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Call for Book Chapters: The Ubiquitous Internet
by Anja Bechmann 09 May '12

09 May '12

CALL FOR BOOK CHAPTERS ***Please distribute widely — apologies for cross-postings*** The ubiquitous internet This edited collection of work by international scholars analyses aspects of the mobile, platform-independent and interoperable character of the internet and the associated cultural practices. How do users communicate under these circumstances? How do companies orient to political, commercial and regulatory frameworks in order to stay in – and expand – business? What are the key privacy concerns and regulatory practices on the ubiquitous internet, and what are the standards when operating in ubiquitous settings? The user convenience of internet at your fingertips from any device near you and information that floats ‘freely’ and follows you around on the internet through interoperable cloud services potentially set new standards for user behaviour and strategies on the internet in terms of sharing and data connecting that we know very little about (Taddicken, 2012). From a user perspective, Baron (2008) has pointed to the notion of being ‘always on’ as a central experiential quality of mobile media, but we lack a nuanced understanding of how being always on maps onto the practices through which users move seamlessly across services and media platforms in everyday life? From a business perspective, the data generated and shared by users on the ubiquitous internet create new opportunities for revenue, through monitoring, data mining and profiling techniques. However, despite a frequently voiced concern for user ‘exploitation’ and commodification (e.g. van Dijck, 2009; Fuchs et al., 2012), we still know quite little about how exactly companies like Facebook, Google, Amazon and Twitter aggregate and mine user data to generate value. Such knowledge is particularly critical, because the ubiquitous internet challenges institutional and societal concepts of privacy, law and economics of the internet. More and more information on the internet flows only within industry-owned domains such as Facebook and Google and across platforms that have their own internet standards (e.g. apps and browsers for mobile platforms). Business analysts have called this fenced-off internet the ‘splinternet’ (Bernoff & VanBoskirk, 2010; Thomson, 2010) to describe the movement from open shared standards such as w3 to different competitive clusters of standards and internet control. The ubiquitous, seamlessly integrated internet, and the associated data that are produced by user engagement, present significant opportunities and challenges for theoretical as well as empirical research. This book presents state of the art research on the ubiquitous internet, its economic stakeholders and its everyday users. The chapters of this book will focus on companies, regulation and users from different parts of the world. We particularly encourage contributions from Asia-Pacific and South America. Comparative chapters are also very welcome. We welcome chapters that focus on: • Policy, standards and regulation • Strategy and practices in search or social media companies • User studies of ubiquitous internet practices (with emphasis on smartphones, network and/or sensor-based communication) We invite you to submit via email to Anja Bechmann (anjabechmann(a)gmail.com) or Stine Lomborg (slomborg(a)hum.ku.dk) by 1 June 2012: - a 500 word abstract of a proposed chapter; and - a preliminary outline of the proposed chapter. The successful abstracts will form part of a book proposal to be offered to academic publishers. -- Anja Bechmann Assistant Professor, PhD The Centre for Internet Research Aarhus University Denmark The university profile: http://person.au.dk/en/abp@hum.au.dk The Centre for Internet Research: http://cfi.au.dk/en/frontpage/ The Council for Greater IT Security: http://rfsits.dk/l/english/<http://www.rfsits.dk/mxcms.aspx?itemId=65> Linkedin: http://dk.linkedin.com/in/anjabechmann Wordpress: http://medianetworks.wordpress.com

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Event at ICA in Phoenix
by Greg Wise 09 May '12

09 May '12

Apologies for cross-posting. For those who will be attending ICA in Phoenix at the end of the month, I wanted to let you know about an event ASU's New College is sponsoring Saturday morning. We're just calling it "A Place for Conversation and Community" and are trying to create an informal space for dialogues about any number of issues like advocacy, dissent, forgiveness, emotion, technology, biopolitics, and more. We seek to create a space for open and interdisciplinary conversation, a space to imagine futures. Please join us for coffee and conversation. Drop in when you get the chance. Saturday, 26 May, 2012, from 9am to 11:45am in The District off the Lobby in the Sheraton. Cheers, Greg Dr. J. Macgregor Wise Associate Dean New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences Arizona State University 4701 West Thunderbird Road Glendale, AZ 85306-4908 (602) 543 6646; (602) 543 4565 (fax) http://newcollege.asu.edu

