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Special Issue Call: Ferments in the Field: The Past, Present and Futures of Communication Studies (Journal of Communication)
by Christian Fuchs 26 Aug '16

26 Aug '16

Special Issue of the Journal of Communication: Ferments in the Field: The Past, Present and Futures of Communication Studies Editors: Christian Fuchs & Jack Qiu Call for submission of extended abstracts http://fuchs.uti.at/1699/ http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/(ISSN)1460-2466/homepage/cal… In 1983, Journal of Communication (JoC) published the special issue “Ferment in the Field” (Volume 33, Issue 3, co-edited by George Gerbner and Marsha Siefert). The issue focused on “questions about the role of communications scholars and researchers, and of the discipline as a whole, in society” (Gerbner & Siefert, 1983, p. 4). The 35 contributions reflected “on the state of communications research today; the relationship of the researcher to science, society, and policy; the goals of research with respect to social issues and social structure; and the tactics and strategies for reaching their goals” (ibid). In 1993, two comparable JoC issues were dedicated to “The Disciplinary Status of Communication Research” (Volume 43, Issues 3-4, co-edited by Mark Levy and Michael Gurevitch). In 2008, a JoC special issue discussed “Epistemological and Disciplinary Intersections” (Volume 58, Issue 4, edited by Michael Pfau). More than three decades after the original Ferment issue, it is again time to reflect on disciplinary transformations in communication studies. By calling this new special issue Ferments in the Field, we see historical continuity in our efforts along JoC’s tradition of inviting communication scholarship to reflect upon itself. Meanwhile, we ask questions with a special eye on the increasing complexity and diversity of the field: * What does the field of communication research look like? * What have been the key tendencies and developments in communication(s) research and its subfields? * How has the field developed in the past decades? What have been long-term continuities and discontinuities since the 1980s? * What is the actual and desirable role for communication studies in contemporary academe and society? * What is the status of theory, methods, critique, ethics, and interdisciplinarity in our field? * What is the status of critical research and theories? * How should the field position itself vis-à-vis key contemporary processes and challenges? * What does the future of communication studies look like? Contributions to a new edition of “Ferments in the Field” should be provocative essays that offer bold ideas with broad implications for the field as a whole and areas of specializations. This special issue speaks of ferments in the plural in order to spur reflections beyond established academic boundaries and stimulate discussions that encourage scholars to think beyond comfort zones. From multiple theoretical, methodological, and disciplinary perspectives, it asks about the continuities and discontinuities in communication research in an attempt to initiate a new round of debates about the past, present and futures of the field. The special issue will be published in 2018. The editors are Professor Christian Fuchs (University of Westminster) and Professor Jack Qiu (Chinese University of Hong Kong). Authors are welcome to submit extended abstracts to the Editors by December 1, 2016. Extended abstracts should have a length of 400-1,000 words (excluding tables, figures, and references). Abstracts should be submitted to c.fuchs(a)westminster.ac.uk and jacklqiu(a)cuhk.edu.hk. For doing so, please complete use the submission form available here: http://fuchs.uti.at/wp-content/Ferments.docx Subsequently, authors who were asked to submit complete papers will need to submit their manuscripts by May 2, 2017. Each manuscript should not exceed 4,000 words (including tables, figures, and references).

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Faculty Position at UC Santa Barbara: Bertelsen Presidential Chair in Information Technology and Society
by Ronald E. Rice 25 Aug '16

25 Aug '16

UC Santa Barbara, one of America?s leading public research universities, seeks applicants for a faculty position and holder of the Bertelsen Presidential Chair in Information Technology and Society. Applicants should have a distinguished record of empirical scholarship addressing societal, political, organizational, or cultural implications of the Internet and related information-based technologies. In particular we seek applications from scholars whose work shows intellectual leadership and engagement across disciplines. The Bertelsen chair holder will be expected to assume the directorship of the Center for Information Technology and Society (CITS) for at least three years. Established in 1999, CITS is a vibrant network of scholars dedicated to interdisciplinary research and education about the complex development, use, and effects of information technologies. The Center fosters research across the social sciences, humanities, and engineering. The appointment will be in the Departments of Sociology, Political Science, or Communication as appropriate, with an affiliation possible in other departments across campus. We are flexible with respect to discipline and applicants are especially invited in sociology, political science, communication, media studies, computational social science, and information science. The appointment will be made at the associate or full professor level. Applicants should submit a cover letter highlighting qualifications, a curriculum vitae, and the names and contact information for three references to the appropriate sections of the job search website: https://recruit.ap.ucsb.edu/apply/JPF00811. Questions should be directed to the Search Committee Chair, Dr. Paul Leonardi, at leonardi [at] tmp.ucsb.edu or at 805-893-5414. This position will remain open until filled. For primary consideration all application materials, including names and contact information for three references, must be received by October 25, 2016. The Department is especially interested in candidates who can contribute to the diversity and excellence of the academic community through research, teaching and service. The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

