December 2023 - Air-L - lists.aoir.org

ONLINE EVENT Behind the Scenes of a Digital Ethnography Dissertation, 1st December
by Glatt,ZA (pgr) 01 Dec '23

01 Dec '23

Hello all, Please join the Rutgers Digital Ethnography Working Group (DEWG) in collaboration with The Digital Ethnography Collective for our upcoming event ‘Behind the Scenes of a Digital Ethnography Dissertation,’ with panellists Michelle Cera, Zoe Glatt and Yena Lee! Online Friday 1st December 12:30-2:00pm EST REGISTER HERE: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/behind-the-scenes-of-a-digital-ethnography-dis… As every ethnographer knows, there’s often a gap between our best-laid research plans and our research realities – whether because of time/mobility constraints, funding issues, access challenges, or any number of other roadblocks we may encounter. And for dissertating graduate students, this gap can be especially tricky to navigate. This panel will bring together advanced and recently graduated PhD students for a conversation about the gritty reality of doing a digital ethnography dissertation. Panellists will speak candidly about their experiences with digital ethnographic data collection, analysis, and writing, while also teaching, RAing, navigating the job market, and living lives outside of work. ABOUT OUR PANELLISTS: Michelle Cera is a doctoral candidate in the sociology department at New York University where she studies politics, gender, inequality, and social media. She has studied and written about the pandemic and gender inequality, the ethics of digital ethnography, young adult dating practices, and the gendered nature of hookup culture. Her dissertation focuses on far-right extremism on social media platforms. More info at: https://as.nyu.edu/departments/sociology/people/current-phd-students/cera--… Dr. Zoe Glatt is a feminist media scholar with interests in platformised creative industries and labour, social media and influencer cultures, and digital ethnographic methods. She is a Postdoctoral Researcher at Microsoft Research New England, where she is working on her first book manuscript, Demonetised: Inequality, Co-Option and Resistance in the Influencer Industry, as well as new research into the intersections of AI and the creator economy. She is the co-founder of The Digital Ethnography Collective, an interdisciplinary group exploring the intersections of digital culture and ethnographic methods. She is also currently in the process of setting up the Content Creator Scholars Network (CCSN), for researchers studying influencer industries and creator culture. More info at: www.zoeglatt.com<http://www.zoeglatt.com> Yena Lee is a Ph.D. candidate in the Media, Technology, and Society program at Northwestern School of Communication. Her research interweaves political communication, the sociology of social movements, and political economy of new media to study the mediated forms and processes of democratic participatory politics with a focus on relationships. Her dissertation advances grassroots models of democratic citizenship that account for the ways content creators have translated conventional notions of good citizenships to form civic relationships. She has authored publications in leading outlets theorizing about relationships in networked grassroots activism. In a study published in Information, Communication & Society, she compares two case studies of feminist networked movement leadership from Korea—SchoolMeToo and Telegram Sextortion Ring Protest—to develop an understanding of brokerage as the type of communication that goes beyond the neutral act of connecting to reshaping the relationship between grassroots and institutional actors. Her research published in the International Journal of Communication adopts concepts of relational scripts and schemas to theorize networked relationships, illustrating the importance of studying relationships as integral building blocks of networked publics and instruments for resisting harmful technocultures. More info at: https://yenal.notion.site I look forward to seeing some of you there! All the best, Zoe ________________________ Dr Zoë Glatt www.zoeglatt.com<http://www.zoeglatt.com/> | zoe.glatt(a)microsoft.com<mailto:zoe.glatt@microsoft.com> Postdoctoral Researcher: Microsoft’s Social Media Collective Co-Founder: The Digital Ethnography Collective @DigECollective<https://twitter.com/DigECollective> Twitter<https://twitter.com/ZoeGlatt> | YouTube<https://www.youtube.com/user/Zedstergal> | Mastodon<https://aoir.social/@ZoeGlatt>

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DCOSS-IoT 2024 (Abu Dhabi, April 29 to May 1) - Third Call for Papers
by Leivadeas, Aris 01 Dec '23