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Call For Papers: Platform Politics, a special issue of Culture Machine
by Hands, Joss 08 May '12

08 May '12

CALL FOR PAPERS Platform Politics Special issue of Culture Machine, vol. 14; http://www.culturemachine.net<http://www.culturemachine.net/> edited by Joss Hands (Anglia Ruskin University) Greg Elmer (Ryerson University) Ganaele Langlois (University of Ontario Institute of Technology) This special issue of the peer-reviewed, open access journal Culture Machine on the concept of ‘Platform Politics’ will explore how digital platforms can be understood, leveraged and contested in an age when the ‘platform’ is coming to supplant the open Web as the default digital environment. Platforms can be characterized as resting on already existing networked communication systems, but also as developing discreet spaces and affordances, often using ‘apps’ to circumvent any need to access them via the Internet or Web. For this issue of Culture Machine we are seeking papers that explore the nature and distinctive aspects of the ‘platform’: as something that can be positioned as more than just a neutral space of communication; and as a complex technology with distinct affordances that have powerful political, economic and social interests at stake. In this respect the platform constitutes a zone of contestation between, for example, different formations and configurations of capital; social movements; new kinds of activist networks; open source and proprietary software design. Platforms also constitute spaces of struggle between mass movements and governments, users and the extractors of value, visibility and invisibility: witness the various debates over the role of ‘social media’ in the Arab Spring, anti-austerity, student and occupy movements. Such struggles entail a compelling intersection between technology and design, capital, multitude, the democratization of technology and ‘subversive rationalization’. The platform represents not just a question of software and control, then; it also connects to wider social struggles in the sense that ‘platform’ can refer to a ‘political platform’, and can thus take on the agenda setting or framing role of political discourse more generally. Accordingly, this special issue will look to understand ‘platform politics’ as a broad social assemblage, complex or form of life. Linking particular platforms across the molecular and molar, it will think about platform politics as a distinct new context of power operating at the intersection of technological development, software design, cognitive/communicative capitalism, new forms of social movement and resistance, and the attempts to contain them by the exiting democracies. As such, platform politics requires a distinct mode of engagement, which this special issue of Culture Machine will endeavour to encourage and provide. We invite contributions on topics such as: * Protocols as machinery of the platform – its common language, including ideas of control and/or the possibilities and limitations of open, non-proprietorial platforms. * The specific relationship between networks and platforms (including the discussion of whether the former are being subsumed by the latter), and distribution vs centralization/aggregation -- not least in terms of user created content and content management systems (code politics of algorithms, and the use of APIs). * The question as to whether a process of enclosure is taking place via the struggle over the creation and expropriation of 'network value', or whether it entails a more parasitical engagement with, and enhancement of, the existing network architectures. * Visibility/invisibility: platforms as political spaces to be seen/heard, or indeed tactically escaped and eluded. * Resistance: how the above described issues relate to the potential for cultural, political, social and economic praxis, which in turns opens up a space from which to address recent global events. (See, for example, RIMs (Blackberry Messaging’s) enclosure, which ironically creates spaces of resistance as well as disturbance and securitization.) * New software possibilities: for example, Drupal’s opening up and democratization of content management, which perhaps creates a kind of ‘platform commons’? The potential of ‘Diaspora’, the open source social network, to offer a viable alternative to proprietary social media. * The role of intrinsic network tendencies, as opposed to political and economic decision-making, taking in explorations of the relevance of graph theory, the role of power laws and the network-specific characteristics of ‘communication power’. Deadline for submissions of complete articles: 1st November 2012 Please submit your contributions including contact details by email to Joss Hands: < joss.hands(a)networkpolitics.org<mailto:joss.hands@networkpolitics.org>> Culture Machine’s Guidelines for Authors: http://www.culturemachine.net/index.php/cm/about/submissions#authorGuidelin… All contributions will be peer-reviewed. **************************************************** Established in 1999, CULTURE MACHINE http://www.culturemachine.net<http://www.culturemachine.net/> is a fully refereed, open-access journal of cultural studies and cultural theory. It has published work by established figures such as Mark Amerika, Alain Badiou, Simon Critchley, Jacques Derrida, Henry Giroux, Mark Hansen, N. Katherine Hayles, Ernesto Laclau, J. Hillis Miller, Bernard Stiegler, Cathryn Vasseleu and Samuel Weber, but it is also open to publications by up-and-coming writers, from a variety of geopolitical locations. !!! New 2012 issue on attention economy coming out soon!!! **************************************************** --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- EMERGING EXCELLENCE: In the Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) 2008, more than 30% of our submissions were rated as 'Internationally Excellent' or 'World-leading'. Among the academic disciplines now rated 'World-leading' are Allied Health Professions & Studies; Art & Design; English Language & Literature; Geography & Environmental Studies; History; Music; Psychology; and Social Work & Social Policy & Administration. Visit www.anglia.ac.uk/rae for more information. This e-mail and any attachments are intended for the above named recipient(s)only and may be privileged. If they have come to you in error you must take no action based on them, nor must you copy or show them to anyone please reply to this e-mail to highlight the error and then immediately delete the e-mail from your system. Any opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of Anglia Ruskin University. Although measures have been taken to ensure that this e-mail and attachments are free from any virus we advise that, in keeping with good computing practice, the recipient should ensure they are actually virus free. Please note that this message has been sent over public networks which may not be a 100% secure communications Email has been scanned for viruses by Altman Technologies' email management service - www.altman.co.uk/emailsystems

