July 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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Research: Short exercise on disguising online sources
by Joseph Reagle 26 Jan '22

26 Jan '22

Hello all, I'm researching the necessity, methods, and efficacy of researchers altering (i.e., “fuzzing”) prose to disguise their online sources. I have a brief instrument where I ask you to alter three quotes and then judge three alterations. It's very simple and shouldn't take more than 10--15 minutes. The short URL below takes you to a consent form and then the exercise. https://reagle.org/disguise Thank you to those that participate! -- Joseph Reagle, Communication Studies, Northeastern University

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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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Tenure-Track Faculty Job: Digital Platforms and Ethics at University of Oregon
by Bryce Newell 09 Sep '21

09 Sep '21

Dear colleagues, The School of Journalism and Communication (SOJC) at the University of Oregon is looking to hire a tenure-track Assistant Professor Digital Platforms and Ethics within our Media Studies program. The job ad is at https://careers.uoregon.edu/en-us/job/527570/assistant-professor-of-media-s…. Dr. Nicole Dahmen and I are co-chairing this search, and we welcome questions as well as recommendations or virtual introductions to strong candidates who may be interested in this job. A portion of the position description from the job posting is copied below: "The University of Oregon's School of Journalism and Communication seeks a tenure-track Assistant Professor with a research and teaching emphasis in the area of Digital Platforms and Ethics. We seek to hire a colleague who will conduct research on and teach ethics in the context of mass media, communication, and digital media technologies-including internet platforms, software, algorithms, and technical infrastructure. Apps, algorithms, and digital platforms dominate much of our economy, politics, culture, and everyday lives, with consequences for communication, mass media, democracy, and public life. For example, the ascendancy of Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon, and Microsoft requires assessment of issues ranging from bias built into software to monopolization of online markets and even their role in the rise and spread of misinformation around COVID-19, climate change, and recent elections. The hire would bring the following key contributions to our faculty: 1) Expertise in theories and concepts pertinent to media ethics generally and digital media ethics specifically, including issues of free speech, privacy, surveillance, transparency, content moderation, platform power, trust, misinformation, and/or human rights; 2) A related specialty, such as the study of algorithms, software, platforms and infrastructures, and/or critical approaches to programming; and 3) A capacity to teach our required Media Ethics course, other core courses (such as Media and Society and courses within our four undergraduate and graduate sequences as related to their area(s) of expertise), as well as develop innovative courses across the SOJC. This person must have a Ph.D. in communication, media studies, journalism, information science/studies, philosophy, or another related field in hand by time of appointment; demonstrated potential for teaching excellence; ability to execute independent and/or collaborative research that advances theory and bridges knowledge and practice; and a record or promise of scholarly accomplishment that includes publication of peer-reviewed articles and publication in academic journals in communication, media studies, journalism, information studies, surveillance studies, and/or related fields. This faculty hire will join our Media Studies area, which focuses on three key areas: Media Technologies and Public Life, Media Structures and Regulation, and Culture and Power in the Media. Further, they should contribute to making the SOJC a destination for graduate and undergraduate students to engage with and understand the ethical, social, and cultural implications of digital technologies. This hire would ideally strengthen SOJC's ties to other units on campus, including existing collaborations with CAS (e.g., the annual Data|Media|Digital Graduate Symposium), the campus-wide New Media and Culture Certificate program for graduate students, the ethics minor in philosophy, and UO's Data Sciences Initiative, through a practical orientation to ethical issues in society. Finally, the ideal candidate will have strong potential to mentor undergraduate and graduate students as well as strong potential for and commitment to contributing to a culture of inclusive teaching and evidence of valuing diversity, equity, and inclusion. This position is based in Eugene." Best wishes, Bryce C. Newell, Ph.D., J.D. Assistant Professor of Media Law and Policy School of Journalism and Communication University of Oregon

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CfP: Making a Difference! Novel Research Methods in the Datafied Society
by Schaefer, M.T. (Mirko) 11 Aug '21

