission information and additional details ----------------------------------------------------------------------- -- References 1. http://dspaial.org/ 2. http://dspaial.org/

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Associate professor of communication
by Anders Olof Larsson 18 Dec '20

18 Dec '20

Hello all - Here at Kristiania Uni College in Oslo Norway, we are looking to hire an associate professor of communication studies with teaching and research expertise in at least one of the following areas - digital methods / "computational social science", strategic communication, organisational communication or crisis communication. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me if you have any questions. The deadline for applying is January 8th. https://www.kristiania.no/en/about-kristiania/vacant-positions/?rmpage=job&… / Anders Olof Larsson

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Call for Papers, special issue of Terminal on activists, digital sovereignty and the post-Soviet space
by Francesca Musiani 18 Dec '20

18 Dec '20

Dear colleagues, Please allow me to share (below) this call for articles for a special issue coordinated by four members of the ResisTIC (resistic.fr) research team. A French version is available here ( https://journals.openedition.org/terminal/6642) and contributions are accepted in both French and English. All the best Francesca ---- Activists facing “digital sovereignty”. Reactions and new mobilizations in the post-Soviet space Call for papers for a special issue of the Terminal journal Scientific committee Olga Bronnikova (associate professor, University Grenoble-Alpes), Bella Ostromooukhova (associate professor, Sorbonne University), Perrine Poupin (post-doctoral researcher, ANR ResisTIC/Sorbonne University), Anna Zaytseva (associate professor, University Toulouse Jean Jaurès) Abstract The digital space, initially managed in a global, international and multi-stakeholder way, has in recent years been pushed towards a dynamic of national “digital sovereignties”. States are seeking to extend their sovereignty in and through digital space, to legislate, impose constraints or guarantee freedoms. In this issue, we aim to explore the reactions to this trend by activist individuals and groups in various post-Soviet countries. These phenomena may include mobilizations for the protection of human rights in the digital age, media activism, forms of action led by technical experts and hackers, or reactions from more traditional activist and political worlds to the proliferation of digital tools and their “sovereignization”. We are also interested in actors’ mobilizations in favor of a sovereign national cyberspace that should meet security and “moral” criteria specific to each nation. Argument The digital space, initially managed outside traditional models of State-based regulation, has been subject to a push towards sovereignization for several years now. In the Russian case, this tendency gave rise to a law known as the “Sovereign Internet” bill in 2019. Confronted by various forms of extraterritorial domination of the Internet by major Internet service players and by transnational institutions (ICANN, RIPE NCC, IETF, W3C) of Internet governance, States are seeking to strengthen their influence, extend their sovereignty in and through the digital world, legislate, impose constraints or guarantee freedoms. The notion of "digital sovereignty", which is now part of the discourse of various public and private actors involved in the development of digital technologies, also affects the relationships between States. The Snowden revelations in 2013, bringing to light the mass surveillance practices carried out globally by the United States National Security Agency, have provided new justifications for authorities in different states to control their national Internet spaces and protect them against external threats . The claim of a state or intergovernmental authority over cyberspace now seems to be part of a global framework for the interpretation of cybersecurity or information security, showing a clear trend towards the “militarization” of the digital space -- and sometimes even heralding a cyber-”arms race”. In the post-Soviet space, the “sovereignization” of the Internet could be interpreted as a further step in taking control of citizens' communications and, more broadly, of the Internet space, as it leads to a proliferation of various forms of limitations of freedoms and repressions, including challenges to the right to anonymity and encryption, blockages of entire sites and platforms, prison sentences for content published in national or international social media, confiscation of computer equipment, and wiretapping. The legal framework for such repression varies from country to country. While the similarities between national legislations within the post-soviet States through the circulation of practices and legal transfers between its member countries, are often highlighted, their application remains subject to the specificities of each situation and the temporalities of each national context. The initiatives of the Russian State encounter multifaceted resistance