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Job Openings at the Alexander von Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society
by Christian Katzenbach 08 May '12

08 May '12

Hi all, in addition to our previously announced doctoral positions (http://www.hiig.de/en/doctoral-programme/) we are now seeking applications from researchers and students for our Policy & Governance Section. Backgrounds in STS, Political Science, Sociology or Media and Communication Studies are especially welcome. See the full announcement at our website and below: Research Position http://www.hiig.de/en/job-announcement-research-position/ Student Assistant http://www.hiig.de/en/job-announcement-student-assistant/ ## Alexander von Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society Internet Policy & Governance Job Announcement Research Position (65% TVL 13, plus children, literature and travel allowances, one year, extension possible) The Alexander von Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society (HIIG) seeks applications from researchers interested in working on projects within the research area of Internet Policy & Governance. Expected starting date is June 1, 2012. The research area Internet Policy & Governance looks at public and private forms of ordering processes. We are especially interested in the interplay of socio-cultural, technical and legal norms shaping the development of the Internet. The research program aims to extend the debates about Internet regulation by a genuine social science approach, embedding the analysis of modes of coordination, emergent public and networks into socio-technical contexts by means of science and technology studies (STS). For more specific information about the Institute and the research area, please visit our website http://www.hiig.de/en/research/internet-policy-governance/. *Responsibilities & Duties* The successful applicant will develop, design, and implement research projects within our research fields “Coordinating the Allocation of Information Goods” and “Information Infrastructures”. *Qualifications* • >> A postgraduate degree in social sciences or cultural studies (especially political science, communication studies, sociology). • >> A strong interest in current developments regarding online communication, regulation and network infrastructure. • >> Proficient in using online platforms, and experience with research tools and databases. • >> Knowledgeable about relevant scientific literature and concepts (e.g. Internet governance, regulation of information goods, science and technology studies, sociology, online communities) as well as policy debates. • >> Experience with empirical studies and relevant methods. • >> Fluent in both English and German. The research activities of the new and growing Institute for Internet and Society in Berlin provide excellent conditions to develop your own research ideas and and to contribute to the emerging research agenda of the Institute. Our projects are transdisciplinary, and planned as well as implemented in small teams working in an office located in the heart of Berlin. The Institute has a strong international focus, hence, international applicants are especially welcome. The position is open to extension. Please direct your application to application(a)hiig.de. The application should contain your CV and any relevant publications, blog posts, or a web site you may have. Application review will begin May 15, 2012 and the search will remain open until the position is filled. You are welcome to direct your questions to Christian Katzenbach.