01 Dec '23

The 20th Annual International Conference on Distributed Computing in Smart Systems and the Internet of Things (DCOSS-IoT 2024) Abu Dhabi, UAE - April 29 to May 1, 2024 * The DCOSS-IoT series of events are always technically co-sponsored by IEEE, and Proceedings are published by IEEE Xplore. The 20th International Conference on Distributed Computing in Smart Systems and the Internet of Things (DCOSS-IoT 2024) will be held in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The conference is always co-sponsored by the IEEE Computer Society and by the IEEE Technical Committee on Parallel Processing (TCPP). The conference was previously known as DCOSS. Starting in 2023, the event is broadening its scope beyond sensor networks to include smart systems in general and the Internet of Things (IoT). The updated name is "Distributed Computing in Smart Systems and the Internet of Things" (DCOSS-IoT). In the last few years, we have witnessed significant growth in the use of IoT and distributed sensor systems in several application areas, including smart transportation, smart energy systems, smart homes, and buildings, smart healthcare, and environmental monitoring. For smart sensor systems to truly become useful and pervasive, we need to address several research challenges, including the tight integration of sensing and machine intelligence, reliable and efficient networking, interoperability and scalability, the need for dependable autonomy, interaction with humans, and important aspects of security, privacy, and trust. DCOSS-IoT focuses on issues arising in the entire IoT and networked sensor systems stack, covering aspects of high-level abstractions, models and languages, communication technologies, novel algorithms and applications, system design approaches and architectures, and tools for simulated and real deployments. Potential authors are invited to submit original, unpublished manuscripts demonstrating recent advances in theoretical and experimental research. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following: · Artificial Intelligence for IoT · Machine learning and data mining for IoT and Smart Systems · Smart healthcare to combat epidemics · Edge and fog computing: distributed computing models from sensor to cloud · Machine intelligence in distributed sensor systems and real-time analytics · Novel communication paradigms (e.g., 5G/6G, VLC, DSA) for IoT and Smart Systems · Cyber-Physical Systems · IoT and Smart Systems for Smart and Connected Communities · Autonomous systems: closing the loop between sensing and actuation · Time and location management · Robustness, resilience, and dependability of IoT and smart systems · Security and privacy in IoT and Smart Systems · Performance analysis: complexity, correctness, scalability · Mobile and human-centric sensing · IoT and Smart Systems for social computing · Interoperability, heterogeneity and scalability · Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-based sensing/communications/networking · Social sensing and crowd sensing techniques, applications, and systems · Complex systems comprising wearable, robotic and/or fixed sensor systems · IoT and Smart Systems for emerging and developing economies · Green and environmentally friendly IoT (low-power, harvesting, energy management) · Sensors and Robots for Internet of Intelligent Things · Design and implementation of real-world applications and systems · Approaches, tools, and experience of deployment and operation · Interdisciplinary applications of IoT and Smart Systems · Smart healthcare and digital epidemiology · Smart agriculture · Smart infrastructures · Smart cities · Smart energy, transportation, and water distribution systems · Smart factories · Smart workspace Authors are invited to submit original, unpublished manuscripts demonstrating current research on distributed smart systems and IoT related to the aforementioned topics of interest. Please use the US letter size (8.5 X 11 in) standard IEEE conference LaTeX format or Microsoft Word template available on: http://www.ieee.org/conferences_events/conferences/publishing/templates.html. All submissions should be written in English and have a maximum of eight (8) printed pages, including figures and references. Two (2) additional pages at 100$/page for supplementary material only (such as theorems, proofs, implementation details) are allowed. Starting last year, DCOSS-IoT will follow a double-blind review process. As a result, authors must make a good faith effort to anonymize their submissions. Although submission is double-blind, the existence or availability of non-anonymous preprints (on arXiv or other preprint servers) will not lead to your paper being rejected. Reviewers will be instructed not to look for such preprints actively but encountering them will not constitute a conflict of interest. Papers that do not meet the size, formatting, and anonymization requirements will not be reviewed. We require each paper to be in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) and submitted through the HotCRP submission system. *** Special Issue and Best Paper Awards *** DCOSS-IoT 2024 will announce a best paper award and a best poster/demo award. Extended versions of selected best papers from DCOSS-IoT 2024 will be included in a Special Issue of the Computer Networks (COMNET) Journal. *** Important dates *** · Abstract Registration Deadline: January 8, 2024 · Paper Submission Deadline: January 15, 2024 · Acceptance Notification: March 8, 2024 · Camera Ready Deadline: March 18, 2024 *** Key Organizers *** - Technical Program Committee Co-Chairs: · Tommaso Melodia (Northeastern University, USA) · Nathalie Mitton (Inria Lille - Nord Europe) · Enrico Natalizio (Technology Innovation Institute - TII, UAE) - Steering Committee Chair: * Sotiris Nikoletseas, University of Patras and CTI, Greece - Local Chairs · Jennifer Simonjan (Technology Innovation Institute - TII, UAE) · Michael Baddeley (Technology Innovation Institute - TII, UAE) · Lina Bariah (Technology Innovation Institute - TII, UAE) · Andrew Chopra (Technology Innovation Institute - TII, UAE) Please visit the DCOSS-IoT 2024 website<https://dcoss.org/> for more information. Aris Leivadeas | Associate Professor Department of Software and IT Engineering École de technologie supérieure | University of Quebec 1100, rue Notre-Dame Ouest, office A-3415 Montréal (Québec) H3C 1K3 Tel. 514 396-8860 | etsmtl.ca<http://etsmtl.ca/> Find us on Facebook<http://www.facebook.com/etsmtl> - Twitter<http://twitter.com/etsmtl> - YouTube<http://www.youtube.com/user/etsmtl> - LinkedIn<https://www.linkedin.com/school/etsmtl/>