from different actors, find support and generate controversy. In this issue, we propose to explore the ways in which activists in different post-Soviet countries are responding to the dynamics generated by sovereignty strategies. These include mobilizations for the defense of human rights in the digital age, media activism that views Internet infrastructure as an object of struggle, forms of action led by technical experts (ISPs, developers) and hackers, and reactions from the more "classical" activist and political world. We are also interested in actors (religious movements, various moral entrepreneurs and citizen protection organizations) mobilizing in favor of a sovereign national cyberspace allegedly able to better respond to security and "moral" criteria specific to each nation. In order to apprehend the multiplicity of profiles of civil society actors involved in the issues of "digital sovereignty" within the post-Soviet space, publications in this issue, based on empirical research, will answer preferably, but not exclusively, the following questions: - Who are the actors, critics and mobilizations opposed to or advocating the sovereignty of the Internet? How do these groups position themselves in the local, national and international associative and political landscape, and how do their actions, both online and offline, situate them in relation to state authorities and economic actors? - What are the tactics, repertoires or political styles of action of these activists as well as their practices of circumventing new restrictions on online exchanges? - What are the meanings attributed by different activists to the terms "digital freedoms" and "free Internet"? - How do these multiple actors seize the law and mobilize notions emerging at the international level ("protection of personal data", "fake news", "right to be forgotten", etc.) to defend themselves or to sue representatives of the authorities at different scales? - Faced with surveillance and repression, how are new IT and physical security practices developed by these various players? And, conversely, how and by whom are security concepts mobilized to defend a "sovereign Internet"? - What is the role these activists attribute to Silicon Valley giants, and how do they perceive the relationship of these technical actors with the State? This issue proposal is led by the ANR ResisTIC project team (Net resisters. Criticism and evasion of digital borders in Russia). Submission guidelines Authors wishing to submit an abstract (in French or in English) are invited to send it, before February 28th 2021, to the following address : resistic.terminal(a)tutanota.com, with a copy to redaction(a)revue-terminal.org. In a proposal of 5,000 to 6,000 signs (spaces included), accompanied by a short bio-bibliographical note of the author, it will be necessary to specify: the empirical field mobilized, the approach and the methods used. The final articles, to be submitted by early July 2021, may be written in French or English. Provisional planning Mid-December 2020: publication of the open call for papers; February 28, 2021: Submission of abstracts (5,000 - 6,000 characters including spaces) detailing the method and empirical materials used; Early April 2021: Feedback on proposals; Early July 2021: Sending of final papers (40,000 characters including spaces maximum); November 30, 2021: Evaluations sent to authors; March-April 2022: Final publication of the issue. Instructions to authors can be found on the journal’s website <http://terminal.revues.org/875>. Please send proposals to resistic.terminal(a)tutanota.com with a copy to redaction(a)revue-terminal.org. Bibliography Deibert, R. J., & M. Crete-Nishihata, 2012, “Global governance and the spread of cyberspace controls”, Global Governance, 18, 339. Milan, S., 2013, Social Movements and Their Technologies: Wiring Social Change, Londres, Palgrave Macmillan. Mueller, M., 2017, Will the Internet Fragment? Sovereignty, globalization and cyberspace, Cambridge, Polity Press Nocetti, J., 2015, "Contest and conquest: Russia and global internet governance." International Affairs 91, 111–130. Pétin, P. & F. Tréguer, 2018, "Building and defending the alternative Internet: the birth of the digital rights movement in France", Internet histories, Taylor & Francis, pp.1-18 Tufekci, Z., 2017, Twitter and Tear Gas: The Power and Fragility of Networked Protest, New Haven, Yale University Press. -- Francesca Musiani, Ph.D. Chargée de recherche | Associate Research Professor, CNRS <http://www.cnrs.fr> Directrice adjointe | Deputy Director, Centre for Internet and Society <https://cis.cnrs.fr> (UPR 2000 & GDR 2091 CNRS) Chercheuse associée | Associate Researcher, i3-CSI <http://www.csi.ensmp.fr/>, MINES ParisTech Global Fellow, Internet Governance Lab <https://internetgovernancelab.org>, American University I'm involved in: CPT-IAMCR <https://iamcr.org/s-wg/section/cpt> | Internet Policy Review <https://policyreview.info> | RESET <https://journals.openedition.org/reset/> | ISOC France <https://www.isoc.fr> | ResisTIC <https://www.resistic.org> On the Web <https://cis.cnrs.fr/francesca-musiani/> | On Twitter <https://twitter.com/franmusiani>