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is that real?
by giuliarai 25 Aug '16

25 Aug '16

Hello friend, I've seen something that I couldn't explain, I need you to look at it and say whether it is real or not? Here is the info <http://tadakyne.yankeemeltdown.com/aeucdal> See you soon, giuliarai

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Call for participation at the Learning with MOOCs III: "Being and Learning in a Digital Age" conference (October 6-7, 2016, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA)
by Vitomir Kovanovic 25 Aug '16

25 Aug '16

* Apologies for cross-posting * Dear All, This is a call for the participation at the Learning with MOOCs III: "Being and Learning in a Digital Age" conference on October 6-7, 2016 at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA. Learning with MOOCs is a fast growing practitioners conference that focuses on studying MOOCs and how best to support teaching and learning in MOOCs. LWMOOCs will feature 14 paper session, as well as panels and workgroup sessions, and a conference reception with poster presentations. We are also pleased to have exciting keynote speakers Reshma Saujani, Founder, and CEO of Girls Who Code, and Angela Duckworth, University of Pennsylvania Professor of Psychology and Founder and Scientific Director of The Character Lab. We look forward to two days of fascinating discussion and networking in the great city of Philadelphia. http://www.learningwithmoocs2016.org/ Registration URL: http://www.learningwithmoocs2016.org/registration/ Please note that registration is for individuals only, each conference attendee should be registered separately. The exclusive hotel discount for LWMOOCs attendees is valid up to Sep 5, 2016 so make sure to book your place on time! Sincerely, Vitomir Kovanovic on behalf of the LWMOOCs program committee --- Begin forwarded message --- THEME: Being and learning in a digital age ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Since the dramatic arrival of MOOCs on the higher education landscape, universities globally have started to grapple with how digital learning functions within their existing missions. Some systems have responded through a significant investment in MOOCs and new online learning programs. Other systems have responded through taking a more cautious research approach. Colleges, liberal arts schools, and smaller universities are currently evaluating how the MOOC phenomenon will influence their existing offerings and what unique experiences remain for local, on-campus learning. More recently, virtual reality and other wearable technology indicate a future with expanded data collection and increasingly authentic learning experiences. They also raise concerns about how technology will influence privacy and who has ownership of, and access to, our learning and related biometric data. The growth of digital learning, both in terms of research and practice, is part of a broader societal transition to a digital and data-driven world. Reports of future mass upheaval in employment driven by artificial intelligence are starting to cause alarm. Today, cognitive technologies can learn and in some cases outperform humans. Against this backdrop, the theme and guiding focus for LWMOOC3 is: What does it mean to be human in a digital age? What does it mean to learn in a digital age? As the influence of MOOCs and digital learning in general grow, it’s time to review many of the assumptions that researchers and practitioners currently hold. Are we creating the type of knowledge infrastructure through digital learning that will enable a generation of creative, innovative, honest, considerate, socially responsible, motivated, and full-filled learners? Or are we meeting AI in the middle by dumbing down and automating our learning needs to such a degree that the machines ought to take over? This conference plans to bring together educators, technologists, researchers, learning scientists, entrepreneurs, and funders of MOOCs to share their innovations, discuss the impact on education and to answer practical questions such as: - What are the social and affective dimensions of learning online and in a MOOC? - What is the role of the human educator in automated learning and evaluation environments? - How do MOOCs and digital learning impact learners across their full life cycle, from birth to retirement? - How can VR and wearable technologies extend both the experience of learners and the research interests of academics? - What are the challenges of integrating rich multi-source data streams to present a holistic view of learner engagement and performance? - What are the assumptions that we are making regarding digital learning and the role of education in society? Are these assumptions accurate? What type of future are we creating for learners and for society with current digital and on-campus education practices? - How do we measure learning in and with MOOCs? What does successful MOOC learning look like and how does it differ from traditional in-classroom learning? - Should the holistic development of learners, such as social and emotional skills and character strengths, be considered in digital learning? If so, what are the challenges and considerations in doing so? TOPICS ---------------------------------------------------------------------- We call for submissions to LWMOOC3 from a diversity of disciplines and topics (see details below). In particular, we invite submissions that build on the main theme of the conference and highlight the strength of the core MOOC research community, with the important input from the other related research domains. We invite submissions related to research, practice, and theory related to MOOCs. Specific topics, though not limited to these, include: - Social and affective computing - Development of multiple pathways for learners - Open content / open licensing and MOOCs - New pedagogical processes with MOOCs, particularly around social and peer pedagogies - Tools for collaboration, feedback, testing and content delivery - Wearable devices for biometric data collection - Metrics of success for learners and instructors of MOOCs - On-campus use of MOOCs - Evaluation of MOOCs - MOOCs and localized support (e. g., meetups and instructor meetings) - Learning analytics and MOOCs - Problem-based learning and authentic/contextual learning environments - New and emerging models of instructional design, especially student-centered design approaches to improve their online learning experience) - Machine learning, AI, and MOOCs: what is new? - Learning sciences and new research models based on digital learning and MOOCs - The role of specific human constructs, such as imagination, joy, and amazement, in MOOCs We invite researchers and practitioners interested in coming together to discuss these issues to submit a description of work (see instructions below) they have done related to MOOCs. These descriptions should include interesting findings that they have learned through their work that they believe would be valuable to share with other practitioners and researchers, and/or a question or challenges that they confronted that they would like to discuss with others. CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS ---------------------------------------------------------------------- One important change for the 2016 Learning with MOOCs conference is that we are moving towards published proceedings of all conference submissions. The proceedings will include abstracts as well as the presentation slides that will serve as a written record of the conference. KEY DATES ---------------------------------------------------------------------- - Abstract submissions (500 words): May 15, 2016 - Notifications of acceptance: June 12, 2016 - Learning with MOOCs 2016 conference: October 6-7, 2016 -- The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered in Scotland, with registration number SC005336.

