February 2021 - Air-L - lists.aoir.org

Polymedia
by Traci Belanger 11 Jul '25

11 Jul '25

Hi everyone, does anyone have suggestions for articles on "polymedia" or specifically how polymedia interacts with media ecology? Thanks so much! Traci Belanger --- May all winds at your back inspire you, and may you have harmony and peace today.

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For my US colleagues: an 8 minute survey, where your input might make a difference
by Patricia Aufderheide 08 May '25

08 May '25

I know, exactly what you don't need to do at this crazy point in the semester. At AU, Profs. Aram Sinnreich, Joseph Graf and I have been working with Electronic Frontier Foundation and New Media Rights to design a survey about DMCA exemption language and its accessibility. Would you be interested in taking, sharing with your students and networks, including putting on social media the survey link <http://bit.ly/2nEfY8j>? Here it is again: *http://bit.ly/2nEfY8j <http://bit.ly/2nEfY8j>* Your generosity much appreciated! 👏 -- Patricia Aufderheide, University Professor, School of Communication Founder, Center for Media & -- Patricia Aufderheide, University Professor, School of Communication Founder, Center for Media & Social Impact American University 4400 Massachusetts Av., NW American University, Washington, DC 20016-8017 McKinley Hall 323 @paufder @cmsimpact cmsimpact.org paufder(a)american.edu 202-885-2069 office <202-643-5356> 240-643-4805 mobile <202-643-5356> "The world we have received also belongs to those who follow us." --Pope Francis

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Non-software uses of GitHub
by Jim Herbsleb 16 Apr '25

16 Apr '25

I’m looking for GitHub repositories that are used for things other than software, especially where users are actively collaborating rather than just putting together static collections. So far, we have found a few books being written, some musical transcriptions being error-checked, and some policy documents maintained online. Does anyone know of any examples of these or other categories? Any pointers much appreciated. Happy to share what we find with anyone interested. Jim ---- Jim Herbsleb Carnegie Mellon University http://herbsleb.org/ Google Scholar profile: https://goo.gl/sv3p7l

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Funded PhDs on Social Research in "Just" (as in justice) Technology with ESC at the University of Michigan
by Christian Sandvig 05 Nov '21

05 Nov '21

Dear AoIR colleagues, I decided to go to grad school when one of my profs suggested it. I was not very clear about what a PhD was. That conversation changed my life. I'm writing to ask you to consider having this conversation with your promising students right now. It's that time of year. It's a little personally embarrassing, but in order to improve our outreach to prospective students I've been experimenting with video. My video is a little bit like a late-night TV ad for a used-car lot, except I'm advertising getting a PhD in Information OR Communication & Media with my lab group. Here it is: https://lab.csandvig.people.si.umich.edu/join/ Some additional details: Infra.Lab is a multi-disciplinary research group at the University of Michigan dedicated to “just” technology (as in justice) at the ESC Center. We investigate the intermingled social and technical aspects of computing and digital media technologies and their implications for society. Our approaches include human-computer interaction; science and technology studies; policy research on politics, laws, and institutions; design; software development; artistic practice; and more. Our recent work has focused on racial and gender discrimination by algorithmic systems, negative consequences of targeted advertising, inequality and social media use, and the future of technology policy. We are recruiting prospective Ph.D. students with interests in tech and human rights, civil rights, social justice, racial justice, and inequality. We are building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community. We particularly want applications from people who are interested in addressing the perspectives or needs of groups that have been historically underserved by academic research, computing, and digital media. - The deadline is usually December 1 every year. - The GRE exam isn’t required. - If the application fee (US$70-90) is a barrier to your application, we will waive the fee. Write to the relevant graduate program’s email address (see link above) for help with this. - The Ph.D. is full-time. Part-time degrees are not possible. - The Ph.D. takes about 4 years to complete. Usually the first 2 years involve mostly coursework, the last 2 years involve mostly research. - You do not have to pay tuition to get a Ph.D. Successful applicants are paid for 4 years as apprentice teachers and/or researchers. During this time you will make about US$45,000 per year for about 8 months of work each year. Summer funding is also possible. You also receive health, life, and dental insurance. - You don’t need a master’s degree to apply, but it may help you stand out from other applicants. - You DO need a bachelor’s degree to apply, but it does not have to be in these particular fields. You can apply with any bachelor’s degree if you make the case that you have some relevant background or experience. - We offer additional funding and incentives to those students whose admission will reduce disparities in graduate education. You do not need to apply separately for this funding, you will automatically be considered. - You do not need to be a US Citizen to be admitted, or to receive the funding described here. International students are common. - Either qualitative or quantitative skills/interests are relevant to us. - You do not need to be a computer programmer. - You do not need to have gone to a fancy school for your undergraduate degree. There is more information at the URL above. Please feel free to forward this email. Sincerely, Christian -- Christian Sandvig Director, Center for Ethics, Society, and Computing (ESC) H. Marshall McLuhan Collegiate Professor Information, Communication & Media University of Michigan http://esc.umich.edu/ -- http://umich.edu/~csandvig/