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AoIR 2021 submissions to open 15 Jan
by Lynn Schofield Clark 18 Dec '20

18 Dec '20

An explanation about the 2021 AoIR Conference to be held in Philadelphia As announced at the AoIR 2020 conference and on the conference website, the AoIR 2021 conference will be held in Philadelphia on 13-16 October: http://aoir.org. Since the 2020 conference, many members of the AoIR community have been involved in discussions about how to organize the 2021 conference, given ongoing health concerns, continued uncertainties about international travel, and reduced travel budgets. As you may know, conferences are planned years in advance, and AoIR has committed financial resources to holding the 2021 conference at the Sonesta Hotel in Philadelphia. In an effort to preserve the financial health of the organization, the AoIR Executive Committee has decided to move forward with an in-person event in Philadelphia. Unfortunately, due to constraints on human, technical, and financial resources, we must also recognize that we are not able to host a fully remote conference simultaneously, and we are saddened by this. We want to encourage those who are able to come to Philadelphia for the 13-16 October event to participate in person, and we are making plans now for a vibrant conference. If you are able to commit to in-person attendance, please make plans to submit a proposal by the 1 March deadline. We will require that conference attendees follow all local and national health and safety guidelines while participating in all conference activities, including those issued by the Sonesta Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the World Health Organization. Our contract with the Sonesta Philadelphia, the conference location, requires a minimum number of room occupancies during the conference, which in turn makes conference spaces available for our use. We hope that attendees will reserve a room at the Sonesta in order for us to fulfill this obligation, as this will help to decrease the financial obligation for the organization. The AoIR Executive Committee recognizes that global travel may not be fully restored by the conference dates, and that members may be limited in traveling to Philadelphia to participate. Furthermore, we are concerned that focusing on an in-person conference will reinforce the inequities that are part of international conferences, magnifying the difficulties some have in participating. We therefore want to make some aspects of the in-person conference available widely as noted below. What will be available for remote participants? The Keynote, Plenary, and Annual General Meeting will be livestreamed and recorded, and made available for members anywhere in the world. Additionally, AoIR will organize both in-person AND remote versions of the Early Career Researchers and Doctoral Colloquium preconference events. We are also discussing holding a separate submission process for fully remote preconferences. More info on that will be available after 1 March. What will happen in Philadelphia? In an effort to address the fact that some voices have been marginalized in international conferences, we are adding a Day 1 that will be organized by a team that successfully submits a proposal for centering critical race and internet studies (deadline for proposals: 31 January). You will be able to read more about the proposal process for the Critical Race and internet studies day on the AoIR website. The proposed North American attendee schedule is: Weds 13 Oct: Day 1: organized to focus on Critical Race and Internet Studies Thurs 14 Oct: Day 2: concurrent sessions Fri 15 Oct: Day 3: concurrent sessions Sat 16 Oct: Day 4: AGM & concurrent sessions; closing party at Reading Terminal Market The call for proposoals: The formats for submissions will remain similar to previous years, with the important caveat that all of those submitting are committing to attending in person provided that, as anticipated, travel within the US is permitted and in-person meeting capacity restrictions are sufficiently lifted by the conference dates. Please read more about how to submit on the aoir website: http://aoir.org. AoIR remains committed to finding ways to deepen and extend conversations about internet research, inclusion, and equity, and now more than ever we recognize the need for finding ways to support one another and work together to reimagine a better world. We look forward to working with you in the new year to advance these goals. On behalf of the AoIR Board and organizers, I wish you a peaceful and healthy holiday break, and I look forward to finding ways to be together virtually and in person in 2021. Best wishes, Lynn Schofield Clark, Ph.D. (she/her/hers) Professor, Chair & Director, Estlow Center for Journalism & New Media Department of Media, Film & Journalism Studies University of Denver And President, the international Association of Internet Researchers: http://aoir.org

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New book: A Theory of Communication and Justice
by Klaus Bruhn Jensen 18 Dec '20