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2 PhD openings: Design of Hybrid Virtual Museum Experiences, IT University of Copenhagen
by Anders Sundnes Løvlie 25 Aug '16

25 Aug '16

2 PhD positions in hybrid virtual museum design The IT University of Copenhagen, Denmark, invites candidates to apply for 2 PhD positions starting in 31 December 2016 or soon thereafter: https://candidate.hr-manager.net/ApplicationInit.aspx?cid=119&ProjectId=180… The positions will form part of a project funded by a grant from the EU's Horizon 2020 program, entitled "Meaningful Personalization of Hybrid Virtual Museum Experiences Through Gifting and Appropriation (The GIFT project)". The GIFT project aims to develop a framework with tools, theory and best practice guidelines to guide the development of mobile apps for museums that facilitate personalized experiences of both digital and physical museum exhibitions, along with two prototypes of such applications. The project includes 5 European research partners beside ITU: Blast Theory (UK), NextGame (RS), University of Nottingham (UK), University of Uppsala (SE) and Europeana Foundation (NL). In addition, the project will work with representatives from 10 museums in 8 European countries: Denmark, Sweden, UK, Netherlands, Germany, Spain, Italy and Serbia. For more information, see blogit.itu.dk/gift/<http://blogit.itu.dk/gift/>. Candidates for the positions will be expected to contribute to both the project's outcome and research goals. The project's outcome goals include: * Formulating a set of best practice guidelines for meaningful personalisation of hybrid virtual museum experiences, based on an action research process with a panel of museum partners; * Contribute to the design of prototypes for hybrid virtual museum experiences; * Study, validate and evaluate prototypes developed by project partners. In addition, the project has the following research goals: * Develop innovative approaches to the design of playful experiences with art and cultural heritage; * Formulate new perspectives on pervasive games and other playful experiences that incorporate both physical and virtual presence; * Propose new approaches for facilitating personalized experiences with cultural heritage which aim to bridge or problematize the distances between audiences and heritage, e.g. cultural, historical, ideological, aesthetic, or other. Position number 1: Research through design This PhD candidate will be tasked with conducting a practical research through design project, aimed at designing games for hybrid virtual museum experiences that allow players to playfully appropriate the museums' physical and digital space. The candidate's design work should support the development of a game prototype developed by the company NextGame, one of the partners in GIFT. The candidate will also contribute to study and validate prototypes developed by NextGame. The PhD project should result in a dissertation incorporating and documenting the design and evaluation work, making a contribution to research in one of the following fields: Media Studies, Design, Digital Arts, Game Studies or other IT-related field. Qualification Requirements: * Candidates should have an MSc (or equivalent) in a field such as design, media and communication, computer games, computer science, or other cognate area. * Candidates should have a high level of oral and written proficiency in English. * Candidates who can document practical experience with design in the field will be prioritized. Position number 2: Action research This PhD candidate will be tasked with conducting an action research project involving the GIFT project's museum partners. The candidate should contribute to the process of conducting user experience evaluation of the prototypes developed by GIFT partners, based on their implementation and use in museum contexts. The candidate will be expected to be able to make substantial contributions to the best practice framework developed by GIFT. The PhD project should result in a dissertation documenting the process and discussing the results as a contribution to research in