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

Assistant Professor - Digital Curation and Cultural Heritage
by Evan Light 23 Jul '25

23 Jul '25

Hey friends - please check out and circulate the posting below. There will be a second one following as we are also recruiting as the Associate level. ---- Assistant Professor - Digital Curation and Cultural Heritage *Date Posted:* 07/23/2025 *Closing Date:* 09/08/2025, 11:59PM ET *Req ID:* 43241 *Job Category: *Faculty - Tenure Stream (continuing) *Faculty/Division:* Faculty of Information *Department:* Faculty of Information *Campus: *St. George (Downtown Toronto) *Description:* The Faculty of Information at the University of Toronto invites applications for a full-time tenure stream position in Digital Curation and Cultural Heritage. The appointment will be at the rank of Assistant Professor, with an anticipated start date of *July 1, 2026.* This search aligns with the University’s commitment to strategically and proactively promote diversity among our community members (Statement on Equity, Diversity & Excellence <https://governingcouncil.utoronto.ca/secretariat/policies/equity-diversity-…>), and to enact its Response to Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Recognizing that Black, Indigenous, and other Racialized communities have experienced inequities that have developed historically and are ongoing, we strongly welcome and encourage candidates from those communities to apply. Candidates must have earned a PhD degree in Information; Cultural Heritage Studies; Digital Archaeology; Digital Humanities; Indigenous Studies; Communication Studies; Media Studies; Science & Technology Studies; Architecture; Museum Studies; Human-Computer Interaction or a related area by the time of appointment, or shortly thereafter, with a demonstrated record of excellence in research and teaching. We seek candidates whose research and teaching interests complement and enhance our existing Faculty strengths <https://ischool.utoronto.ca/>. The Faculty of Information is home to the Digital Curation Institute, Knowledge Media and Design Institute, Centre for Culture and Technology, and GLAM Incubator, and offers added opportunities for collaboration with Book History and Print Culture. The successful candidate will be expected to pursue innovative and independent research, and to establish an outstanding, competitive, and externally funded research program. The successful candidate will perform standard professional and administrative activities appropriate to a pre-tenure career stage at a research-intensive university. We seek candidates with global and comparative research interests in one or more of the following areas: preservation of born-digital and born-networked materials; virtual reconstruction of tangible and intangible heritage; ethics and governance of digital materials; community-integrated digital heritage; and access and use of digital materials. The successful candidate will bring experience with the creation and/or application of technical skills, including but not limited to: data documentation and metadata; systems design and development; data analytics; augmented and virtual reality modelling; media obsolescence and recovery; workflows; standards; digital forensics; and/or geographic information systems (GIS). We seek candidates able to contribute to curricular development and to teach across our diverse professional (BI, MI, MMSt) and research (PhD) programs. Evidence of excellence in teaching will be provided through teaching accomplishments, the teaching dossier (with required materials outlined below) submitted as part of the application, as well as strong letters of reference. Other teaching-related activities can include performance as a teaching assistant or course instructor, experience leading successful workshops or seminars, student mentorship, or excellent conference presentations or posters. Candidates must provide evidence of research excellence which can be demonstrated by a record of publications in top-ranked and field relevant journals, forthcoming publications, or creative professional activities meeting high international standards, successful research grants, the submitted research statement, presentations at significant conferences, awards and accolades, and strong endorsements from referees. The successful candidate must provide demonstrated evidence of readiness as a research supervisor in the application materials, as they will be expected to undertake undergraduate and graduate research supervision and teaching. The successful candidate will also have a demonstrated record of securing grants and research funding. Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience. The Faculty of Information <https://ischool.utoronto.ca/> is a research-led Faculty committed to educating the next generation of professional and academic leaders in information, who join us in transforming society through collaboration, innovation, and knowledge creation. We are guided by core values that include engagement with cultural, social, political, and ethical issues in information to benefit society; and transparency, accountability, and public responsibility. With an outstanding and award-winning faculty, our key strengths are the quality of our interdisciplinary research, the abilities of our graduate students, close ties across the university, and committed alumni. Our strategic priorities are excellence through interdisciplinarity, impact through partnerships, and equity through fostering inclusive environments. We are especially proud of the calibre, excellence, academic engagement, and diversity of our students. As part of the University of Toronto <https://www.utoronto.ca/>, the Faculty of Information offers the opportunity to teach, research, and live in one of the most diverse cities in the world. We seek candidates who have demonstrated a commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, and the promotion of a respectful and collegial learning and working environment through their application materials. Candidates therefore must submit a statement of contributions to equity and diversity, which might cover topics such as (but not limited to): teaching or research that incorporates a focus on underrepresented communities, the development of inclusive pedagogies, or the mentoring of students from underrepresented groups. All qualified candidates are invited to apply online by clicking the link below. Applicants must submit * a cover letter; * a current curriculum vitae (CV); * a research statement outlining current and future research agenda; * a recent writing sample; * a statement of contributions to equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility (as outlined above); and, * a teaching dossier including a teaching statement, sample course materials, and teaching evaluations or evidence of superior performance in other teaching-related activities as listed above. Applicants must provide the name and contact information of three references. The University of Toronto’s recruiting tool will automatically solicit and collect letters of reference from each referee within 48 hours after an application is submitted. Applicants remain responsible for ensuring that referees submit recent letters (on letterhead, dated and signed) by the closing date. More details on the automatic reference letter collection, including timelines, are available in the candidate FAQ <https://jobs.utoronto.ca/content/Frequently-Asked-Questions/?locale=en_US>. Submission guidelines can be found at http://uoft.me/how-to-apply <https://jobs.utoronto.ca/content/Frequently-Asked-Questions/>. Your CV and cover letter should be uploaded into the dedicated fields. Please combine additional application materials into one or two files in PDF/MS Word format. If you have any questions about this position, please contact Melissa Szopa, Administrative Coordinator, Academic at dean.ischool(a)utoronto.ca. All application materials, including recent reference letters, must be received by September 8, 2025. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority. *Diversity Statement* The University of Toronto embraces Diversity and is building a culture of belonging that increases our capacity to effectively address and serve the interests of our global community. We strongly encourage applications from Indigenous Peoples, Black and racialized persons, women, persons with disabilities, and people of diverse sexual and gender identities. We value applicants who have demonstrated a commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion and recognize that diverse perspectives, experiences, and expertise are essential to strengthening our academic mission. As part of your application, you will be asked to complete a brief Diversity Survey. This survey is voluntary. Any information directly related to you is confidential and cannot be accessed by search committees or human resources staff. Results will be aggregated for institutional planning purposes. For more information, please see http://uoft.me/UP. *Accessibility Statement* The University strives to be an equitable and inclusive community, and proactively seeks to increase diversity among its community members. Our values regarding equity and diversity are linked with our unwavering commitment to excellence in the pursuit of our academic mission. The University is committed to the principles of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). As such, we strive to make our recruitment, assessment and selection processes as accessible as possible and provide accommodations as required for applicants with disabilities. If you require any accommodations at any point during the application and hiring process, please contact uoft.careers(a)utoronto.ca. -- Evan Light Associate Professor, Policy Studies Coordinator, Critical Information Policy Studies, Masters of Information Faculty of Information / iSchool University of Toronto -- Evan Light Associate Professor, Policy Studies Coordinator, Critical Information Policy Studies, Masters of Information Faculty of Information / iSchool University of Toronto

