January 2025 - Air-L - lists.aoir.org

Three PhD Positions in AI, Digital Culture and Deep Learning
by Tobias Blanke 17 Mar '26

17 Mar '26

Dear all. The new European Research Council-funded Advanced Grant ‘Deep Culture - Living with Difference in the Age of Deep Learning’ invites applications for three fully-funded PhD positions in Amsterdam. Collaborating with two PostDocs, the aim is to realise an ambitious interdisciplinary research agenda on deep learning and culture. Deep learning technologies like ChatGPT have generated a lot of excitement about our new relations with AI but have also provoked much public anxiety. The project coins ‘deep culture’ to describe the global cultural transformations brought about by deep learning, and how culture is key to deep learning. The project will first explore the relations between deep learning and historical-cultural concepts and practices. Secondly, it will work with deep-learning methods to address their limitations for critical analysis. Finally, it aims to foster public understanding of deep learning’s global relations to culture. We are looking for three talented, ambitious PhD candidates who can combine independent research with team collaboration. You will have the opportunity to explore exciting questions of contemporary digital culture and deep learning and contribute to shaping debates about our relations with AI technologies. For further details and a link to apply, please visit: https://vacatures.uva.nl/UvA/job/Three-PhD-Positions-in-AI%2C-Digital-Cultu… All best, Tobias

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Call for applications: Emerging Scholars Program at the Milton Wolf Seminar in Vienna, Austria. April 8-10.
by Smith, Briar R. 13 Jan '26

13 Jan '26

Apologies for cross posting: Applications are now open for the emerging scholars program<https://www.asc.upenn.edu/research/centers/milton-wolf-seminar-on-media-and…> at our annual Milton Wolf Seminar in Vienna, April 8-10, 2025. This year's theme is Ouroboros: The Infinite Loop of Media, Democracy, and Diplomacy, and you can take a look at the 2025 agenda and panel descriptions here<https://www.asc.upenn.edu/research/centers/milton-wolf-seminar-on-media-and…>. As panel composition is still being finalized, please have a look at last year's full program<https://www.asc.upenn.edu/research/centers/milton-wolf-seminar-media-and-di…> for the impressive mix of contributors to the seminar. Each year, 10-12 early career researchers join a mix of senior scholars, journalists, think tank folks, government representatives, and activists for a two-day seminar, and have a chance to present their research while contributing to the seminar through the ample time we reserve for discussion. We also have a fun social program in the evening. Airfare and transportation and lodging and meals are covered. Please visit the website for eligibility information and how to apply<https://www.asc.upenn.edu/research/centers/milton-wolf-seminar-on-media-and…>. Deadline is 2/14. Briar Smith Associate Director Media, Inequality & Change Center (MIC) 215-520-0773 (m) 215-573-9218 (o) www.miccenter.org<http://www.miccenter.org>

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DIGITOX seminar Jan 22: Disconnection through media, apps and tech (and Feb 25: Disconnection and the brain)
by Trine Syvertsen 05 Jan '26

05 Jan '26

Welcome to the international seminar series on connection and disconnection. We continue our seminars in 2025. Details here https://www.hf.uio.no/imk/english/research/projects/digital-disconnection/e… NB: Seminars run on Norway time (CET) and are scheduled in different time slots. Contact me for a Zoom link or join the DIGITOX mailing list (below) where the links are published. Upcoming seminars: Jan 22, 2025, 1400-1500 on disconnection through media, apps and tech with Veysel Bozan and Yukun You Feb. 25, 2025 1000 -1100 on disconnection and the brain with Alex Beattie and autors of Detoxing the brain<https://norden.diva-portal.org/smash/record.jsf?pid=diva2%3A1896952&dswid=-…> (Ingrid Forsler, Carina Guyard, and Linus Andersson) MORE SEMINARS WILL BE SCHEDULED FOR THE SPRING Best regards, Trine ------ We run two mailing lists, join DIGITOX list for these seminars. DIGITOX MAILING LIST: digitox-info: info from Digitox about our seminar series. To join, write an email to sympa(a)media.uio.no and write subscribe digitox-info in the subject field. To unsubscribe: Write an email to sympa(a)media.uio.no and write unsubscribe digitox-info in the subject field (or let me know that you want to be taken off the list). DISCONNECTION-LIST (general list) disconnection-research: to post information about research, publications, events etc. All members can post. To join: write to sympa(a)media.uio.no and write subscribe disconnection-research in the subject field. DO YOU HAVE A NEW PUBLICATION? OR A CFP? NOTIFY PEOPLE USING THE DISCONNECTION LIST; ALL MEMBERS CAN POST ON THIS LIST ------------------------------------------------------- Trine Syvertsen, professor, IMK, UiO Project: Intrusive media, ambivalent users and digital detox (NFR) Author of Digital detox: The politics of disconnecting (Emerald 2020) New book: The Digital Backlash and the Paradoxes of Disconnection (open access, Nordicom, 2024)