one of the following fields: Media Studies, Design, Digital Arts, Game Studies or other IT-related field. Qualification requirements: * Candidates should have an MSc (or equivalent) in a field such as design, media and communication, fine arts, computer science, or other relevant area. * Candidates should have a high level of oral and written proficiency in English. * Candidates who can document practical experience with action research and/or relevant design experience will be prioritized. Application The application must be in English and must include: * A cover letter; * A statement of purpose, which includes a project description for the PhD project, providing evidence of independent thinking, novelty and originality, and a state of the art grasp of the targeted research field matching the project description above. This text should be maximum 5 standard pages long (ca. 2400 characters per page, including spaces and notes); * Documentation of academic degree(s); grade transcripts that documents outstanding academic achievement; * Curriculum Vitae, which must include two professional/academic references; * Applications may also include one relevant scientific publication written by the applicant, and/or a portfolio of design work, and/or the applicant's master thesis. Letters of recommendation can also be included in the application It is understood that qualified applicants will satisfy these requirements to varying degrees, for example because of differences in publication cultures in various research fields. Early contact with our faculty staff is strongly encouraged. General information The IT University of Copenhagen (ITU) is a teaching and research-based tertiary institution concerned with information technology (IT) and the opportunities it offers. The IT University has more than 70 full-time Faculty members. Research and teaching in information technology span all academic activities which involve computers including computer science, information and media sciences, humanities and social sciences, business impact and the commercialisation of IT. Successful applicants will be employed and enrolled at the ITU University for a period of 3 years. Salary Appointment and salary will be in accordance with the Ministry of Finance’s agreement with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations (AC). Application procedure You can only apply for this position through our e-recruitment system. Apply by pushing the button "Apply for position" in the job announcement on our website: www.itu.dk/About-ITU/Vacancies<http://www.itu.dk/About-ITU/Vacancies> Please read the guidelines for applicants carefully before filling in the application form. You can see the guidelines through this link: www.itu.en/Guidelines<http://www.itu.en/Guidelines> Applications must be written in English. All other documents, such as transcripts must be accompanied by a translation in English or Danish. Questions about the positions can be directed to Anders Sundnes Løvlie, e-mail: asun(a)itu.dk<mailto:asun@itu.dk>, or Miguel Angel Sicart, e-mail: miguel(a)itu.dk<mailto:miguel@itu.dk>. Questions related to the application procedure may be directed to the Personnel Section, Kristina Køj-Udsen, kuds(a)itu.dk<mailto:kuds@itu.dk>. The applicant will be assessed according to the Appointment Order from the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation of 25 April 2008. Application deadline: September 20, 2016 at 23:59 CET. Applications/enclosures received at ITU after the application deadline will not be taken into consideration. If you submit an application, it is your responsibility to ensure that it arrives before the deadline so please allow sufficient time for upload of publications and other documents. The IT University invites all qualified researchers regardless of age, gender, religious affiliation or ethnic background to apply for the positions. Job announcement: https://candidate.hr-manager.net/ApplicationInit.aspx?cid=119&ProjectId=180… Kind regards, Anders Sundnes Løvlie Assistant professor, IT University of Copenhagen asun(a)itu.dk<mailto:asun@itu.dk> +45 40966768