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Faculty Fellow Opportunity at NYU
by Toussaint Nothias 01 Dec '23

01 Dec '23

Hi everyone, My colleagues and I are recruiting a Faculty Fellow to join us at NYU for up to three years. This is a great opportunity for post-docs and those who are about to finish their PhD. See below for more information about the position and application process; please help us spread the word and feel free to reach out if you have any questions! Toussaint Nothias Clinical Associate Professor, XE: Experimental Humanities and Social Engagement. Affiliated Faculty, Department of Media, Culture, and Communication. New York University Webpage<https://as.nyu.edu/faculty/toussaint-nothias.html> ---- XE: Experimental Humanities & Social Engagement, an interdisciplinary program in the Graduate School of Arts and Science at New York University, invites applications for a Faculty Fellow position in the social sciences. The initial appointment will be for one year beginning September 1, 2024, renewable annually for a maximum of three years, pending administrative and budgetary approval. We seek outstanding interdisciplinary scholars of the social sciences whose work engages intersectional social justice. The successful candidate will be committed to cutting-edge interdisciplinary inquiry and their fields will include, span, or exceed: anthropology, sociology, science and technology studies, politics, or urban studies, addressing urgent topics such as displacement and migration, indigenous rights, anti-racism, decolonization, incarceration, health, or environmental justice, among others. Faculty fellows teach three graduate seminars per year, advise and mentor students, oversee master’s theses, organize public programs, and actively participate in shaping the life of the program. XE<https://as.nyu.edu/departments/xe.html> is a highly innovative graduate program and tight-knit community of scholars and practitioners who value collaborative mentoring and career building, as well as exploring new pedagogies and research methods at the intersection of creativity, criticality, and social engagement. Qualifications: We seek candidates with a PhD in the social sciences. While PhDs are required, we welcome candidates who have a public-facing critical or artistic practice in their field/s. Candidates should have completed their Ph.D. no earlier than 2020 and no later than by August 1, 2024. To apply, please submit: a cover letter, curriculum vitae, a 20- to 30-page writing sample, sample syllabi for two dream classes, three letters of recommendation, and a statement of diversity and inclusion. As diversity is a priority for NYU and for this position, for the latter statement we ask you to provide a brief paragraph telling us how diversity figures into your past and present teaching, research, community engagement, and/or life experience, as well as how you would bring issues of diversity to bear on the teaching and programming of XE. Information about diversity statements may be found at http://as.nyu.edu/departments/facultydiversity/recruitment/diversity-statem…<http://as.nyu.edu/departments/facultydiversity/recruitment/diversity-statem…>. Applications should be submitted through Interfolio: apply.interfolio.com/129772<http://apply.interfolio.com/129772> The search committee will begin reviewing applications on January 5, 2024 and will continue until the position is filled. In compliance with NYC’s Pay Transparency Act, the annual base salary for this position is $60,000. New York University considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, as well as market and organizational considerations when extending an offer. The Faculty of Arts and Science at NYU is at the heart of a leading research university that spans the globe. We seek scholars of the highest caliber who embody the diversity of the United States as well as the global society in which we live. We strongly encourage applications from women, racial and ethnic minorities, and other individuals who are under-represented in the profession, across color, creed, race, ethnic and national origin, physical ability, gender and sexual identity, or any other legally protected basis. NYU affirms the value of differing perspectives on the world as we strive to build the strongest possible university with the widest reach. To learn more about the FAS commitment to diversity, equality and inclusion, please read here: http://as.nyu.edu/departments/facultydiversity.html. EOE/Affirmative Action/Minorities/Females/Vet/Disabled/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity. _______