18 Dec '20

A Theory of Communication and Justice By Klaus Bruhn Jensen Routledge, 2021 https://bit.ly/3gRMeMQ This book outlines a theory of communication and justice for the digital age, updating classic positions in political philosophy and ethics, and engaging thinkers from Aristotle through Immanuel Kant and the American pragmatists to John Rawls, Jürgen Habermas, and Amartya Sen. In communication seeking to define justice and call out injustice, there is such a thing as the last word. The chapters in this book trace the historical emergence of communication as a human right; specify the technological resources and institutional frameworks necessary for exercising that right; and address some of the challenges following from digitalization that currently confront citizens, national regulators, and international agencies. Among the issues covered are public access to information archives past and present; local and global networks of communication as sources of personal identities and imagined communities; the ongoing reconfiguration of the press as a fourth branch of governance; and privacy as a precondition for individuals and collectives to live their lives according to plans, and to make their own histories. ***** Reviews A timely and scholarly work that focuses attention on the imperative to deepen the normative turn in communication studies and the communicative turn in philosophy, with focus on the articulation and practice of the contested concept of justice. Drawing on a diverse range of philosophical traditions and thinkers through a communications lens, Jensen succeeds in bringing together philosophy and communications research to propose a seminal theory of justice that speaks to our contemporary global dilemmas. Anjali Monteiro, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai In a world seemingly dominated by polarization and disinformation, Klaus Bruhn Jensen’s impressive mastery of both classic philosophy and modern communication science gives his readers a new perspective on how human communication and social justice are fundamentally intertwined. W. Russell Neuman, New York University How can communication research and theory advance the cause of justice in the world? Klaus Bruhn Jensen’s theory of communication and justice illuminates many possibilities in the spaces between what is, what ought to be, and what could be. Robert T. Craig, University of Colorado Boulder Grounded in a compelling narrative arc from Charles Sanders Peirce to John Rawls, Klaus Bruhn Jensen provides us with a fresh pragmatist philosophy that recognizes communication and its accompanying goods not only as human rights but as engines of civilizational growth. John Durham Peters, Yale University In an era marked by disturbing shifts towards populism, nativism, identity politics and cancel culture, justice must be done and seen to be done. Communication on and of justice are therefore key. Drawing deeply on philosophical theories and the core foundations of the discipline of communication, Klaus Bruhn Jensen provides us with a reflective and provocative exposition of how justice and communication are deeply intertwined. Sun Sun Lim, Singapore University of Technology and Design Klaus Bruhn Jensen presents a timely deliberation on communication and justice that links philosophy and communication studies to explore theories and practices pertaining to this crucially important matter. Drawing on ethics and pragmatist inquiry, Jensen considers communication as action and suggests a communicative turn that may help us to better understand various forms of justice, including essential environmental concerns. This insightful book should to be taken very seriously by academics, policy-makers and the public.　 Janet Wasko, University of Oregon Jensen offers us a normative theory of communication informed by an historically informed analysis of philosophy and communication theory. His goal is to understand how human communication can better contribute to fairness and justice. Treating communication both as a condition of being and becoming and as deliberative action, its potentials and limitations are critically weighed to assess how communication might make a practical difference. An inspiring and provocative foundation is provided for assessing entitlements to reflection and deliberation in a way that also will spark novel empirical research agendas. Robin Mansell, London School of Economics and Political Science In this timely volume Klaus Bruhn Jensen proposes nothing less than a theory of communication and justice. The volume travels through the history of ideas to explore the meeting points and different avenues of communication research and classic philosophy, as they relate to justice. In a theory-rich, yet practice-oriented, manner, Klaus Bruhn Jensen convincingly argues that the study of communication can and should engage with debates about justice. Rikke Frank Jørgensen, The Danish Institute for Human Rights ********************************************************** Klaus Bruhn Jensen Professor, dr.phil. Section of Digital information and Communication (DICO) Department of Communication University of Copenhagen Karen Blixens Plads 8 DK-2300 Copenhagen S Denmark kbj(a)hum.ku.dk<mailto:kbj@hum.ku.dk> www.komm.ku.dk<http://www.komm.ku.dk> Tel +45-35328100 **********************************************************

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Re: [Air-L] Air-L Digest, Vol 197, Issue 17
by Caroline Haythornthwaite 18 Dec '20