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[INVITATION] CDT Webinar: Content Moderation Systems in Indigenous & Low-Resource Languages of the Global South
by Dhanaraj Thakur 23 Jul '25

23 Jul '25

Hi everyone Please join us on Thursday, August 7th at 9AM EST for the public webinar and launch event <https://cdt.org/event/interrogating-content-moderation-systems-in-indigenou…>, “Interrogating content moderation systems in indigenous and low-resource languages of the Global South.” While there is a growing body of research on content moderation systems and their impacts, much of this research approaches the problem with a Western lens. This webinar will discuss results from a recently concluded Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT) research project which examined these issues using four case studies: Maghrebi Arabic <https://cdt.org/insights/moderating-maghrebi-arabic-content-on-social-media/>, Kiswahili <https://cdt.org/insights/moderating-kiswahili-content-on-social-media/>, Tamil <https://cdt.org/insights/moderating-tamil-content-on-social-media/>, and Quechua <https://cdt.org/insights/moderating-quechua-content-on-social-media/>. We present an overview of our findings <https://cdt.org/insights/content-moderation-in-the-global-south-a-comparati…> and recommendations for how content moderation systems could better function for populations that post in low-resource and indigenous languages. We also examine the capabilities and limitations of using large language models as part of those systems. To explore these themes in more detail the webinar will feature a series of one on one conversations between CDT researchers and civil society representatives from the Global South. Live interpretation will be available in English, Swahili, Arabic, and Spanish. This event is a great opportunity to learn more and discuss how we can make content moderation on social media more equitable across languages. RSVP required <https://cdt.org/event/interrogating-content-moderation-systems-in-indigenou…> . Featured Speakers: - Aliya Bhatia <https://cdt.org/staff/aliya-bhatia/>, Senior Policy Analyst, Center for Democracy & Technology - Amrita Sengupta <https://www.linkedin.com/in/amrita-sengupta-she-her-18b87289/>, BRICS Fellow & Former Research and Program Lead, Centre for Internet and Society (India) - DeVan Hankerson Madrigal <https://cdt.org/staff/devan-hankerson-madrigal/>, Research Manager, Center for Democracy & Technology - Dhanaraj Thakur <https://cdt.org/staff/dhanaraj-thakur/>, Research Director, Center for Democracy & Technology - Dilmar Villena <https://hiperderecho.org/equipo/>, Executive Director, Hiperderecho (Peru) - Emna Mizouni <https://emnamizouni.com/>, Founder CEO, Digital Citizenship (Tunisia) - Miriam Beatrice Wanjiru <https://paradigmhq.org/team/miriam-beatrice-wanjiru/>, Program Officer, Paradigm Initiative (Nigeria) - Mona Elswah <https://cdt.org/staff/mona-elswah/>, Lecturer in Digital Media Governance, University of Exeter & Former CDT Project Fellow Regards, Dhanaraj -- *Dhanaraj Thakur* (he/him) | Research Director Center for Democracy & Technology |* cdt.org <https://cdt.org/>* dthakur(a)cdt.org | +1 202 407 8849

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Reminder: CfA Funding for Research Sabbaticals (Fellowships) and Working Groups
by Esther Laufer 23 Jul '25

23 Jul '25

The Center for Advanced Internet Studies (CAIS) funds innovative research on the societal impact of digital transformation. We support individual researchers (fellows) and collaborative projects (working groups). Fellowships: Time and Space for Focus and Inspiration A fellowship at CAIS provides the freedom to dedicate yourself to your research and the opportunity to become part of a vibrant interdisciplinary community. Step away from daily work routines to gain new perspectives and build lasting connections. As a fellow, you can spend either six or three months in Bochum, Germany. During this time, we will cover your sabbatical leave from work through financial compensation (e.g. for a teaching substitute) or provide grants of up to 2.000 € per month. In addition, we will provide a fully furnished apartment free of charge. You can invite guests for collaboration and receive financial support for research expenses. Private offices and meeting rooms with modern facilities offer optimal working conditions. You can apply for our regular open call, or for our special call “Creating a Human-Centered Future: Exploring the Promise of Industry 5.0”. Find out more: https://www.cais-research.de/en/cais-college/fellowships/ Working Groups: Boost Your Research Collaboration A working group at CAIS enables you to assemble your own team of experts from different locations to collaborate in a stimulating environment. We provide modern meeting facilities and catering for groups of up to ten members. In addition, we will cover travel and accommodation expenses. You can spend up to three weeks in Bochum or get together for several shorter meetings. Find out more: https://www.cais-research.de/en/cais-college/working-groups/ Application The next deadline for applications is 31 July 2025. You can currently apply for a fellowship taking place between October 2026 and March 2027, or for working group meetings taking place from March 2026 onwards. Please use the application forms provided on our website. The funding program is open to excellent scholars and practitioners at all career stages and from all disciplines. Both fundamental research and applied projects are welcome. Questions? Please contact esther.laufer(a)cais-research.de mailto:esther.laufer@cais-research.de.