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T-T Job: University of Toronto: Social Work and Information
by Leslie Shade 25 Aug '16

25 Aug '16

Dear Colleagues, fyi: Assistant Professor - Social Work and Information The Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work (FIFSW) and the Faculty of Information (iSchool) at the University of Toronto invite applications for a tenure-stream position in the area of Social Work and Information at the rank of Assistant Professor. The position will be held 51% at the FIFSW and 49% at the iSchool. The appointment will begin July 1, 2017. Candidates are expected to have a program of research and experience especially focused on big data from a quantitative or qualitative angle, analyzing both the challenges and opportunities of big data for social justice. Areas of specific interest can include the use and impact of big data for social service and child welfare agencies, youth service agencies, public libraries, archives and information centres, and for vulnerable citizens and marginalized communities, including older adults, indigenous, and immigrant communities. Research areas may include, but are not limited to, the following: big data and society, data and information and communication technology use, infrastructure and platform studies, ethics of algorithms, data and discrimination, data and human rights, data and social inclusion, privacy and data, and disability studies in information studies and social work. Theoretical and methodological approaches to research should be commensurate with applicants' teaching and fields of expertise. Candidates must have a PhD in social work, information or a related field by the time of appointment or shortly thereafter. He/She must also show evidence of excellence in research as demonstrated by an active research program that contributes especially to information studies affecting social work; social work practice experience; an emerging reputation in research with demonstrated ability to attract external research funding; publications in high quality peer reviewed journals and strong endorsements by referees of international standing. Evidence of excellence in teaching (including a teaching dossier outlining experience and accomplishments and strong letters of reference) is also required. Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience. The Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work pursues excellence in the development and testing of new knowledge that will have an impact on social work direct practice and social policy, as well as social work education. Our commitment to social justice means that we look for creative solutions to social problems at the local, national and international level. We are proud of our record as one of North America's pre-eminent Social Work Faculties, offering programs at the MSW, PhD, and post-MSW diploma levels. The Faculty is involved in several collaborative programs and joint degrees that provide many opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration including Health Administration; Addiction Studies; Aging and the Life Course; Asia Pacific Studies; Bioethics; Child Welfare; Community Development; Ethnic and Pluralism Studies; Health Care, Technology and Place; Health Services and Policy Research; Human Development; Sexual Diversity; Women and Gender Studies; and Women's Health. Faculty website: http://www.socialwork.utoronto.ca. The iSchool at the University of Toronto educates the next generation of professional and academic leaders in Information to transform society through collaboration, innovation and knowledge creation. The Faculty believes that society's information practices are being reconfigured and transformed by material shifts in information infrastructures and by political and cultural shifts in our attitudes toward information as a social phenomenon, accompanied by ethical challenges. The Faculty of Information provides a context in which to work in an emerging interdisciplinary environment with close ties to a range of collaborative programs including Knowledge Media Design and Book History and Print Culture. The Faculty is also home to the Digital Curation Institute. Faculty website: http://www.ischool.utoronto.ca. Review of applications will begin on September 30, 2016, and we strongly encourage candidates to submit their application before this date if they would like to be considered for the first round of review. However applications will be accepted until the position is filled. All qualified candidates are invited to apply by clicking on the link below. Applications should include a cover letter, full curriculum vitae, teaching dossier (including a statement of teaching philosophy), a brief outline of current and proposed future research interests and two samples of published work. All application materials should be submitted through the University of Toronto's online application system. If you have questions about this position, please contact socialwork.admin(a)utoronto.ca <https://webmail.utoronto.ca/imp/message.php?index=411#>. Please combine attachments into one or two files in PDF/MS Word format. Submission guidelines can be found at: http://uoft.me/how-to-apply. Applicants should also ask three referees to send letters (on letterhead, signed and scanned) directly to the Faculty via e-mail to socialwork.admin(a)utoronto.ca <https://webmail.utoronto.ca/imp/message.php?index=411#>. Applications without references will not be considered. The University of Toronto is strongly committed to diversity within its community and especially welcomes applications from racialized persons / persons of colour, women, Indigenous / Aboriginal People of North America, persons with disabilities, LGBTQ persons, and others who may contribute to the further diversification of ideas. 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. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority. ---- Leslie Regan Shade Associate Dean, Research and Professor Faculty of Information University of Toronto 140 St. George St., Rm 711 Toronto ON M5S 3G6 Tel: 416-978-7110 leslie.shade(a)utoronto.ca <https://webmail.utoronto.ca/imp/message.php?index=411#>