18 Dec '20

Two books I’d recommend. The SAGE Handbook of Social Media Research Methods First Edition, Sage. by Luke Sloan and Anabel Quan-Haase (Eds.) Networked: The New Social Operating System, by Lee Rainie and Barry Wellman /Caroline --- Caroline Haythornthwaite Professor, School of Information Studies Syracuse University chaythor(a)syr.edu > Today's Topics: > > 1. Re: Textbook suggestions on internet-based social science > (Justin Ho) > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Thu, 17 Dec 2020 13:54:50 +0100 > From: Justin Ho <Justin.Ho(a)ed.ac.uk> > To: <william.dutton(a)gmail.com> > Cc: "Corten, R. (Rense)" <R.Corten(a)uu.nl>, "air-l(a)listserv.aoir.org" > <air-l(a)listserv.aoir.org> > Subject: Re: [Air-L] Textbook suggestions on internet-based social > science > Message-ID: > <CAFnWnJUsOSOUJQyCvGkJecV9=G6RpjBaW8AAhvbAiJNQKT8t5w(a)mail.gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" > > Dear Rense, > > I would suggest Digital Sociologies, edited by Jessie Daniels, Karen Gregory and Tressie McMillan Cottom (https://policy.bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/digital-sociologies) It contains a lot of case studies of digital phenomena from a sociology perspective. Hope this helps! > > Best regards, > Justin > > On Thu, 17 Dec 2020 at 12:20, William Dutton <william.dutton(a)gmail.com<mailto:william.dutton@gmail.com>> wrote: > This email was sent to you by someone outside the University. > You should only click on links or attachments if you are certain that the email is genuine and the content is safe. > > Rense > > I hesitate to suggest my own work, but only the editor of: > > Graham, M., and Dutton, W. H. (2019) (eds), Society and the Internet: How Networks of Information and Communication are Changing our Lives, 2nd Edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press. > > It is not focused on methodology, but nearly every chapter provides an example of different methods applied to a wide range of questions. The table of contents is at: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/society-and-the-internet-9780198843… > > Good luck with your course, > > Bill > > William H. Dutton > 55 Victoria Road > Oxford OX2 7QF > United Kingdom > > william.dutton(a)gmail.com<mailto:william.dutton@gmail.com> > Twitter @BiIIDutton (II=two capital ii?s) > > Phone: +44 (0)1865 423836 > Mobile: +44 (0)7757 741670 > > Blog: https://billdutton.me > > > > > >> On 17 Dec 2020, at 10:56, Corten, R. (Rense) <R.Corten(a)uu.nl<mailto:R.Corten@uu.nl>> wrote: >> >> Hi all, >> >> For my course ?Internet, social media and networks? in our sociology master program, I?ve been using Rober Ackland?s excellent ?Web Social Science? from 2013 for years. Although I really like this book, it feels increasingly outdated, given the fast-moving nature of the topic and the field. So I?m looking for suggestions for a replacement. The ideal textbook would, like WSS, contain a mix of theoretical and methodological tools for research in digital contexts, with plenty of examples of recent research with an emphasis on the quantitative tradition in social science, and all with applications to relevant and interesting social science (preferably sociological) problems. I find that in particular the combination of tools (such as data collection on the internet and SNA) and discussion of substantive problems is actually quite rare in textbooks (e.g., Bit by bit by Salganik is great on tools but does not teach much substantively about ?sociology of the internet?). So, any suggestion > s are welcome! >> >> Best, Rense >> >> Dr. Rense Corten | Associate professor | Department of Sociology/ICS | Utrecht University | Address: Padualaan 14, 3584 CH, Utrecht, the Netherlands | t: +31 (0)30 253 8814 >> >> _______________________________________________ >> The Air-L(a)listserv.aoir.org<mailto:Air-L@listserv.aoir.org> mailing list >> is provided by the Association of Internet Researchers http://aoir.org >> Subscribe, change options or unsubscribe at: http://listserv.aoir.org/listinfo.cgi/air-l-aoir.org >> >> Join the Association of Internet Researchers: >> http://www.aoir.org/ >

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ACM Web Science Conference WebSci'21 | Call for Papers
by Weller, Katrin 17 Dec '20