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Hiring: 6 Teaching Assistants - EU Tech Law course - Hasso Plattner Institute
by Sandra Wachter 23 Jul '25

23 Jul '25

Still time to apply! Are you interested in the governance of emergent tech? Do you care about the societal impacts of AI? Are you interested in platform regulation and accountable technologies? Come and work with me, Sandra Wachter <https://hpi.de/en/research/research-groups/technology-and-regulation/> (HPI/Oxford) at the Hasso Plattner Institute. I am looking for 6 Teaching Assistants for my EU Tech Law course. Here is the link https://jobs.plattnerfoundation.org/HPI/job/Potsdam-Tutoren-(mwd)-f%C3%BCr-… Apply now! Deadline: 10.08.2025 If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out. Sandra

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Hiring: 2 Teaching Assistants – University of Oxford
by Sandra Wachter 23 Jul '25

23 Jul '25

Still time to apply!! Hi everyone, Come & work with me, Sandra Wachter <https://www.oii.ox.ac.uk/people/profiles/sandra-wachter/>at the University of Oxford ! I am looking for 2 Teaching Assistants for my course “Internet Technologies and Regulation”. Apply now! Deadline: *4th August 2025* *Link: * https://www.oii.ox.ac.uk/people/vacancies/teaching-assistants/ If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out. Sandra

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Closing on Friday: CITAMS Media Sociology Symposium August 7th (Remote)
by Media Sociology 22 Jul '25

22 Jul '25

Dear Colleagues, Please submit your work or join us as an audience member at the *August 7th 2025 CITAMS Media Sociology Symposium:* Register for the virtual event on August 7th: Register here <https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeQerHUd8vL1bwpuCys3YncYP9LHVD3A2I…> Submissions now open: Submit your work here <https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf41VxIHlo0gfZpQGwFRlsfqjSO2DBD3cV…> *Featuring:* Celeste Campos-Castillo, Michigan State University (CITAMS Chair) Di Di, Santa Clara University Keith N. Hampton, Michigan State University Zhifan Luo, McMaster University Ashley Mears, University of Amsterdam Anabel Quan-Haase, Western University. Benjamin J. Shestakofsky, Cornell University Questions? Email: mediasociologysymposium(a)gmail.com -- Media Sociology Organizing Committee

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Risky Research Group - talk with me?
by Janet Salmons 22 Jul '25

22 Jul '25

Hello AoIR folks! I'd love to talk/communicate with someone who worked on the Risky Research Guide. I'd like to build on it with more focus on human participants and risky online research. Also planning to feature it in my next Substack newsletter, which happens to be on related topics including recruiting and verifying participants for online qualitative studies. Please contact me off-list. Thanks for the excellent work on this guide. I featured this guest post a couple of years ago, when I managed Sage Methodspace: Psychological Safety for Researchers https://researchmethodscommunity.sagepub.com/blog/psychological-safety-for-…. See related article: Doubly Marginalized: Addressing the Minority Stressors Experienced by LGBTQ+ Researchers Who Do LGBTQ+ Research https://www.researchgate.net/publication/362726196_Doubly_Marginalized_Addr… Stay safe out there! Janet Janet Salmons, PhD (She/her/hers) www.salmons.blog Free-Range Scholar and Creative Boulder, Colorado USA janet(a)salmons.blog Subscribe to "When the Field is Online" free monthly newsletter http://tinyurl.com/qualnews