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MONDAY Sarah T Roberts in Our Online Talk Series
by Christian Katzenbach 01 Dec '23

01 Dec '23

Dear colleagues, this Monday 6pm CET we will continue our online talk series „Behind the Scenes“ with the pioneer of the field: Sarah T. Roberts. Sarah pioneered empirical work with extensive ethnographic work and interviews with workers from Silicon Valley to the Philippines, at boutique firms and at major social media companies, leading to the field-building monograph “Behind the Screen <https://www.behindthescreen-book.com/>“. In her talk on Monday, Sarah will talk about her empirical work and the massive challenges of doing research that companies don’t want to be done. More Info and Registration: https://platform-governance.org/online-talk-series/session-6-sarah-t-robert… Sarah T. Roberts <https://drsarahtroberts.com/>, Ph.D. is an associate professor at UCLA (Gender Studies, Information Studies, Labor Studies), specializing in Internet and social media policy, infrastructure, politics and culture, and the intersection of media, technology and society. She is the faculty director and co-founder of the UCLA Center for Critical Internet Inquiry (C2i2), co-director of the Minderoo Initiative on Technology & Power, and a research associate of the Oxford Internet Institute. Informed by feminist Science and Technology Studies perspectives, Roberts is keenly interested in the way power, geopolitics and economics play out on and via the internet, reproducing, reifying and exacerbating global inequities and social injustice. About the Series This talk is part of the series Behind the Scenes – Conversations on Empirical Platform Governance Research <https://platform-governance.org/online-talk-series/> that invites scholars in this field to share their experiences and views, fostering community exchange about how we can study platform governance in this challenging context. It is hosted by the Lab “Platform Governance, Media, and Technology” (PGMT) at the Centre for Media, Communication and Information Research (ZeMKI), <https://www.uni-bremen.de/en/zemki> University of Bremen, and the Centre for Media and Journalism Studies <https://www.rug.nl/research/icog/research/research-centres/centre-for-journ…>, University of Groningen. Registration Please register via this form <https://forms.gle/xq2irQb4mnHkLUcD6> shortly with an email-address for the full series or this event only, so that we can share the meeting link with you.

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No Such Thing as a Free Book: The Fifth Estate with Apologies
by William Dutton 01 Dec '23