17 Dec '20

***apologies if you receive this more than once*** WebSci’21 | 13th ACM Web Science Conference | Call for Papers 21-25 June 2021 Hosted by the University of Southampton, UK, delivered online https://websci21.webscience.org/<https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwebsci21.…> Globalisation, Inclusion and the Web in the Context of COVID The Web has enabled a globally connected network of individuals and communities, but divides still exist and emerge in various online environments. Fostering an inclusive and just online environment is a persistent challenge: Web technologies can hinder or promote equity, and can exacerbate intersectional disadvantages. In recent years, this challenge has been amplified by the increasing prevalence of artificial intelligence and the automation of Web-based tasks as well as ongoing divides in Web access, use, and skill. The theme for WebSci 2021, Globalisation, Inclusion and the Web in the Context of COVID, calls attention to these challenges, particularly in light of the ongoing global effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Web Science is an interdisciplinary field dedicated to understanding the complex and multiple impacts of the Web on society, and vice versa. As such, the field of Web Science is particularly well situated to address these pressing issues. This year’s theme seeks to call attention to core issues facing the field, but as always we welcome a broad array of submissions relevant to Web Science. Call for Papers The 13th International ACM Conference on Web Science in 2021 (WebSci’21) is an interdisciplinary conference where a multitude of research disciplines converge with the purpose of creating a greater insight into a complex global Web than the sum of their individual parts. We invite participation from diverse fields including computer and information sciences, communication, economics, informatics, law, linguistics, philosophy, political science, psychology, and sociology. Contributions may be analytical, conceptual, creative, critical, predictive, theoretical (or all of the above) and should aim, wherever possible, to cross traditional disciplinary boundaries. The conference provides a platform to a range of practitioners from Ph.D. students to experienced researchers and ideas ranging from early work through projects as well as final analysis and completed publishable work. We look to evaluate and value the impact of the Web Science approach, its current theoretical, methodological, and epistemological challenges as well as Web practices of individuals, collectives, institutions, and platforms. Building on our theme for 2021, we especially welcome contributions that: ● Have a broader perspective on the Web and that combine analyses of Web data and other types of data (e.g., from surveys or interviews) to better understand user behaviour (i.e., online and offline) ● Present successful cases of interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary Web research ● Examine trends in globalisation, fragmentation, rejoining, and Balkanisation of the Web ● Examine automation and AI in all its manifestations relevant to the Web ● Interrogate questions of discrimination, representation, and fairness ● Bring lenses such as intersectionality or design justice to questions of marginalisation and inequality ● Consider the impact of COVID on technology adoption, risk perception and risk taking, rates of change, change management, digital health, and privacy Methodologically, Web Science is a discipline that is agnostic to specific methods. We welcome quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods research, including methods from the social sciences and computer science. In addition, we welcome work that explores the ethics of Web-based data collection and research. More broadly, possible topics for submissions include (but are not limited to) the following: ● Ethical challenges of technologies, data, algorithms, platforms, and people in the Web ● Modeling Web-related structures, data, users and behaviours ● Impact of AI and machine learning on the development of Web Science ● Detecting, preventing and predicting anomalies in Web data (e.g., fake content, spam, algorithmic and data biases) ● Data curation, Web archives and stewardship in Web Science ● Safeguarding and governance of the Web, including anonymity, security and trust ● Temporal and spatial dimensions of the Web as a repository of information ● The architecture and philosophy of the Web ● Social machines, crowd computing and collective intelligence ● Analysis and modeling of human vs. automatic behaviour (e.g., bots) and their influence on the structure of the Web and responding behaviour ● Health and well-being online ● Humanities, arts, and culture on the Web ● Critical analyses of the Web and Web technologies ● Web economics, social entrepreneurship, and innovation ● Analysis of online social and information networks ● Legal issues including rights and accountability for AI actors ● Inclusion, literacy and the digital divide ● Health, politics, and education on the Web Format of the submissions Please upload your submissions via EasyChair<https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Feasychair…>. The ACM Web Science Conference will run as an online conference, where authors will present their work remotely to online participants. There is one format for submission. All contributors will submit an abstract (max 400 words) followed by a full paper of between 6 and 10 pages (inclusive of references, appendices, etc.). The authors shall adopt the current ACM SIG Conference proceedings template<https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.acm.o…> (acmart.cls). Please submit papers as PDF files using the ACM template, either in Microsoft Word format<https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.acm.o…> or with the ACM LaTeX template<https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.overl…> on Overleaf (ACM Conference Proceedings “Master” Template). All contributions will be judged by the Program Committee upon rigorous peer review standards for quality and fit to the conference, by at least three referees. We will adopt a single-blind review process. Do not anonymize your submissions. Submissions without authorship information will be desk-rejected without review. For authors who wish to opt-out of publication proceedings, this option will be made available upon acceptance. This will encourage the participation of researchers from the social sciences that prefer to publish their work as journal articles. All authors of accepted papers (including those who opt out of proceedings) are expected to present their work (virtually) at the conference. In 2020, the Web Science conference registration costs were kept low, and the intention is to continue this for Web Science 2021. Important Dates February 12, 2021 Abstract Submission Deadline February 19, 2021 Paper submission deadline April 9, 2021 Notification May 10, 2021 Camera-ready versions due June 21-25 Conference dates We hope to see you virtually in 2021! ____________________________________________ Clare Hooper, Matthew Weber, Katrin Weller (Program Chairs) Wendy Hall and Noshir Contractor (General Chairs)