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New Book: Move Slowly and Build Bridges
by Robert W Gehl 22 Jul '25

22 Jul '25

Hello, AoIR friends! I'm really excited to announce that my new book, Move Slowly and Build Bridges: Mastodon, the Fediverse, and the Struggle for Democratic Social Media, is now available online from Oxford University Press! And there will indeed be an old-school print version out in a couple weeks. The book draws on interviews and years of participant observation to tell the story of the activists, developers, moderators, and everyday folks who have built the fediverse, a noncentralized, largely noncommercial alternative social media system. Regardless of whether or not the fediverse expands or fades away, I think the book gives a lot of insight into questions of digital governance. I hope you'll agree! You can learn more about the book here: https://moveslowlybuildbridges.com It means a lot to me to announce this here on AIR-L, because this book has been influenced by many of you. Not only due to your scholarship, but also to the organization itself, which has experimented with our very own Mastodon server (aoir.social) to explore alternatives to corporate social media. I've learned a great deal by being one of the admins of aoir.social, and those lessons have informed the book. Please reach out if you have any questions about the book. Regards, Rob -- Robert W. Gehl (he/him/his) Ontario Research Chair of Digital Governance for Social Justice, York University Fulbright Scholar, University of Calgary www.robertwgehl.org | @rwg@aoir.social Sent from our OS on our Internet No part of any of my writing is generated by an LLM

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[Report Launch] Worker-Owned Intersectional Platforms (WOIP)
by Rafael Do Nascimento Grohmann 22 Jul '25