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Full program, DiGRA Nordic 2012
by Frans Mäyrä 08 May '12

08 May '12

Dear all, The full program for DiGRA Nordic 2012 is now available online: http://digra-nordic2012.org/program/ The registration deadline for non-speaker participants has been extended until 30th of May: http://digra-nordic2012.org/registration/ Note that some of our hotel discounts have now already expired, so we recommend you book your accommodation asap: http://digra-nordic2012.org/venue/ Welcome to Tampere, - Frans > -----Original Message----- > From: Frans Mäyrä [mailto:frans.mayra@uta.fi] > Sent: 19. huhtikuuta 2012 10:28 > To: 'Games Research Network'; 'aoir list'; finland(a)digra.org > Subject: Call for Participation, DiGRA Nordic 2012 > > Dear all, > > DiGRA Nordic 2012 is now open for registrations: > > http://digra-nordic2012.org/registration/ > > You can access the draft program (with timetables and keynote titles) from > here: > > http://digra-nordic2012.org/program/ > > The full program will be made available as soon as all speakers and sessions have > been confirmed. Note that the deadline for speakers' registrations is Monday, 23 > April, 2012. The deadline for participants registration is Monday, 14 May, 2o12. > > There is information about hotels, travel arrangements and the venue available at > the conference website: > > http://digra-nordic2012.org/venue/ > > Welcome to Tampere! > > - Frans > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Frans Mäyrä [mailto:frans.mayra@uta.fi] > > Sent: 23. tammikuuta 2012 15:33 > > To: 'Games Research Network'; aoir list; finland(a)digra.org > > Subject: DiGRA Nordic 2012 Call for Papers (updates) > > > > DiGRA Nordic 2012 Local and Global: Games in Culture and Society > > 6-8 June 2012, Tampere, Finland > > > > - Updates! We can now announce all four conference keynote names > > note > also > > the updates to submission and registration information (below): > > > > * Nick Montfort is associate professor of digital media at MIT and > president of the > > Electronic Literature Organization. He develops text generators and > interactive > > fiction and has participated in dozens of literary and academic > collaborations. > > Montfort co-edited The New Media Reader and The Electronic Literature > > Collection Volume 1 and wrote Twisty Little Passages: An Approach to > Interactive > > Fiction, Racing the Beam: The Atari Video Computer System (with Ian > Bogost), > > and Riddle & Bind. His next book, 10 PRINT CHR$(205.5+RND(1)); : GOTO > > 10, > is > > a collaboration with nine other authors about a one-line Commodore 64 > BASIC > > program. > > * Kristine Jørgensen is associate professor in media studies at the > University of > > Bergen. She has published articles on game sound, the user interface > > in > games, > > the player role, games research methods, the Norwegian game industry, > > and > game > > narratives. She is the author of A Comprehensive Study of Sound in > Computer > > Games, and is currently writing a book on game user interfaces. > > * Espen Aarseth is principal researcher at the Center for Computer > > Games Research, IT University of Copenhagen, and adjunct professor at > > the > Department > > of Media and Communication, University of Oslo. He is also co-founding > Editor- > > in-Chief of the journal Game Studies, founder of the Digital Arts and > Culture > > conference series, and co-founder of the Philosophy of Computer Games > > conference series, and author of Cybertext: Perspectives on Ergodic > Literature > > (Johns Hopkins UP 1997), a comparative media theory of games and other > > aesthetic forms. > > * Minna Ruckenstein is a Senior Researcher at the Finnish National > Consumer > > Research Centre in Helsinki and the President of the Finnish > Anthropological > > Society. Her ethnographic research has focused on childrens uses of > virtual pets > > and virtual worlds. Recent articles contribute to the study of > > childhood > from the > > perspectives of money, value creation and innovation. > > Published books include co-edited Rahan kulttuuri [The Culture of > > Money] > > (2009) and co-written Forget Innovation (2011). In 2011 she received > > the ITRA/BTHA and Brio prizes. > > * Also: the updated conference submission template is based on the > > DiGRA > > 2011 