01 Dec '23

Dear Colleagues, I meant to ask if I may post a bit about my book, The Fifth Estate. As you must realise, I cannot send everyone a free copy. What I wanted to say is: please ask your library to consider obtaining a copy so that you can read it freely. I think it is very relevant to those on this network of internet researchers. William H. Dutton, The Fifth Estate: The Power Shift of the Digital Age. New York: Oxford University Press, 2023. My book on the Fifth Estate pulls together research and examples to make a case for the internet and related media and communication technologies enabling the most important power shift of the digital age. Put simply, a network power shift has been driven by enabling ordinary people to search, originate, network, collaborate, and leak information in ways than enhance their informational and communicative power. In such ways, the internet is empowering many ordinary individuals to form a more independent collectivity of networked individuals—a Fifth Estate. This network power shift is not only enabling greater democratic accountability in politics and governance but is also empowering networked individuals in their everyday life and work. It has been endorsed as my “most important book” (by Manuel Castells), a “compelling work” (Victoria Nash), and one that “restores lost optimism about the democratic potential of digital media” (Eli Noam). A most wonderful review cites it as “one of the most important monographs by anyone in the last 20 years” (Alistair Duff)! I hope these views tweak your curiosity sufficiently to read this book, recommend it to your librarian, and consider it for any courses on the political and other societal implications of digital media, information, and communication technologies. My book is one volume in Professor Andrew Chadwick’s series, entitled Oxford Studies in Digital Politics. You can read his blog about the book here: https://www.andrewchadwick.com/blog/2023/6/19/guest-post-william-h-dutton-o… The book’s table of contents might be helpful as well: Introduction: Reconfiguring Informational and Communicative Power Part I. The Foundations of the Fifth Estate 1. The Idea and Evidence of a Fifth Estate 2. Fifth Estate Theories of Distributed and Network Power Part II. Fifth Estate Strategies 3. Searching 4. Originating 5. Networking 6. Collaborating 7. Leaking Part III. Shaping the Future of the Fifth Estate 8. A Power Shift for Democracy and Society 9. Threats to the Fifth Estate 10. The Future of the Fifth Estate In conclusion, my apologies you are not receiving a free copy. You would if I could, and please respond to me personally with any comments or questions, as I am getting complaints about all the emails going to the whole network. Sincerely, Bill William H. Dutton 55 Victoria Road Oxford OX2 7QF United Kingdom william.dutton(a)gmail.com Twitter @BiIIDutton (II=two capital ii’s) Phone: +44 (0)1865 423836 Mobile: +44 (0)7757 741670 Blog: https://billdutton.me

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Jobs - Two TT position in Strategic Communication/Data, Digital and AI in HKU
by kwfu 01 Dec '23

01 Dec '23

For those job seekers, Applications are invited for appointment of as Tenure-Track Professor/Associate Professor/Assistant Professor in Strategic Communication/Data, Digital and AI in the Journalism and Media Studies Centre (2 posts), to commence on August 1, 2024 or as soon as possible thereafter, on a three-year fixed-term basis, with the possibility of renewal and consideration for tenure before the expiry of a second three-year fixed-term contract. The appointment rank will be determined based on qualifications and experience of the successful candidate. Exceptionally outstanding candidates at Professor/Associate Professor level may be considered for appointment on direct tenure terms subject to University's approval. Details: https://jobs.hku.hk/cw/en/job/523356/tenuretrack-professorassociate-profess… King-wa Fu Professor, Journalism and Media Studies Centre The University of Hong Kong

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[Call for Book Chapters]- Edited Collection on Subversive Gaming
by Aparajita Bhandari 01 Dec '23