22 Jul '25

Hi AoIR, EN I would like to invite you to the online launch event of the Worker-Owned Intersectional Platforms (WOIP)<https://digilabour.com.br/worker-owned-intersectional-platforms-woip/> research report, taking place on August 19 at 10AM ET / 11AM São Paulo & Buenos Aires. Trilingual event (English, Portuguese, and Spanish) Registration Link: https://digilabour-br.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_y5ZwynfUSHmwJ3-F0e9TLw This participatory action research, Funded by the SSHRC Insight Development Grant and the Connaught Fund, brought together six self-managed organizations in the tech and delivery sectors to reflect on, imagine, and co-develop principles and practices for worker-owned platforms through an intersectional lens. Rooted in Latin American traditions of solidarity economies and community technologies, the project centers care, intercooperation, and political imagination in building technological alternatives. The event will feature a presentation of the report’s main findings and a conversation with three invited discussants: * Ruha Benjamin (Princeton University) * Verónica Gago (University of Buenos Aires) * Sasha Costanza-Chock (Northeastern University & Design Justice Network) Participating organizations: Alternativa Laboral Trans (ALT), Cooperativa Central, Argentine Federation of Tech Co-ops (FACTTIC), MariaLab, Tech Sector of the Homeless Workers Movement (MTST), and Señoritas Courier PI: Rafael Grohmann (University of Toronto) Short video introducing the project: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/I6CPLXC5_3Q See you there! PT Eu gostaria de convidar vocês para o evento online de lançamento do relatório da pesquisa Plataformas de Propriedade de Pessoas Trabalhadoras e Interseccionalidade<https://digilabour.com.br/pt/plataformas-interseccionais-propriedade-trabal…> <https://digilabour.com.br/pt/plataformas-interseccionais-propriedade-trabal…> (WOIP), que vai acontecer no dia 19 de agosto, às 11h (horário de São Paulo/Buenos Aires). Evento trilíngue (inglês, português e espanhol) Link para inscrição: https://digilabour-br.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_y5ZwynfUSHmwJ3-F0e9TLw Essa pesquisa-ação participativa, com financiamento do SSHRC e do Connaught Fund, reuniu seis organizações autogestionadas dos setores de tecnologia e entrega para refletir, imaginar e construir coletivamente princípios e práticas para plataformas de propriedade das pessoas trabalhadoras a partir de uma perspectiva interseccional. Inspirado em tradições latino-americanas de economias solidárias e tecnologias comunitárias, o projeto coloca o cuidado, a intercooperação e a imaginação política no centro da construção de alternativas tecnológicas. O evento contará com a apresentação dos principais achados do relatório e com a participação de três convidadas especiais como debatedoras: * Ruha Benjamin (Princeton University) * Verónica Gago (Universidad de Buenos Aires) * Sasha Costanza-Chock (Northeastern University & Design Justice Network) Organizações participantes: Alternativa Laboral Trans (ALT), Cooperativa Central, Federación Argentina de Cooperativas de Trabajo de Tecnología, Innovación y Conocimiento (FACTTIC), MariaLab, Núcleo de Tecnologia do MTST e Señoritas Courier Coordenação geral: Rafael Grohmann (University of Toronto) Video curto apresentando o tema da pesquisa: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/jOEGeLxGUaE Ate la! ES Me gustaria invitarles al evento online de lanzamiento del informe Plataformas de Propiedad de Personas Trabajadoras e Interseccionalidad<https://digilabour.com.br/plataformas-interseccionales-propiedad-trabajador…> <https://digilabour.com.br/plataformas-interseccionales-propiedad-trabajador…> (WOIP), que se realizará el día 19 de agosto a las 11h (Buenos Aires/São Paulo). Evento trilingüe (inglés, portugués y español) Link de inscripción: https://digilabour-br.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_y5ZwynfUSHmwJ3-F0e9TLw Este proyecto de investigación-acción participativa , financiado por SSHRC y el Connaught Fund, reunió a seis organizaciones autogestionadas de los sectores tecnológico y de reparto para reflexionar, imaginar y construir colectivamente principios y prácticas para plataformas propiedad de trabajadores/as desde una perspectiva interseccional. Inspirado en tradiciones latinoamericanas de economías solidarias y tecnologías comunitarias, el proyecto pone en el centro el cuidado, la intercooperacion y la imaginación política para construir alternativas tecnológicas. El evento contará con la presentación de los principales hallazgos del informe y con la participación de tres comentaristas invitadas: * Ruha Benjamin (Princeton University) * Verónica Gago (Universidad de Buenos Aires) * Sasha Costanza-Chock (Northeastern University & Design Justice Network) Organizaciones participantes:Alternativa Laboral Trans (ALT), Cooperativa Central, Federación Argentina de Cooperativas de Trabajo de Tecnología, Innovación y Conocimiento (FACTTIC), MariaLab, Núcleo de Tecnologia do MTST y Señoritas Courier Coordinación general: Rafael Grohmann (University of Toronto) Vídeo corto de presentación del proyecto EN: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/I6CPLXC5_3Q PT: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/jOEGeLxGUaE Versión en español disponible próximamente best, Rafael -- dr. Rafael Grohmann Assistant Professor of Media Studies Department of Arts, Culture and Media<https://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/acm/rafael-grohmann> Faculty of Information<https://ischool.utoronto.ca/profile/rafael-grohmann/> University of Toronto Leader, DigiLabour<https://digilabour.com.br/> Research Associate, University of Oxford<https://www.oii.ox.ac.uk/people/profiles/rafael-grohmann/> Founding Editor, Platforms & Society<https://journals.sagepub.com/home/PNS> Principal Investigator, Worker-Owned Intersectional Platforms (WOIP)<https://digilabour.com.br/worker-owned-intersectional-platforms-woip/> Co-Lead, Creative Labour and Critical Futures (CLCF)<https://criticaldigitalmethods.ca/creative-labour-critical-futures/> Researcher, AI Policy Observatory for the World of Work<https://www.essex.ac.uk/research-projects/ai-policy-observatory-for-the-wor…> Faculty Affiliate, Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society<https://srinstitute.utoronto.ca/> <https://srinstitute.utoronto.ca/>