format you can download the paper template from here: > > http://digra-nordic2012.org/submission/ > > * Registration information is available from here: > > http://digra-nordic2012.org/registration/ > > > > - Overview: The study of games, players and related phenomena has > > expanded strongly both in its academic as well as in geographical > > range during the > last > > decade. The DiGRA Nordic 2012 conference aims bring together Nordic > > and > non- > > Nordic games researchers to discuss the cultural and social context of > games and > > play from multiple perspectives, including reflections of local and > > global > in game > > cultures. Year 2012 is the tenth anniversary of the Tampere Computer > > Games > and > > Digital Cultures (CGDC 2002) conference, providing also an opportunity > > to > reflect > > on the last decade of developments in Nordic game studies, as well as > > its > wider > > international scope. The conference will be open to themes related to > non-digital, > > as well as digital games and their different forms of play. > > > > - Review process: the conference accepts full paper submissions, which > will be > > handled in anonymous peer review. There are Theme Chairs who oversee > > the reviews in specific paper categories. There will be online > > publication of > accepted > > papers in the DiGRA Digital Library. > > > > - Venue: The conference will take place in Tampere, Finland, and will > > be > jointly > > hosted by Universities of Tampere, Jyväskylä and Turku. The modern > facilities of > > the new Technopolis building and the University of Tampere campus > > provide > the > > venue for plenary keynote sessions and paper sessions in parallel rooms. > There > > will be also social and other program available during the event. > > > > - Suggested themes and Theme Chairs: the conference has dedicated > > Theme Chairs who head the selection submissions as the meta-reviewers > > for the > key > > themes in the conference: > > > > * local/global in game cultures (Chair: Thorsten Quandt) > > * historical perspectives into digital gaming (Chair: Melanie > > Swalwell) > > * social player studies (Chair: Torill Mortensen) > > * games industry (Chair: Mirva Peltoniemi) > > * design of games (Chair: Annika Waern) > > * gamification and gameful design (Chair: Sebastian Deterling) > > * gambling vs. gaming studies (Chair: Pauliina Raento) see also the > special > > workshop program > > (http://digra-nordic2012.org/seminars-and-workshops/) > > * games as art (Chair: Simon Niedenthal) > > * critical approaches to game studies (Chair: Jonas Linderoth) > > * games as media and communication (Chair: Marko Siitonen) > > * other (the conference submissions are not limited to the above > > themes) > > > > - Organisers: The conference will be hosted jointly by the Finnish > > DiGRA > chapter, > > coordinated by Dr Olli Sotamaa and the Creation of Game Cultures > > research project, coordinated by professor Frans Mäyrä. Assisted by > > the review > board and > > local organising team, the main organisers are: > > > > * Review Chair: professor Raine Koskimaa > > * Program Chair: professor Jaakko Suominen > > * Local Chair: professor Frans Mäyrä > > > > - Dates: > > > > * deadline for full papers, panels and alternative forms: 13 February > > 2012 > > * authors are informed of review: 2 April 2012 > > * final paper submission deadline: 7 May 2012 > > * conference dates: 6-8 June 2012 > > > > - Contact details: You can find more, up-to-date information in > http://digra- > > nordic2012.org. The email contact address for the organising team is: > > digranordic2012 [at] gmail.com. For more information about other > > Nordic > DiGRA > > activities, go to: http://www.nordic-digra.org/ > > > > Welcome to Tampere! > > > > - Frans > > > > -- > > Frans Mäyrä, Professor, Digital Culture & Game Studies > > ** Information Studies and Interactive Media INFIM/TRIM > > ** School of Information Sciences SIS ** > > ** 33014 University of Tampere, Finland ** > > frans.mayra(a)uta.fi / fransmayra(a)gmail.com / frans(a)unet.fi > > ** gms 050 3367650 / fax 03 3551 7503 www.uta.fi/sis/ > > www.fransmayra.fi www.unet.fi www.uta.fi/~frans.mayra > > > >

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Final call: Carl J. Couch Internet Research Award 2012
by Mark D. Johns 07 May '12