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CfP - Cultures of Authenticity edited book
by Michael Skey 17 Dec '20

17 Dec '20

Call for papers, edited collection on ‘Cultures of Authenticity’ Following the successful webinar series, hosted by Loughborough University this autumn (https://blog.lboro.ac.uk/crcc/nations-citizenship/cultures-of-authenticity/) we are now seeking contribution for an edited collection on the topic of 'authenticity' Editors,Marie Heřmanová, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Michael Skey and Thomas Thurnell-Read, Loughborough University, UK A widespread fascination with the authentic is said to have emerged as a response to the processes of homogenisation, rationalisation and standardisation at the heart of modernity. The concept of authenticity arose historically at a time of rapid social change and has again come to the fore where social, political, cultural and technological upheavals give rise to feelings of distrust, detachment and alienation against which supposedly authentic people, places and things are sought out for their reassuring certainty and value. Yet, there are huge contradictions and inequalities in who can make claim to authenticity and its construction and communication invariably involves competing narratives and oppositional assertions about what is authentic and how and why the authentic gains its value. Thus, while the concept of authenticity has a long history, in recent years it has emerged as a prominent theme in many of the most pressing debates about contemporary communication and culture. In political communication there are ongoing concerns about misinformation and fake news, while the success of populist parties is often tied to their claims to be a more authentic representative of ‘the people’ than a detached and dispassionate elite. Similarly, the increasingly fractious debates around migration that are taking place across the globe often centre on the desire to protect ‘authentic’ national cultures from globalising forces and the perceived threat of ‘other’ people, products, ideas and images. In the area of culture, economy and policy, copyright, privacy and authorship remain central issues for the major media industries, while for smaller-scale content and craft producers, authenticity may operate as a key selling point and a marker of cultural distinction for both producers and consumers. Likewise, many parts of the tourism and heritage industries see the provision of authentic experiences as their raison d’etre, offering re(creations) of the past and access to ‘real’ cultural communities and traditions. Although interest in, and research about, authenticity is growing apace, there are few, if any, publications exploring the concept from a range of disciplinary perspectives. This edited collection will address this lacuna, bring together both established scholars and early career researchers from across the social sciences and humanities and address the following key questions; Why are debates around authenticity growing at this time? Who does authenticity matter to and why? How do different disciplines and subject areas approach the concept? What are the main similarities and differences in the way that authenticity is conceptualised across the social sciences and humanities? We therefore invite book chapter proposals from any disciplinary background for this edited collection on ‘Cultures of Authenticity’. We are interested in a broad range of chapters exploring authenticity and proposals addressing authenticity in relation to, but not limited to, the following themes: * Authenticity, politics and political communication * Consumption and the use of authenticity in branding and marketing * Authenticity, the internet and the rise of social media * Authenticity in subcultures, fan cultures and celebrity culture * Authenticity in tourism, heritage and memorialisation * Authenticity, literature and authorship * Authenticity in sports, lifestyle and leisure pursuits and practices Proposals should be between 500-750 words and sent to Michael Skey (m.skey(a)lboro.ac.uk<mailto:m.skey@lboro.ac.uk>) by 18thJanuary 2021 Proposed timescale for delivery: first draft of chapter to be submitted by June 2021, comments from editors, August 2021, final draft of chapters to be submitted by November 2021, publication in early 2022 Authors wishing to discuss chapter ideas prior to the abstract submission are welcome to contact the editors via email. Latest publications: Everyday Nationhood edited collection http://www.palgrave.com/gb/book/9781137570970 Affective Nationalism http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0309132516665279 Centre for Communication & Culture, Loughborough University http://www.lboro.ac.uk/research/crcc/