11 Aug '21

Hi all, this is a call for contributions to a book covering socially engaged and practice-based research in critical data studies. If your work is shaping data practices, advancing data literacies, and constituting accountability for a fair, transparent, and open digital society. We would like to hear from you. Cheers, mirko and Tracey OA Book Call for Contributions: Making a Difference! Novel Research Methods in the Datafied Society Background: Schäfer and Lauriault are critical, theoretical and practice based scholars who do data work within and beyond the academy. While doing so they have experienced the tension between the expectations of traditional forms of scholarly funded research, and doing novel forms of socially relevant empirical work. This rewarding research is engaged, and often involves relationship building with partners from government, the private sector and civil society. This also requires relationship building, time, learning by doing, and knowledge mobilization often at odds with the publish or perish model. They want to hear from others whose research practices actually make a difference in the datafied society. This edited book Making a Difference! Novel Research Methods in the Datafied Society invites scholars, instructors, practitioners and professionals in academia, government, the private sector and civil society who do the same and want to share their critical, participatory and entrepreneurial data work to improve social and material outcomes, and create systems that are fair, accountable and transparent. Making a Difference! also matters in the classroom, especially with students at different stages in their academic and professional life trajectories who seek impactful and meaningful learning opportunities. This is also true in boardrooms, as there is also the call for evidence-informed decision making and for responsible data practices. It has proven difficult for many however to balance the traditional mission of the university and the desire to have a positive impact on society. This is especially the case when doing data work with practitioners, administrators and professionals. Some in the university are adapting and evolving their research practices in unique and interesting ways, others are doing critical research outside the academy, and some are doing both. We want to hear how you address these challenges. Making a Difference! will feature bold ideas from researchers, practitioners, designers, and instructors who have developed collaborative ways of doing critically informed data work. This may include digital methods and analytical approaches to conduct joint projects with government, media, corporations, and civil society partners. This work may be funded by both traditional and novel forms of financial arrangements. This direct engagement with external partners often connects research agendas to address urgent societal needs, which often allows students to incubate new ideas and create new occupations. In addition to reconfiguring relationships with practitioners, entrepreneurially minded scholars have maintained independence while producing rigorous and critical research. These emerging and mutually beneficial approaches to doing critically informed data work increasingly recognize team efforts, transdisciplinary cooperation, and entrepreneurial skills that have made difference. Chapters for this OA book will be between 3000-8000 words and will be organized into the following broad areas: * Theoretically informed applied research; * Methodological approaches to doing engaged and participatory research; * Transdisciplinary and multi-sectoral research projects; * Case studies (may be shorter chapters 3000-4000 words); * Novel pedagogical approaches to teaching and learning (3000-4000 words); * Position statements that identify pressing challenges about doing this type of critically informed data work (could also be shorter chapters 3000-5000 words). The following is a list of potential topic areas: * Action, engaged, and participatory scholarship and research * Entrepreneurial research (as an example see this video<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSKk1kYgDHk>) * Socially transformative interdisciplinary collaborations * Multi-sectoral team-based collaborations * Applied basic research and practices from STEAM disciplines, in the humanities, social and/or natural sciences, data science, HCI, etc. * Academic-community knowledge transfer * Co-creation, co-design and forms of public engagement * Citizen science, crowdsourcing, and open data * Engaged pedagogical approaches, community partners in the classroom; multi-purpose assignments, and etc. * Maintaining impartiality, autonomy and research integrity with private funding * Scholars as experts, practitioner, and as academics * Impact measurers, metrics, indicators, and theory of change * Data practices that address equity & inclusion and anti racism, sexism, LGBTQ, ableism, Indigenous issues, labour, etc. * Other issues that arise from AI/ML, data infrastructures, systems, and technologies through these novel forms of conducting research * Suggest an idea! Making a Difference! Will be organized as follows. 1. Theoretical Approaches about doing critically informed transdisciplinary and multi-sectoral data work that challenge traditional humanities and social science scholarship In this section chapters (3000-8000 words) contextualize emergent forms of engaged scholarship through in-depth theoretical reflections about how to transform the academic status quo in terms of research and pedagogy. Here we also imagine chapters that might include methodological and pedagogical approaches. 2. Case Studies about Doing Critically Engaged Data Work Chapters here might be shorter (3000-5000 words) and include one or more case studies that apply theory and describe novel approaches to engaged research, teaching and collaboration. We are particularly interested in contributions that track a project’s societal impact, and that emphasize how challenges to traditional forms of university research have been overcome, including those encountered by those outside the academy working with scholars. 3. Position Papers on Pressing Challenges Chapters here might address practical solutions to the challenges imposed by the transformation of the academy and societal needs for critically engaged data work. Authors would take a position on productive paths forward on topics such as (but not limited to) obtaining funding, ensuring research integrity, awarding recognition, avoiding cooptation, implementing new metrics, creating incentives, conducting open access and open data research, and conceptualizing new roles for researchers and students. About the editors: Mirko Tobias Schäfer is an Associate Professor at Utrecht University, and a co-founder of the Utrecht Data School<https://dataschool.nl/en/>. m.t.schaefer(a)uu.nl<mailto:m.t.schaefer@uu.nl> Tracey P. Lauriault<https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1847-2738> is Associate Professor of Critical Media and Big Data, School of Journalism and Communication, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, Tracey.Lauriault(a)Carleton.ca Contributions: We seek contributions from scholars, instructors, practitioners and professionals in academia, government, the private sector and civil society. We hope to receive works from any of the following: geography, anthropology, media studies, communication, journalism, organizational studies, business, public administration, sociology, social work, gender studies, criminology, philosophy, digital humanities, HCI, data science and others that do critically engaged data work for an open access book entitled Making a Difference! Novel Research Practices in the Datafied Society to be published by Amsterdam University Press by the spring of 2022. Submission Instructions: Please send a 250 word abstract proposal by August 13th, 2021 to both Mirko Schäfer, M.T. <m.t.schaefer(a)uu.nl<mailto:m.t.schaefer@uu.nl>> and Tracey P. Lauriault <Tracey.Lauriault(a)Carleton.ca<mailto:Tracey.Lauriault@Carleton.ca>>. In the subject line of your email, include: * Making a Difference! In the body of your email include: * Chapter title * Section you are submitting to * Section 1: Theoretical approaches; * Section 2: Case studies; or * Section 3: Position papers. * 250 word abstract * Name of author(s), title(s), institution(s), & email addresses. * We will send out confirmations by August 30th, 2021 * First drafts are expected by November 30, 2021. https://dataschool.nl/en/news/oa-book-call-for-contributions/