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Instagram Posts and Discussion Data Gathering Tool
by DeNel Rehberg Sedo 29 May '21

29 May '21

Hello all, can you recommend a data collection tool that is more dynamic than rss.app? One of my graduate students wants to capture images, videos, and discussions on two separate accounts during the fall election season. I would very much appreciate any advice you can give, DeNel DeNel Rehberg Sedo, PhD (she/her) Professor Department of Communication Studies Mount Saint Vincent University McCain Centre 306C, Box M64, 166 Bedford Hwy Halifax, NS B3M 2J6 Canada dr_rehberg_sedo on Twitter denelrehbergsedo.info

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CFP: Information Overload? Music Studies in the Age of Abundance (8-10 Sept 2021)
by Christopher Haworth 07 May '21

07 May '21

Information Overload? Music Studies in the Age of Abundance 8-10 September 2021, University of Birmingham Keynote Speakers: Robin James (University of North Carolina at Charlotte) Nick Seaver (Tufts University) More speakers TBA For those investigating any musical activity after about 1994, the main sources of research data will not be print archives or discrete media—they will be World Wide Web media. The Internet Archive, the web’s library, today holds over 525 billion archived web pages, while API and post-API archiving initiatives make social web platforms accessible as research databases. At first glance, no other archive is more inclusive in terms of whose voices it represents, and none more comprehensive in terms of the insights it provides into the thoughts, desires and musical tastes of ordinary people. To paraphrase the web historian Ian Milligan, whose recent book provides the title and framing for this conference, we might suggest that in its scale, granularity and plurality, the web represents the music historian’s dream. Yet there is good cause to be sceptical of claims to a more ‘democratic’ archive in an age of surveillance capitalism. Contrary to early hopes that the internet would bring about greater egalitarianism, Shoshana Zuboff argues that the political economy of contemporary digital communications is characterised by ‘radical indifference’ in the service of maximising data flows. The harms that algorithms perpetuate through biased and incomplete training data suggest that visibility within the archive remains strongly patterned according to race, gender, prosperity, ability and geography. Intersecting with these concerns is a question of how the superficial ‘abundance’ of stories to be told about music in the last twenty-five years impacts on questions of historical theory. Is it possible that a surfeit of available paths through the data compensates for a lack of meaningful historicity over the same period? With this conference we seek to gather researchers who are interested in the epistemological, methodological, ethical, and disciplinary problems that arise when studying music in the age of abundance. The below questions are intended to be indicative rather than exhaustive: What skills and literacies are required to treat web media as primary sources? Does treating web media as music literature prompt a further call for musicology to reflect on its disciplinary and medial borders? How might music historians and other researchers work with one another towards the curation of shared datasets, mutually agreed best practices, and a culture of collaboration? What are the barriers to these ways of working in music studies? What ethical and epistemological questions are raised when ordinary (and often anonymous) people and everyday activities take centre stage in the writing of music history? How should music researchers navigate a ‘post-Cambridge Analytica’ world in which platform APIs are increasingly restrictive in terms of what data they make available? Is it necessary to work within the ‘Realpolitik’ of social media data access, or should scholars consider the active breach of platform rules in the public interest? Does the World Wide Web necessitate new thinking around matters of history and historiography? How helpful are recent attempts to periodise the last 30+ years in cultural-political terms (‘the long 1990s’, ‘the contemporary’, etc)? Do generational politics inflect our understanding of recent music history in new ways, or our perspectives on history as music researchers? Paper titles and abstracts of no more than 250 words, together with a 100-word bio, should be sent to muscon2021(a)contacts.bham.ac.uk by Friday 7th May 2021. Notification of acceptance will be sent via email by Monday 7th June. Full preparations are being made for an in-person conference, however online participation via Zoom will also be possible. Organising committee: Christopher Haworth Danielle Sofer Edward Spencer This conference is funded by the UKRI AHRC Early Career Leadership Fellowship, Music and the Internet: Towards a Digital Sociology of Music. Further updates will be posted to the conference website: https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/schools/lcahm/departments/music/events/2021/in…