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SPIR Back Online / Call for Volunteers: AoIR Technical Advisory Group
by Axel Bruns 23 Aug '16

23 Aug '16

Dear AoIRists, I'm pleased to say that thanks to the tireless work of our AoIR Technical Advisory Group - Brenda Moon, Alexander Ronzhyn, and Andrew R. Schrock - our AoIR publication Selected Papers in Internet Research (SPIR) is back online, at spir.aoir.org. We are very grateful to the TAG team for volunteering their time to rebuild SPIR and bringing it back to life, and I'd like to express AoIR's sincere thanks to Brenda, Alexander and Andrew for their efforts. The next steps for SPIR will now be to post last year's conference proceedings on the site, and then to do the same with the papers accepted for the Berlin conference this year (you'll have seen Cornelius Puschmann's calls over the past weeks to upload your de-anonymised paper and panel proposals to ConfTool). Call for Volunteers: AoIR Technical Advisory Group -------------------------------------------------- To support these next steps, as well as to address future technical challenges as they arise, AoIR is now calling for expressions of interest from additional volunteers to serve on our Technical Advisory Group. From time to time, the Association faces various issues relating to our technical infrastructure - including the AoIR Website, the Selected Papers in Internet Research (SPIR) site, our conference submission and registration platforms, our mailing-list, and the integration between these different systems. Members of the TAG will be asked to help us make better strategic decisions about our technology choices, and to support the Association Coordinator and Exec in addressing any urgent issues - for example to clean up and better protect our sites after the hacking attacks we suffer on occasion. TAG members should have strong familiarity with technologies such as PHP, MySQL, Open Journal Systems, Wordpress, and/or ConfTool, as well as overall server admin skills. Experience in protecting Web servers from hackers would also be very welcome. AoIR is an almost entirely volunteer-based, non-profit organisation, so unfortunately we can't offer any payment for this work - other than the satisfaction of having made a significant contribution to our community. If you're interested in helping out, please email Axel Bruns (vp(a)aoir.org) with an expression of interest and some information about your tech skills and expertise. On behalf of the AoIR Exec, many thanks in advance. Your contribution makes a real difference to the Association. -- Prof. Axel Bruns a.bruns(a)qut.edu.au - @snurb_dot_info ARC Future Fellow, 2014-18 http://www.amazon.com/author/axel.bruns/ Professor, Media & Communication http://mappingonlinepublics.net/ QUT Digital Media Research Centre http://qut.edu.au/research/dmrc/ Creative Industries Faculty, Z6-503, KG http://snurb.info/ Queensland University of Technology +61 7 3138 5548 GPO Box 2434, Brisbane, Qld 4001, Australia CRICOS No.: 00213J

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CFP: Philosophy and Technology’s special issue on The Governance of Algorithms
by Mariarosaria Taddeo 23 Aug '16