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references on the materiality of media technologies and their imaginaries
by Hamlet Lopez 04 Aug '21

04 Aug '21

Thanks to all for the quick and kind answers. Here a compilations of the references given: Signal Traffic. Critical Studies of Media Infrastructures. 2015. Edited by Lisa Parks and Nicole Starosielski https://www.press.uillinois.edu/books/catalog/26bxm4qd9780252039362.html The Stuff of Bits. An Essay on the Materialities of Information.2017 Paul Dourish https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/stuff-bits The Undersea Network. 2015 Nicole Starosielski https://www.dukeupress.edu/the-undersea-network Materiality and Organizing: Social Interaction in a Technological World. 2012 Paul M. Leonardi, Bonnie A. Nardi, and Jannis Kallinikos https://oxford.universitypressscholarship.com/view/10.1093/acprof:oso/97801… New Media & Society Special Issue: Storing and Sharing: Everyday relationships with digital material. 2021. https://journals.sagepub.com/toc/nmsa/23/4 Megan French. Jeff Hancock. What's the Folk Theory? Reasoning About Cyber-Social Systems. 2017 https://ssrn.com/abstract=2910571 Ytre-Arne, Brita, and Hallvard Moe. "Folk theories of algorithms: Understanding digital irritation." Media, Culture & Society (2020) https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0163443720972314 Among others papers on the subject: Human Computer Interaction and Folk Theories Bell, Joshua and Kuipers, Joel eds. 2018. "Unseen Connections: The Materiality of Cell Phones." Anthropological Quarterly 91(2): 465-633. Bell, JA and Kuipers, JC. Eds. 2018. Linguistic and Material Intimacies of Cell Phones. London: Routledge Among other papers by Josh Bell, Alex Dent and Joel Kuipers These references are extremely helpful. Again, thanks to all. -- Dr.C. Hamlet López García Investigador Auxiliar Instituto Cubano de Investigación Cultural "Juan Marinello" Profesor Auxiliar Universidad de la Habana

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WEBCAST TODAY/AUJORD'HUI: West Africa Peering Forum | Forum sur le peering et l’interconnexion en Afrique de l’Ouest
by Joly MacFie 02 Aug '21