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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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CFP: AoIR Flashpoint Symposium – June 2025 – Bremen, Germany
by AoIR Association Coordinator 10 Feb '25

10 Feb '25

*From Platform Governance to Generative AI:Concepts, Methods, and Data for Studying Tech Governance* We’re thrilled to announce that submissions are open for our next AoIR Flashpoint Symposium, to be hosted by the Lab Platform Governance, Media, and Technology (PGMT), at the Centre for Media, Communication and Information Research (ZeMKI), University of Bremen to be held on 3-4 June 2025! The study of platform governance and generative AI has become increasingly critical as these technologies significantly (re)shape public discourse, societal norms, and policy-making processes. By determining how information is created, shared, and consumed, these technological systems raise complex questions of accountability, fairness, transparency, contestability, and ethics. After 20 years of social media these challenges remain topical, and both current political developments as well as the advent of generative AI will exacerbate rather than relieve those challenges. The AoIR Flashpoint Symposium 2025 in Bremen aims to contribute to these urgent discussions on governance and normative questions. Submissions for research papers or policy/position papers, or for pre-curated panels, will take the form of 400-600 word abstracts. *The submission deadline is 15 February 2025.* The complete Call for Papers, more information on the symposium and the link for submissions are available here: https://platform-governance.org/aoir-flashpoint-symposium-2025/ Inquiries can be sent to aoir2025(a)uni-bremen.de. The Symposium organisers are Prof. Dr. Christian Katzenbach, Dr. Daria Dergacheva, and Dr. Dennis Redeker.

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CfP Creating Spaces for Digital Futures - Interdisciplinary Conference
by Esther Laufer 31 Jan '25

31 Jan '25

Call for Papers Interdisciplinary Conference on Creating Spaces for Digital Futures 09.10.2025 – 10.10.2025 in Bochum, Germany, Center for Advanced Internet Studies (CAIS) In an era where digital transformation is reshaping every facet of our lives, the concept of digital spaces opens new frontiers for research. While spaces are understood differently across various disciplines and encompass both material and abstract dimensions, the term is commonly used to describe the interdependencies between individual practices and environments. Thus, individuals are shaped by economic, legal, social, cultural and spatial structures that simultaneously emerge from action (Lefebvre 1991; Löw 2001). Addressing spaces from multiple perspectives considers social and technical affordances and helps to anticipate digital futures. The two-day conference “Creating Spaces for Digital Futures” calls on researchers from various disciplines dealing with research questions related to digital transformation to explore how digital environments can be designed, utilized, and optimized to enhance various aspects of society – now and in the future. The conference will be a space to analyze both macro-level trends and micro-level action, investigating the interdependencies between practices and digital spaces. We will explore perceptions of space and individual agency within digital environments, as well as the creation of new digital spaces in various contexts. We invite scholars to contribute their insights and research presenting theoretical, empirical or visionary positions on how these spaces can be analyzed, perceived and designed. More specifically, this conference will focus on, but is not limited to, three specific types of digital spaces, each with distinctive implications, challenges and opportunities: Public Spaces, Learning Spaces, and Data Spaces. We invite submissions for position papers and theoretical papers, research reports, workshops, and debates. Deadline for submission of abstracts: February 15, 2025 For further information, please visit our website (https://www.cais-research.de/creating-spaces-for-digital-futures/) or contact us at submissions(a)cais-research.de mailto:submissions@cais-research.de. References Lefebvre, H. (1991). The production of space. Blackwell. Löw, M. (2001). Raumsoziologie. Suhrkamp.