07 May '12

CALL FOR AWARD APPLICATIONS Carl J. Couch Internet Research Award 2012 Sponsored by the Carl Couch Center for Social and Internet Research http://www.cccsir.com/ *Application deadline is EXTENDED to May 20, 2012* The Carl Couch Center issues an international call for student-authored papers to be considered for Carl J. Couch Internet Research Award. The Couch Center welcomes both theoretical and empirical papers that (1) apply symbolic interactionist approaches to internet studies, (2) demonstrate interactive relationships between social interaction and communication technologies, and/or (3) develop symbolic interactionist concepts in new directions. Papers will be evaluated based on the quality of (1) mastery of symbolic interactionist approaches and concepts, (2) originality, (3) organization, (4) presentation, and (5) advancement of knowledge. Those contemplating entering should note that an interactionist approach demands thoughtful analysis, and not mere description, of human interactions. Evaluation will be administered by a Review Committee of four: Mark D. Johns, Luther College, Decorah, Iowa Lori Kendall, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign Annette Markham, University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee Lois Ann Scheidt, Indiana University, Bloomington Competition is open to graduate or undergraduate students of all disciplines. Works that are published or accepted for publication are not eligible for award consideration. Entries should be in English and not exceed 30 pages (approximately 7500 words) in length, including references and appendices. Limit of one entry per student per year. The top paper will receive Couch Award to be presented at the 2012 meeting of the Association of Internet Researchers (aoir.org) at the University of Salford, (near Manchester) UK. The top paper will be awarded a certificate and a cash prize of $300 US and the author will be invited to present their work at a session of the AoIR conference, October 18-21, 2012 in Salford. Candidates should send a copy of their paper, with a 100-word abstract, electronically to Mark D. Johns at mjohns(a)luther.edu Application deadline is EXTENDED to May 20, 2012. Notification of award will be sent by June 15. Those with questions or comments about Couch Award application, please contact: Mark D. Johns Luther College Study Centre Nottingham, UK UK phone: (44) 115-929-2721 US phone: 563-387-1347 E-mail: mjohns(a)luther.ed

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History of 'Home' in internet browsers
by Sue Thomas 07 May '12

07 May '12

Hi I wonder if anyone can help? I'm trying to track down when and why it was decided to use the term 'Home' and its accompanying icon in web browser design. Does anyone have any information on that? We have got so used to it that it's almost invisible in our consciousness, but Home is not default in every part of the world. In the Middle East for example, that function is called the Main Page, not the Home Page. I'm thinking that 'home' is probably an American concept in this context. I'd also like to collect more equivalencies from non-English speaking countries, so please do get in touch if your country's browser features something other than 'home'. I'd be most grateful for your thoughts on the above. Please reply backchannel to sue.thomas(a)dmu.ac.uk Many thanks Sue _________ Sue Thomas Research Professor of New Media IOCT/Faculty of Art, Design and Humanities Clephan 1.01d, De Montfort University, The Gateway, Leicester LE1 9BH, UK +44 (0)116 207 8266 w: http://www.technobiophilia.com <http://www.technobiophilia.com/> Technobiophilia: Nature and Cyberspace e: sue.thomas(a)dmu.ac.uk <mailto:sue.thomas@dmu.ac.uk> t: @suethomas <http://www.twitter.com/suethomas> g: +suethomas <https://plus.google.com/110733806086330324299/>

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New Marxian Times! Reflections on the 4th ICTs and Society Conference “Critique, Democracy and Philosophy in 21st Century In-formation Society. Towards Critical Theories of Social Media”.
by Christian Fuchs 06 May '12

06 May '12

Fuchs, Christian. 2012. New Marxian Times! Reflections on the 4th ICTs and Society Conference “Critique, Democracy and Philosophy in 21st Century Information Society. Towards Critical Theories of Social Media”. tripleC – Journal for a Global Sustainable Information Society 10 (1): 114-121. http://www.triple-c.at/index.php/tripleC/article/view/411

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2nd CFP: CyberOrient: The Net Worth of the Arab Spring
by Vit Sisler 05 May '12