02 Aug '21

Peering forums are now a regional thing, and today's it is West Africa's turn. Without interconnection there would be no Internet! Les forums de peering sont désormais une affaire régionale, et c'est aujourd'hui le tour de l'Afrique de l'Ouest. Sans interconnexion, il n'y aurait pas d'Internet ! ISOC Live posted: "On Thursday July 29, 2021 from 14:00-15:30 UTC the West Africa Peering Forum (WAPF) will be held online, with the theme 'Pathway to building a dynamic and resilient peering and interconnection ecosystem in West Africa'. WAPF is a regional Peering and Inte" [image: Livestream (English)] <http://livestream.com/internetsociety/wapf21>On *Thursday July 29, 2021* from *14:00-15:30 UTC* the *West Africa Peering Forum <https://www.internetsociety.org/events/west-africa-peering-forum-wapf/>* (WAPF) will be held online, with the theme '*Pathway to building a dynamic and resilient peering and interconnection ecosystem in West Africa <https://bit.ly/3y23jLE>*'. WAPF is a regional Peering and Interconnection event, which promotes knowledge sharing and learning on Peering and Interconnection in the West Africa region. WAPF 2021 will propose practical solutions to advance peering and interconnection in the West Africa region. *SPEAKERS* *Aderemi Adejumo*, Managing Director, Cloudflex Computing Service Ltd *Ben Roberts*, Group Chief Technology and Innovation Officer, Liquid Intelligent Technologies *Brian Davenport*, Solutions Engineer, Team Cymru *Ndiogou Fall*, IP Transmission Expert, Orange International Infrastructure, Networks and Services (OINIS) - Africa *MODERATOR* *Muhammed Rudman*, Founding CEO, Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria *LIVESTREAM ENGLISH http://livestream.com/internetsociety/wapf21 <http://livestream.com/internetsociety/wapf21> *(Captions) [image: Livestream (Francais)] <http://livestream.com/internetsociety2/wapf21>Le *jeudi 29 juillet 2021* de *14h00 à 15h30* UTC, le *Forum sur le peering et l’interconnexion en Afrique de l’Ouest <https://www.internetsociety.org/fr/events/west-africa-peering-forum-wapf/>* (WAPF) se tiendra en ligne, sur le thème « *Comment développer un écosystème dynamique et résilient pour le peering et l'interconnexion en Afrique de l'Ouest <https://bit.ly/3y23jLE>* ». WAPF est un événement régional sur le peering, qui vise à promouvoir le partage de connaissances et l'apprentissage sur le peering et l'interconnexion dans la région ouest-africaine. WAPF 2021 proposera des solutions pratiques pour faire progresser le peering et l'interconnexion dans la région de l'Afrique de l'Ouest. *INTERVENANTS* *Aderemi Adejumo*, Directeur General, Cloudflex Computing Service Ltd *Ben Roberts*, Directeur de la technologie et de l’innovation au sein du groupe, Liquid Intelligent Technologies *Brian Davenport*, Ingénieur des solutions, Team Cymru *Ndiogou Fall*, Expert Transmission et IP, Orange International Networks, Infrastructure and Services - Afrique *MODERATEUR* *Muhammed Rudman*, Fondateur, Directeur Général de Point d’échange du Nigéria *LIVESTREAM FRANÇAIS http://livestream.com/internetsociety2/wapf21 <http://livestream.com/internetsociety2/wapf21>* *PARTICIPATE VIA ZOOM https://bit.ly/3y23jLE <https://bit.ly/3y23jLE>* (EN/FR) (EN Captions) *REAL TIME TEXT https://www.streamtext.net/player?event=CFI-ISOC <https://www.streamtext.net/player?event=CFI-ISOC>* (English) *TWITTER #WAPF21 <http://bit.ly/WAPF21> @WAPF_Event @CloudflexNG @LiquidInTech @teamcymru @OrangeIC @IXPNigeria @AFRINIC @Facebook @FLEXOPTIX @paixio @RackCentre @Mainoneservice #IPeerinAfrica* *SIMULCASTS* *https://www.twitter.com/ISOC_Live/ <https://www.twitter.com/ISOC_Live/>* *https://www.twitch.tv/isoclive <https://www.twitch.tv/isoclive> *(EN only) *https://www.facebook.com/liveisoc <https://www.facebook.com/liveisoc>* *https://www.facebook.com/InternetSociety/ <https://www.facebook.com/InternetSociety/>* *https://www.facebook.com/ISOCAfrica/ <https://www.facebook.com/ISOCAfrica/>* *ARCHIVE* *https://archive.org/details/wapf21 <https://archive.org/details/wapf21>* *Permalink* - -- -------------------------------------- Joly MacFie +12185659365 -------------------------------------- -

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Influencer Marketing Meta-analysis
by Guy Golan 31 Jul '21

31 Jul '21

HI Everyone, My name is Guy Golan and I am an Associate Professor in the Bob Schieffer College of Communication at Texas Christian University. My colleagues (Jameson Hayes, Jiyoung Lee, and Nathan Walter) and I are currently working on a meta-analysis of social media influencers. We would be grateful for any information that you can give us on unpublished data (conference papers, advised dissertations, in press, etc.). It is important to emphasize that we don't need the actual dataset but only information that will allow us to compute effect sizes (e.g., t-values, sample sizes, means, SDs, p-values, Cohen's d, etc.). In general, we are looking for experimental studies that include a direct comparison between exposure to a social media influencer and a control condition (for e.g., neutral control, celebrity, brand-only). We are interested in all research outcomes, including beliefs, attitudes, knowledge, recall, behavioral intent, and behavior. The studies can be within any domain (e.g., marketing, advertising, public health, politics, science). Information pertaining to any studies (published or unpublished) that fit these criteria would be highly appreciated. Thank you so much for your time and effort, Guy (guy.golan(a)tcu.edu) -- Guy J. Golan, Ph.D. Associate Professor Department of Strategic Communication Bob Schieffer College of Communication Texas Christian University Twitter: guygolan https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Guy_Golan

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