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Lecturer in Digital Journalism at Birkbeck, University of London
by Scott Rodgers 03 Mar '21

03 Mar '21

Birkbeck, University of London is recruiting a new Lecturer in Digital Journalism! Lecturer in Digital Journalism Salary range: £38,594 rising to £53,342 Contract type :Open ended Mode: Full time Grade: Lecturer Department: Department of Film, Media & Cultural Studies Closing date for applicants: 30-Mar-2021 Ref No: 776 Documents: Recruitment Pack 776.pdf<https://cis7.bbk.ac.uk/wd/plsql/wd_portal.view_blob?p_web_site_id=6056&p_we…> The new Lecturer in Digital Journalism will play a key role in developing our expanding portfolio of journalism courses and programmes at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. You will bring a passion for innovative research-led teaching in digital newsgathering and digital news publishing, as well as a clear and cogent strategy for outstanding research in this emergent sub-discipline. The successful applicant will join a growing team of academics with a strong international research and impact profile. The successful applicant will hold a PhD in a related discipline and have an emergent research profile and publications. We are particularly interested in applicants that take a critical perspective on journalism’s evolving social purpose, especially in the context of emerging digital technologies (e.g. social platforms, mobile media, digital interfaces, data visualisation, recommendation systems) and their implications (e.g. digital surveillance, algorithmic decision-making, misinformation, platform power). Remuneration Lecturer Grade of the College's London Pay Scale which is £ 38,594 rising to £53,342 The salary quoted is on the College's London Pay Scale which includes a consolidated Weighting/Allowance which applies only to staff whose normal contractual place of work is in the London area. Enquiries If you would like to know more about the role please click on apply below or contact Dr Justin Schlosberg, Assistant Dean for Film, Media and Cultural Studies, via j.schlosberg(a)bbk.ac.uk<mailto:j.schlosberg@bbk.ac.uk> If you have technical issues or difficulties using the recruitment portal please contact jobs(a)bbk.ac.uk, providing your name and the job reference number of the position. While we are happy to respond to all informal enquiries, only formal applications through the online system will be considered. Birkbeck offers a competitive salary and pension scheme, 31 days paid leave, flexible working arrangements and some of the most generous benefits in the HE sector, all while being located right in the heart of Central London. We welcome applicants from all sections of the community. The College is committed to improving the gender and cultural diversity of its workforce, holding an Athena SWAN award, membership of WISE, operating Disability Confident & Mindful Employer schemes. Link to job vacancy ad: https://cis7.bbk.ac.uk/vacancy/lecturer-in-digital-journalism-435633.html

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[CfP - 4S 2021]
by Baptiste Kotras 02 Mar '21

02 Mar '21

Dear fellow Internet researchers, Please find [ https://www.4sonline.org/128-new-wars-on-science-the-reconfiguration-of-con… | here ] (and below) the call for our open panel at the next 4S Conference, " New Wars on Science. The Reconfiguration of Contemporary Contestations of Science ", which will take place in Toronto and online, from October 6th to 9th 2021. This open panel aims to investigate the recent and growing contestation of epistemic authorities (scientific institutions, the media, the State). We would very much appreciate to receive submissions studying such contestations and controversies within digital worlds, through ethnographic and/or digital methods, as the Internet clearly is a crucial space in this matter. Submissions (250 words) should highlight the main argument, the methods and the theoretical frame employed. Deadline is March 8th . Please feel free to contact us for any question you might have. To submit your paper: [ https://convention2.allacademic.com/one/ssss/ssss21/ | https://convention2.allacademic.com/one/ssss/ssss21/ ] Best, Henri Boullier [ [ mailto:henri.boullier@dauphine.psl.eu | henri.boullier(a)dauphine.psl.eu] ] Baptiste Kotras [baptiste.kotras(a)u-pem.fr] New Wars on Science. The Reconfiguration of Contemporary Contestations of Science Lots of debates have recently arised about an alleged crisis of trust in science. Scientific knowledge is increasingly entangled in crossed accusations of ‘fakeness’, conspiracy and falsification, on a number of critical issues (vaccines, pollution, climate, etc.). To make sense of this somewhat blurry picture, this panel argues for the necessity to go back to the basics of STS, adopting a symmetrical approach of contemporary contestations of science. This way, we wish to depict a large continuum of critiques, mobilizations and material resources at play in the transformation of the way we collectively apprehend the scientific truth. Contributions could follow three lines of research: (1) by analyzing the material practices of so-called alternative science: how do climate skeptics or anti-vaxxers (for instance) collect data, design experiments, publicize results supporting their marginated theories? (2) by documenting how corporate actors strive to undermine scientific consensus in order to defend their interests (building networks of journals, think tanks, philanthropic organizations, etc.) and/or how scientific institutions deal with such corporate involvement in knowledge production; (3) by investigating the mobilization of heterogeneous actors (scientists, journalists, physicians) to fight what they consider irrational attacks against reason and progress. What kind of strategies, arguments and alliances do they build to “debunk fake science”? We welcome a variety of cases and methods, in particular analyses focusing on the Global South (with different epistemic traditions & non-hegemonic scientific production), and/or using digital methods. -- -- Baptiste KOTRAS Chercheur postdoc au LISIS Postdoctoral researcher at LISIS IFRIS / Université Paris-Est