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CFM: Symbolic Interaction, Activism, and Social Movement
by Sarina Chen 21 Jul '25

21 Jul '25

On June 14, 2025, the No Kings protests (No Kings) incorporated several dimensions associated with collective behavior, including the combination of coordinated activism and the dissemination of information. Organizers of No Kings used the networking capacity of social media to coordinate protests against Donald Trump's policies and actions. More than five million people participated in protests in about 2,100 cities and towns in the U.S. The protests were organized by the coalition of at least 200 progressive groups, utilizing, among other formats, the Internet to coordinate large-scale and decentralized collective action. Conceptually, activism consists of efforts to promote changes in social, political, or economic practices. Those identified as activists set out to achieve a common good. Such purposeful, organized, and sustained efforts over a period of time becomes a social movement. In regard to the dissemination of information as related to activism, those identifying themselves as activists have, historically, used various media formats to identify and promote their causes. Prior to the electronic age, for instance, activists made use of oral and print media, employing word-of-mouth, pamphlets, newspapers, and books. In the post-electronic age, current activists bolster their cause via use of digital media. Such use of media enhances the ability of activists to promote civic engagement and collective action quickly, on a broad scale, and with efficacy. Basically, social media provide free publicity for activists to promote their causes with free media accounts and easy entries to activism, simply by a click of the mouse. In effect, No Kings became a cause celebre as millions of protesters gathered in various urban and rural pockets of the country on relatively short notice. The protesters created dynamic, focused, and shared objectives that, taken together, provided the foundations of a social movement. Besides publicity and recruitment, social media also help with sustaining the momentum of a cause, by constantly providing updates (posts) of one's group and instructions for connecting with members of a group. In this manner, organizers of No Kings set out to entice interested individuals to participate, immediately, and efficiently, in collective action . The organizers provided comprehensive directories for interested individuals to either find a protest near them or to start a protest on-the-spot. Organizers also utilized the discursive feature of the Internet by providing easy-to-read guides for would-be protest organizers. The guides included strategies regarding promotion of a protest, scheduling speakers, contacting media, and employing security measures, among other useful information. The practical guides allowed many to organize a protest, regardless of their prior experiential involvement in social movements. Outside of the U.S., interested parties who received information about No Kings organized protests in their respective countries as well. One of the key themes that emerged from No Kings pertained to the global outreach of the Internet. Such an outreach has, historically, created a keen interest in universal civil engagement, or the promotion of human rights as a multinational appeal for social justice. For instance, prior to No Kings, the Black Lives Matter movement (2013) involved international support from protesters in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Germany, France, Japan, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. Relatedly, No Kings also appeared in 20 countries around the world, including those aforementioned. In countries with constitutional monarchies, No Kings was replaced by “No Dictators,” or “No Tyrants” to avoid confusion. Given the increased significance of activism and social movement in the digital age, Vol. 64 of Studies in Symbolic Interaction: A Global Bi-Annual Book Series, published by Emerald Publishing in Leeds, United Kingdom, is devoted to the discussion of Symbolic Interaction, Activism, and Social Movements. Symbolic Interactionism has offered powerful insights into how activism and social movements are created and sustained through the everyday interactions and shared meanings that individuals construct. Symbolic interactionist studies have provided useful conceptual tools and fertile research in examining collective action and social organization. To follow this tradition, symbolic interactionist works that examine the use of digital technologies in activism and social movement are sought. Topics to be addressed include, but not limited to, Construction of activism Construction of social movements Activism and solidary relationships Social movements and charismatic relationships Activism and universities Digital activism Racial justice activism LGBTQ+ activism Climate change activism For all interested, please send an abstract of no more than 750 words to Shing-Ling Sarina Chen (sarina.chen(a)uni.edu) by September 1, 2025. If an abstract is selected for inclusion, the deadline of completing the manuscript is March 31, 2026. Thank you very much for your consideration. Looking forward to hearing from you. Shing-Ling Sarina Chen Studies in Symbolic Interaction

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