05 May '12

2nd Call for Papers **apologies for cross posting** “The Net Worth of the Arab Spring” Call for Papers - Special Issue CyberOrient: Online Journal of the Virtual Middle East Editor-in-Chief: Daniel Martin Varisco Guest Editor: Ines Braune Submission deadline: 31 May 2012 Aim As the first anniversary of the “Arab Spring” nears, several long-standing dictators have been toppled, protests still continue in other countries and new governments are being formed. Arguably, throughout this last year digital media have played an important, if not defining, role through Twitter, Facebook, blogs and the extensive news coverage in cyberspace. This is a call for papers across disciplines aiming for critical and evidence-based evaluation of the use of social media in the Arab Spring, the coverage of the Arab Spring in cyberspace and beyond, and the remediation and appropriation between social media and traditional media outlets, including satellite TVs and the press. First-person and ethnographic accounts are welcomed, but CyberOrient welcomes contributions from any field. About CyberOrient CyberOrient (http://www.cyberorient.net/) is a peer-reviewed journal published by the Middle East Section of the American Anthropological Association in collaboration with the Faculty of Arts of Charles University in Prague. The aim of the journal is to provide research and theoretical considerations on the representation of Islam and the Middle East, the very areas that used to be styled as an “Orient”, in cyberspace, as well as the impact of the internet and new media in Muslim and Middle Eastern contexts. The articles will be published online with free access in early autumn, 2012. Submission Articles should be submitted directly to Ines Braune (ines.braune(a)uni-marburg.de) and Vit Sisler (vit.sisler(a)ff.cuni.cz) -- Vit Sisler, Ph.D. Charles University in Prague Faculty of Arts & Philosophy Institute of Information Science and Librarianship New Media Studies http://uisk.jinonice.cuni.cz/sisler/

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Call for Papers: Participations special issue: The Fan Studies Network: New Connections, New Research
by Lucy Bennett 05 May '12

05 May '12

*Apologies for cross-posting* Call for Papers: Participations special issue: The Fan Studies Network: New Connections, New Research Formed in March 2012, the Fan Studies Network (http://fanstudies.wordpress.com/) was created with the idea of cultivating a space in which scholars of fandom could easily forge connections with other academics in the field, and discuss the latest topics within fan studies. Having attracted close to 200 members, the network is already fostering a sense of community and engendering fruitful debate. We intend to capture this dynamic intersection of scholars working in the field, and present it in a special issue of Participations: Journal of Audience & Reception Studies (http://www.participations.org/) Although fandom has been, to a degree, widely studied, the influence of the Internet and social media on fandom is resulting in scholars questioning and ruminating on how these platforms are presenting new challenges and how their influence can be understood. In this issue we will present a snapshot of the current state of the field and the topical themes that are presently being debated within this. Thusly, the issue will provide a platform for new scholarly collaborations between FSN members, demonstrating the possibilities for new modes of research. We encourage new members to the network and welcome proposals for articles on, but not limited to, the following possible topics: - Fan use of social media platforms - Fan practices - Activism and fandom - Producer-audience interactions - “Underrepresented” fan cultures - New modes of fan fiction New collaborations between network members, in addition to individual submissions, are particularly encouraged in order to reflect the FSN’s aims at strengthening the way in which knowledge is shared across the field. We also invite shorter pieces for a forum section. These will be 2,000 words maximum, non-peer reviewed debates between scholars on particular issues. Aiming for a more conversational mode, we welcome proposals for themes that may include: - Acafandom - Fan studies methodologies - Offline fandoms - The “next generation” of fan studies - Defining “fandom” - The ethics of fan studies - Fandom and brands Please submit article proposals or forum provocations of no more than 300 words, along with a 200 word biographical note to both Tom Phillips (T.Phillips(a)uea.ac.uk) and Lucy Bennett (Bennettlucyk(a)gmail.com) by 2 July 2012. Please also contact us with any queries or requests for further information. Completed articles will have a submission deadline of 10 December 2012 and you must be a member of the network to participate. Please note that Participations operates an open-refereeing policy. For more information see the website (http://www.participations.org/submission_guidelines.htm)

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