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[Deadline extension] Network Imaginaries: Past, Present, and Future (4S 2025 Seattle)
by Charles CORVAL 31 Jan '25

31 Jan '25

Dear colleagues, We would like to share that the deadline for submitting an abstract to the 4S panel,* Network Imaginaries: Past, Present, and Future* (September 3-7, 2025, Seattle, WA, USA), has been *extended** to February 2nd*. You can find the original Call for Papers with updated information below. We welcome papers of varying approaches that consider the origins, mobilizations, endurances, and evolutions of the network imaginaries underlying technologies and systems from the 19th Century through to contemporary transformations and promises. (See below for the full call and submission details.) Proposals consisting of a short abstract (up to 250 words) will be accepted until January 31 *February 2nd* via the official website of the Society for Social Studies of Science (4S). Charles Corval Sciences Po Paris / Institut d'études politiques de Paris — 4S Open Panel 239: Network Imaginaries: Past, Present, and Future Decades after the introduction of the consumer internet, society now anticipates profound transformations in computing and networking driven by innovations like artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, the internet-of-things (IoT), robotics, data mining, and cloud computing. As these developments promise—or threaten—to reshape public and private networks and technologies, it is vital to investigate the network imaginaries that motivate, constrain, and enable their development, adoption, regulation, and exploitation. Network imaginaries have long been central to modernity, from their origins in symbolic practices like weaving to their influence on technical and organizational thought. In fact, as Pierre Musso (2003) has argued, the concept of the network is foundational to our collective imaginations, even shaping both the philosophies and social sciences that critique them. Information and communication technologies, in particular, have become unimaginable without the language and imagery of networks, and they remain effective and powerful as innovations periodically promise to repair, reinforce, and reconfigure existing systems, practices, and economies (De Filippi, 2019). According to Castoriadis (1975), social imaginaries are the shared meanings, symbols, and institutions a society creates and sustains to define itself, guide its practices, and provide coherence to its social order. Similarly, sociotechnical imaginaries, as articulated by Jasanoff and Kim (2015), offer a critical framework for understanding the cultural and ideological contexts of technological adoption and innovation. This panel on network imaginaries, then, seeks to explore these inspirations, contexts, and intersections while reexamining -- or preexamining -- the utopias, anxieties, and ideologies embedded in contemporary networks and networked technologies, as well as their intended and unintended consequences. We welcome proposals representing a variety of perspectives and approaches to addressing the enduring network imaginaries of existing and emerging technologies and techniques. Potential topics include but are not limited to historic networks, information economics, artificial intelligence, cybernetics, decentralization narratives, surveillance regimes, digital sovereignty, IoT, blockchain, and the future role of new technologies toward repairing or reinforcing preexisting network functions and goals. Open Panel: Network Imaginaries: Past, Present, and Future (Panel 239) Proposal Format: Short Abstract (250 words max) Proposal Deadline: January 31, 2025 February 2nd, 2025 Notice of Acceptance: March 15, 2025 Proposal Submission: https://www.4sonline.org/accepted_open_panels_seattle.php Panel Organizers: Charles Corval, charles.corval(a)sciencespo.fr Daniel Kim, ddaniel.kim(a)utoronto.ca

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Selection Process of Post-Doctoral Fellowship - The economic regulation of digital platforms (China)
by Helena Martins 31 Jan '25

31 Jan '25

Dear all, The Coordination of the Professional Postgraduate Program in Economics at the Federal University of Sergipe (Brazil) has published a call for applications for a postdoctoral fellow in the project "The economic regulation of digital platforms", with a grant funded by FAPESP. The study focuses on the platform scenario in China. The project is expected to last two years. The position is based in Sergipe, Brazil, with the possibility of studying in China. Submission of applications - From 22/01/2025 to 19/02/2025 until 23:59 Detailed information about the process can be found in the public notice below: https://obscomplataformas.com.br/editais https://www.sigaa.ufs.br/sigaa/public/programa/noticias_desc.jsf?lc=pt_BR&i… -- *Helena Martins* Professora da Universidade Federal do Ceará (UFC) Editora da Revista Eptic <http://revistaeptic.net.br> Líder do Telas - Laboratório de Pesquisa em Economia, Tecnologia e Políticas da Comunicaçã <http://dgp.cnpq.br/dgp/espelhogrupo/570544>o <http://dgp.cnpq.br/dgp/espelhogrupo/570544> <http://dgp.cnpq.br/dgp/espelhogrupo/570544> -- *Helena Martins* Professora da Universidade Federal do Ceará (UFC) Editora da Revista Eptic <http://revistaeptic.net.br> Líder do Telas - Laboratório de Pesquisa em Economia, Tecnologia e Políticas da Comunicaçã <http://dgp.cnpq.br/dgp/espelhogrupo/570544>o <http://dgp.cnpq.br/dgp/espelhogrupo/570544> <http://dgp.cnpq.br/dgp/espelhogrupo/570544>

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