23 Aug '16

Apologies for multiple posting Call for Papers for Philosophy and Technology’s special issue on The Governance of Algorithms GUEST EDITORS Marcello D'Agostino (University of Milan, Italy) and Massimo Durante (University of Turin, Italy) INTRODUCTION In our information societies, we increasingly delegate tasks andalgorithms. Their increased intelligence, autonomous behavior and connectivity are changing crucially the life conditions of human beings as well as altering traditional concepts and ways of understanding reality. Algorithms are directed to solve problems that are not always detectable in their own relevance and timeliness. They are also meant to solve those problems through procedures that are not always visible and assessable in their own. In addition, technologies based on algorithmic procedures more and more infer personal information from aggregated data, thus profiling human beings and anticipating their expectations, views and behaviors. This may have normative, if not discriminatory, consequences. While algorithmic procedures and applications are meant to serve human needs, they risk to create an environment in which human beings tend to develop adaptive strategies by conforming their behaviour to the expected output of the procedures, with serious distortive effects. Against this backdrop, little room is often left for a process of rational argumentation able to challenge the results of algorithmic procedures by putting into question some of their hidden assumptions or by taking into account some neglected aspects of the problems under consideration. At the same time, it is widely recognized that scientific and social advances crucially depend on such an open and free critical discussion. TOPICS The aim of this special issue of Philosophy & Technology is to explore questions about the governance of algorithms in light of the technological dependence of our information societies. We ask how to face theoretical and practical challenges in order to assure that technological innovations go hand in hand with human needs, beliefs and expectations. We solicit the submission of papers from different disciplines (law, ethics, economics, computer science, social studies, epistemology and philosophy of science) to address questions such as: · How to deal with the "knowledge problem" (as Franck Pasquale put it), i.e., with the openness, transparency and fairness of algorithmic procedures and applications? · How to govern those algorithmic procedures and applications once we delegate them the accomplishment of tasks or the solution of problems? · By which standards the relevance and the timeliness of problems as well as the efficiency and the legitimacy of solutions are measured? · Is the extensive functioning of automated systems, devices and agents based on algorithms able to impair human freedom and autonomy, free critical discussion and reflexivity? TIMETABLE December 19, 2016: Deadline for paper submissions February 13, 2017: Deadline reviews papers March 13, 2017: Deadline revised papers April, 2017: Publication of accepted papers SUBMISSION DETAILS To submit a paper for this special issue, authors should go to the journal’s Editorial Manager http://www.editorialmanager.com/phte/ <http://www.editorialmanager.com/phte/> The author (or a corresponding author for each submission in case of co- authored papers) must register into EM. The author must then select the special article type: " The Governance of Algorithms” from the selection provided in the submission process. This is needed in order to assign the submissions to the Guest Editors. Submissions will then be assessed according to the following procedure: New Submission => Journal Editorial Office => Guest Editor(s) => Reviewers => Reviewers’ Recommendations => Guest Editor(s)’ Recommendation => Editor-in-Chief’s Final Decision => Author Notification of the Decision. The process will be reiterated in case of requests for revisions. For any further information please contact: GUEST EDITOR’S CONTACT DETAILS Marcello D'Agostino: <>marcello.dagostino(a)unimi.it <mailto:marcello.dagostino@unimi.it> Massimo Durante: <>massimo.durante(a)unito.it <mailto:massimo.durante@unito.it> -- Dr Mariarosaria Taddeo Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford Faculty Fellow, Alan Turing Institute, London Co-Investigator, PETRAS Hub for Internet of Things, a EPSRC project Editor-In-Chief of Minds & Machines, Springer Co-Editor-in-chief of Philosophical Studies, Book Series, Springer President, International Association for Computing and Philosophy Associate Editor for Ethics, Policy & Technology - Philosophy & Technology, Springer http://www.oii.ox.ac.uk/people/taddeo/ http://rosariataddeo.net

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Online Book Launch: Social Media in Industrial China and Social Media in Rural China (UCL Why We Post)
by Major, Alison 23 Aug '16