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Textbook suggestions on internet-based social science
by Corten, R. (Rense) 17 Dec '20

17 Dec '20

Hi all, For my course “Internet, social media and networks” in our sociology master program, I’ve been using Rober Ackland’s excellent “Web Social Science” from 2013 for years. Although I really like this book, it feels increasingly outdated, given the fast-moving nature of the topic and the field. So I’m looking for suggestions for a replacement. The ideal textbook would, like WSS, contain a mix of theoretical and methodological tools for research in digital contexts, with plenty of examples of recent research with an emphasis on the quantitative tradition in social science, and all with applications to relevant and interesting social science (preferably sociological) problems. I find that in particular the combination of tools (such as data collection on the internet and SNA) and discussion of substantive problems is actually quite rare in textbooks (e.g., Bit by bit by Salganik is great on tools but does not teach much substantively about “sociology of the internet”). So, any suggestions are welcome! Best, Rense Dr. Rense Corten | Associate professor | Department of Sociology/ICS | Utrecht University | Address: Padualaan 14, 3584 CH, Utrecht, the Netherlands | t: +31 (0)30 253 8814

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Invitation: ‘Automated Republic’ – Interrogating Government Use of Automated Decision-Making Systems
by Divij Joshi 17 Dec '20

17 Dec '20

Hello, Divij Joshi (Mozilla Fellow) and the Centre for Internet and Society, India, are organising the event ‘Automated Republic’, on *Friday, December 18*, *from 1030 - 1300 UTC, *to convene discussions on the implications of automated decision-making systems employed by governments. Join us to understand how these systems may conflict with important constitutional and legal values, and to build an agenda for challenging the harms that they may cause. The event will include the public *launch and discussion of ‘The AI Observatory’,* an open, interactive toolkit for interrogating and challenging consequential automated decision-making systems in India. The project documents and explores how government agencies in India are utilising automated decision-making systems, what harms and risk they pose, and explores participatory accountability for such systems. It will be followed by a discussion on *‘Algorithmic Accountability in Practice’,* where panelists will share their experiences and practices on methods for understanding and resisting harmful algorithmic systems. The discussion will bring together activists, journalists and lawyers to discuss their experiences in how to understand algorithmic accountability in the present context of the use of automated decision-making systems by governments around the world. The detailed schedule is below: *4:00 PM – 5:00 PM IST (1030 – 1130 UTC): *Discussion on ‘AI Observatory’ – A Toolkit to investigate Automated Decision-Making in India Panelists: Vidushi Marda (Article 19), Padmini Ray Murray (Design Beku), Arindrajit Basu (Centre for Internet and Society) moderated by Divij Joshi (Mozilla Fellow) *5:15 PM – 6:30 PM IST (1145 – 1300 UTC):* Panel on Algorithmic Accountability in Practice Panelists: Anton Ekker (Independent Legal Practitioner), Cori Crider (Foxglove, UK), Matthias Spielkamp (Algorithm Watch), Vrinda Bhandari (Independent Legal Practitioner), Divij Joshi moderated by Arindrajit Basu (CIS) For details, email: pranav(a)cis-india.org. Registration link: https://bit.ly/37SmWu8 A live-stream will be available here <https://hasgeek.com/cisindia/automated-republic-interrogating-government-us…> . Please do share the invite with anyone who may find this relevant to their research and practice. Best, divij

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