01 Dec '23

Hello all, We are seeking chapter contributions for an edited volume on the topic of subversion in games and gaming culture as part of the *Games in Context <https://link.springer.com/series/16027>* Series. Tanenbaum (2013) notes that video game players are often positioned by designers as “agents of chaos” that are resistant towards pre-authored narratives and architectures. While this description is overly simplistic and does not account for the diverse, context-dependent, and sometimes contradictory goals that motivate play, it does speak to the importance of the element of subversion in both video games and video game cultures. Both with regards to underlying code and representational norms, players have long been invested to some degree in making “a mockery of the author’s intentions” (Aarseth, 2004): modding kits and associated modding communities have been integral to gaming subcultures since the early 1980s (Voorhees, 2014); speedrunners and “glitch hunters” “revel” in disregarding designers’ operational assumptions about how players could or should interact with intelligently designed digital spaces (Hemmingsen, 2021, 447); queer, feminist, and critical race reimaginations of games and have long deployed strategies of transgressive play to illuminate and disrupt normative assumptions about the “ideal player” (e.g. Gray, 2012; Schleiner, 2001; Sunden, 2009; Ruberg, 2019). Games, as computational systems that create simulated systems through narratives and mechanics (Bogost, 2007), are deeply concerned with dynamics of boundedness and freedom. The nature of play can be understood as something that pushes up against (and in some cases, threatens) the power of the game as a world and as a structure of meaning(s) and knowledge(s). Viewed this way, subversion is a central consideration when it comes to understanding video games as an artistic medium and social experience. Subversion in gaming leads inexorably to questions of power; the power to define meanings, values and truths in both digital and non digital gaming worlds. As diverse forms of media and communication technologies become increasingly “gamified,” understanding dynamics of subversion and alterity becomes imperative in order to account for emerging dynamics of domination and resistance across media landscapes. Thus this book aims to bring together diverse projects that engage with subversion in relation to games and gaming cultures. The peer reviewed book will be published as part of the Games in Context Series at Palgrave <https://link.springer.com/series/16027/books>. This series asks us what it means to study, critique, and create games in context. Titles in this series include *Feminism in Play <https://www.springer.com/book/9783319905389> *(Edited by Kishonna L. Gray, Gerald Voorhees, Emma Vossen) and *Queerness in Play <https://www.springer.com/book/9783319905419> *(Edited by Todd Harper, Meghan Blythe Adams and Nicholas Taylor). Book Editors: - Dr. Aparajita Bhandari, Assistant Professor of Critical Digital Studies, University of Waterloo, Canada - Sara Bimo, PhD student in Communication and Culture, York University, Canada What we’re looking for: We invite academics, researchers, students and industry experts to submit book chapter proposals that address, but are not limited to, the following topics: 1. The potential (or lack thereof) of games in subverting patterns of globalization and colonial power, hegemonic political systems, ideologies, or structures of power 2. Analysis of how games and/or players can subvert traditional expectations of gender and sexuality 3. Subversive labor practices within the video game, esports and livestreaming industries 4. Gamification of everyday life 5. Investigating how games can act as a medium for societal critique, addressing issues such as inequality, race, class, and discrimination or alternatively the limitations of the games industry in enacting such critiques 6. The subversive potential of in-game art, sound design, and narrative structure and gaming environments 7. The role of player agency in subversive gaming, including choices that challenge ethical, moral, or societal norms. 8. The impact of controversial games, censorship, and the boundaries of free expression in gaming and gamer communities 9. Contributions of independent and alternative game developers to subversive gaming culture Tentative Timeline: Submit an abstract to us by: January 15th, 2024 Decisions on abstracts: January 25th, 2024 First chapter drafts due by: July 30th, 2024 (Chapters should be between 4000 to 7000 words) How to Apply: Interested contributors are asked to submit a 300-500 word (not including references) abstract summarizing the chapter background, methods, and aims. The submission should also contain the names, institution of affiliation, and a short biography of all contributing authors and contact details for the corresponding author. For inquiries and submissions, please email Dr. Aparajita Bhandari at aparajita.bhandari(a)uwaterloo.ca. When submitting abstracts please put in the subject line “Abstract submission- Subversive Gaming”. References Aarseth, E. (2004). Genre trouble. *Electronic book review*, *3*, 1-7. Bogost, I. (2010). *Persuasive games: The expressive power of videogames*. (Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press, 2007). Gray, K. L. (2012). Deviant bodies, stigmatized identities, and racist acts: Examining the experiences of African-American gamers in Xbox Live. *New Review of Hypermedia and Multimedia*, *18*(4), 261-276. Hemmingsen, M. (2021). Code is law: subversion and collective knowledge in the ethos of video game speedrunning. *Sport, Ethics and Philosophy*, *15*(3), 435-460. Ruberg, B. (2019). *Video games have always been queer*. NYU Press. NYC, New York. Schleiner, A. M. (2001). Does Lara Croft wear fake polygons? Gender and gender-role subversion in computer adventure games. *Leonardo Music Journal* , *34*(3), 221-226. Sundén, J. (2009, September). Play as transgression: An ethnographic approach to queer game cultures. In *DiGRA Conference* (Vol. 7). Tanenbaum, T. J. (2013). How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Gamer: Reframing Subversive Play in Story-Based Games. In *DiGRA Conference* (Vol. 7). Voorhees, Gerald (2014). "Chapter 31: Shooting". In Perron, Bernard (ed.). The Routledge Companion to Video Game Studies. Taylor & Francis. pp. 251– Best, Aparajita Bhandari

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