23 Aug '16

****Apologies for any cross posting **** ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Online Book Launch: Social Media in Industrial China and Social Media in Rural China Date: Tuesday 13 Sep 2016 Time: * London: 3 pm - 4 pm BST (UTC+1 hour) * New York: 10 am - 11 am EDT (UTC-4 hours) * Los Angeles: 7 am - 8 am PDT (UTC-7 hours) * Hong Kong: 10 pm - 11 pm HKT (UTC+8 hours) Register today: http://bit.ly/2b1mVuA -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join Professor Daniel Miller (UCL Anthropology), Xinyuan Wang (UCL Anthropology) and Tom McDonald (HKU Sociology) for a live and interactive discussion about UCL's groundbreaking Why We Post project. Streamed on Youtube, and hosted by HKU Sociology, this exciting discussion will mark the launch of two brand new Open Access volumes Social Media in Industrial China (UCL Press) and Social Media in Rural China (UCL Press), which detail they key findings of the Chinese section of the UCL Why We Post project. Put your own questions to the authors, and hear them discuss their experiences of conducting ethnographic fieldwork on social media use in China, writing their books, and how the unique case of China has implications for understanding social media use around the world. Register today: http://bit.ly/2b1mVuA -------------------------------------------------------------------------- About the books Wang's Social Media in Industrial China describes social media's role in the biggest migration in human history, an estimated 250 million Chinese people have left their villages in recent decades to live and work in urban areas. Wang describes a second migration taking place: a movement from offline to online. As Wang argues, this is not simply a convenient analogy but represents the convergence of two phenomena as profound and consequential as each other, where the online world now provides a home for the migrant workers who feel otherwise 'homeless'. Find out more: http://bit.ly/2b1qAT7 McDonald's Social Media in Rural China argues that social media allows rural Chinese people to extend and transform their social relationships by deepening already existing connections with friends known through their school, work or village, while also experimenting with completely new forms of relationships through online interactions with strangers. By juxtaposing these seemingly opposed relations, rural social media users are able to use these technologies to understand, capitalise on and challenge the notions of morality that underlie rural life. Find out more: http://bit.ly/2b3w3sK --------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Social sciences Post-doc Researcher in Participatory Design and Public Engagement
by Maurizio 23 Aug '16

23 Aug '16

A full time vacancy is open for research in the scope of the Horizon 2020 “PIE News” project (Poverty, Income, and Employment News) at the Madeira Interactive Technologies Institute, Madeira Island, Portugal (M-ITI). M-ITI is an highly interdisciplinary and international research institute who collects artists, designers, computer scientists, and social scientists, to engage with critical technical practices. The overall ambition of the PIE News project is to foster the emergence of commonfare as an alternative economic model to fight poverty, a condition affecting some 25% of the European population. Commonfare is a new collaborative form of welfare provision based on equitable governance and grassroots democracy. It entails the involvement of diverse stakeholders to facilitate the bottom-up arousal of collective practices tackling the needs of the new poor (precarious workers, working poor, NEETs, people left behind by safety nets). The consortium will achieve this goal through a Collective Awareness Platform (CAPS) which (a) informs people about existing welfare state provisions, (b) provides them with the means to share good practices on how to handle poverty-related issues, and (c) supports their abilities to network and to sustain real-life value. The person will research and investigate the public design process enacted during the PIE News project. In particular, will focus on the interrelation between the design of the technical components of the platform and the formation of a vibrant public interested in and supportive of the platform itself. The person will work under the supervision of Prof. Maurizio Teli, the Research and Innovation Coordinator of the PIE News project. Whoever is interested, can contact us via hr(a)m-iti.org to receive more information and a more extended description of the project. The desired profile is the one of a person engaged in social sciences, interested in Science and Technology Studies and/or Media Studies, as well as related fields, with a focus on the relation between digital technologies and the association of people around specific issues. Duration: The position is for one year, with funding available for renewing them for another year. The maximum legal of three years is depending on further funding. Envisaged Job Starting Date: 01/11/2016 Working Hours: 7.5 per day Fellowship value: The monthly maintenance stipend is of 1495€ net, according to the Portuguese directives from the ministry of science and education www.fct.pt/apoios/bolsas/valores.phtml.en) This value can be complemented with social security reimbursement if the researcher subscribes the voluntary SSV according to the Portuguese Law – Lei Nº. 202/2012, de 27 de Agosto. The selection criteria include: - 35% publication record in the relative fields; - 35% ability to work in interdisciplinary teams; - 30% experience in related tasks. The candidate should be in possession of a Ph.D., or close to completion, at the time of application. The capability to work in English is a necessary requirement. Members of the Jury: Prof. Dr. Maurizio Teli, Prof. Dr. Nuno Jardim Nunes, and Prof. Dra. Valentina Nisi How to apply: Applications will be accepted by email (hr(a)m-iti.org ) with the reference “PIENEWS – RH002”. The application must include: - Letter of introduction, explaining how the candidate is covering the requirements; - CV (Europass) with a photo; - Copy of all certificates that prove the habilitations mentioned in the CV or that the habilitations will be obtained before the beginning of the contract - Minimum of two recommendation letters written by academics who have worked with the candidate This announcement is visible here: http://www.m-iti.org/node/3896

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