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CFP-Beyond Zoom: Promise and Reality of XR
by John P. Bell 28 Feb '21

28 Feb '21

Beyond Zoom: Promise and Reality of XR CFP Submission Deadline: March 15, 2021 (250 word abstract) Conference Date: April 15-16, 2021 Submit Proposals at http://dartgo.org/beyond-zoom-cfp Register to Attend at http://dartgo.org/beyond-zoom-reg Send Questions to beyond.zoom.conference(a)gmail.com This conference is a sequel to last year's "Beyond Zoom: XR For Teaching and Research in the COVID-19 Era," which highlighted the role of XR in remote teaching, learning and research contexts. In this follow-up conference we are seeking speakers to present their work in the context of the future promise and current reality of XR, particularly in response to changing world events like COVID, social polarization, and erosion of trust in scientific research and communication. Like many new technologies, XR is often spoken about as either a panacea for or contributor to any number of challenges in higher education. We would like to hear about your expectations when you began a project, your experiences using building and using XR thus far, and where you think we can go next based on what you've learned. We welcome proposals for brief (5-minute) lightning talks showing off existing or developing XR projects in any discipline as well as institutional initiatives built around XR. These brief presentations will be organized into sessions that seed generative discussions as part of a two-day event. - Retrospectives of recent teaching and research projects along with prospective looks at next steps - How XR can-and can't-explore issues of institutional racism, social justice, and agency - How virtual worldbuilding can demonstrate differences in perception among those with varying physical, cognitive, or sensory conditions - When XR can be used to effectively disseminate ideas and concepts (to the public or to students) that are not easily conveyed in other media - Data privacy issues for students, research subjects, and the general public - XR in the academy vs. XR in the consumer space, particularly with commodified hardware and software ecosystems - Research into XR's role in promoting empathy for the 'other' - Explorations of XR's digital divide and how to bridge it in higher ed - Discussions of tools that can democratize access to XR for creators and distributors - Use of XR spaces for collaboration among researchers, students, or others HOSTS Dartmouth College: Information, Technology, and Consulting The Neukom Institute Film and Media Studies University of Pennsylvania: Online Learning Initiative Cinema and Media Studies This conference is sponsored by Dartmouth ITC and the University of Pennsylvania Online Learning Initiative. Thank you, Beyond Zoom Conference Committee John P. Bell, Dartmouth College Peter Decherney, University of Pennsylvania Barbara Knauff, Dartmouth College Rebecca Stein, University of Pennsylvania Mark Williams, Dartmouth College

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Vote Climatophosis by Yohanna Joseph Waliya as The best use of DH for Fun please
by Waliya, Yohanna Joseph 28 Feb '21

28 Feb '21

Hi all, Vote my work for this DH Awards 2020 How to vote Climatophosis by Yohanna Joseph Waliya as THE BEST USE OF DH FOR FUN 1. CLICK THIS LINK or copy and paste it in your browser: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf9G81BpcPyAbxkM9Jjg63ttgcyb3lEkU5… 2. ENTER YOUR NAME: 3.ENTER YOUR EMAIL: 4. GO TO CATEGORY (6):THE BEST USE OF TH For FUN 5. CHECK the round button: CLIMATOPHOSIS BY YOHANNA JOSEPH WALIYA ( IT IS THE 4TH NUMBER UNDER THE CATEGORY) 6. CLICK SUBMIT. NB: You can also vote others in other categories. Thanks All the best! Get Outlook for Android<https://aka.ms/ghei36>

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