- Air-L - lists.aoir.org

'Mediated Youth Cultures' - Special issue of Continuum (26.3) now online
by Brady Robards 21 May '12

21 May '12

Hi AoIR, Very proud to announce that a new special issue of *Continuum: Journal of Media & Cultural Studies* is now online. This issue brings together 13 articles that make visible an international and cross-disciplinary research agenda concerned with mediated youth cultures: http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/ccon20/26/3 *Contents*: 1. "‘Connect and create’: Young people, YouTube and Graffiti communities" by Ben Light, Marie Griffiths & Siân Lincoln 2. "The pedagogy of regret: Facebook, binge drinking and young women" by Rebecca Brown and Melissa Gregg 3. "‘Individuality is everything’: ‘autonomous’ femininity in MySpace mottos and self-descriptions" by Amy Shields Dobson 4. "Leaving MySpace, joining Facebook: ‘Growing up’ on social network sites" by Brady Robards 5. "Female Pressure: A translocal feminist youth-oriented cultural network" by Rosa Reitsamer 6. "From Punks to Post-Hipsters: Exploring Subcultural Models Of A Youth Net-Radio Hierarchy" by Andrea Baker 7. "To Write Love through the indie imaginary: The narrative argument of a mediated movement" by Ryan M. Milner 8. "The Outlaws of Psytrance in the Time of the Vibe-Tribes" by Graham St John 9. "Breaking expectations: Imagined affinities in mediated youth cultures" by Mary Fogarty 10. "Sexting, Consent and Young People’s Ethics: Beyond Megan’s Story" by Kath Albury and Kate Crawford 11. "The landscape of keitai shôsetsu: Mobile phones as a literary medium among Japanese youth" by Kyoung-hwa Yonnie Kim 12. "A Generational Thing? The Internet and New Forms of Social Intercourse" by Fredrik Miegel and Tobias Olsson 13. "Mediating culture in transnational spaces: An example of young people from refugee backgrounds" by Raelene Wilding Please contact me or individual authors if you do not have institutional access to the journal but would like to read a particular article. My co-editor, Andy Bennett and I would like to thank all of the above contributors for their work. We would also like to thank the many reviewers who provided valuable, constructive feedback on earlier versions of these articles. We hope you enjoy! Cheers, Brady -- Brady Robards Assoc. Lecturer (Sociology) Griffith University e: brady.robards(a)griffithuni.edu.au w: bradyrobards.com <http://www.bradyrobards.com/>

1 0

Fwd: [ciresearchers] FW: [1st-mile-nm] Digital Divide on Navajo Nation and other Tribal Lands
by gene loeb 20 May '12

20 May '12

This is a very significant article when some don't realize the important needs and want to up trying to continue didital equality progress, and want to give up the land lines phone system so needed by some. Gene Gene Loeb, Ph.D. ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: gene loeb <geneloeb(a)gmail.com> Date: Sat, May 19, 2012 at 7:07 PM Subject: Re: [ciresearchers] FW: [1st-mile-nm] Digital Divide on Navajo Nation and other Tribal Lands To: ciresearchers@vancouvercommunityairnet, michael gurstein < gurstein(a)gmail.com> Milke and all, This a very significant and timely article when we think things are alright and when we want to give away the landline system and forget the needy. I will forward this and work on presentations. Gene On Sat, May 19, 2012 at 7:25 AM, michael gurstein <gurstein(a)gmail.com>wrote: > > -----Original Message----- > From: 1st-mile-nm-bounces(a)mailman.dcn.org > [mailto:1st-mile-nm-bounces@mailman.dcn.org] On Behalf Of Richard > Lowenberg > Sent: Friday, April 20, 2012 12:23 PM > To: 1st mile nm > Subject: [1st-mile-nm] Digital Divide on Navajo Nation and other Tribal > Lands > > Gerry Smith is writing a series of Huffington Post articles > on the Digital Divide in this country. His latest, appearing today, > focuses on 'digital disparities' and associated difficulties affecting > lives > on the three state Navajo Nation and on other tribal lands. > > > http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/20/digital-divide-tribal-lands_n_14030 > 46.html<http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/20/digital-divide-tribal-lands_n_1403…> > > -------------------------------- > Richard Lowenberg > 1st-Mile Institute > Box 8001, Santa Fe, NM 87504 > 505-989-9110 / 505-603-5200 > www.1st-mile.com rl(a)1st-mile.com > -------------------------------- > _______________________________________________ > 1st-mile-nm mailing list > 1st-mile-nm(a)mailman.dcn.org > http://www2.dcn.org/mailman/listinfo/1st-mile-nm > > > To unsubscribe (subscribe) send an email to: sympa(a)vcn.bc.ca with the > message unsub (sub) ciresearchers >

1 0

[JVWR] The New Issue: 5(1) Assembled 2012 has been published
by Tzafnat Shpak 19 May '12

19 May '12

** Trouble viewing this email? Click here<http://us2.campaign-archive1.com/?u=de4fa2a435382cb1fa67cb708&id=3b8a787376…>to view it online. [image: Journal of Virtual Worlds Research]<http://jvwresearch.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=de4fa2a435382cb1fa67cb…> We are happy to announce the publication of: *Volume 5, Number 1: Assembled 2012* The editorial team for this issue: - *David Kurt Herold, *Department of Applied Social Sciences, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong - *Shailey Minocha*, Department of Computing, The Open University,UK - *Natalia Rybas*, Department of Communication Studies, Indiana University East, USA Despite differences in topics, style, and methodologies, all the papers in this assembled issue share the desire to see virtual worlds researched in far greater depth. - *Managing Editor’s Corner: Welcome to First Issue of 2012*<http://jvwresearch.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=de4fa2a435382cb1fa67cb…> Yesha Y. Sivan - *Issue Editors' Corner: An Assembled Issue*<http://jvwresearch.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=de4fa2a435382cb1fa67cb…> David Kurt Herold, Shailey Minocha, Natalia Rybas - *Who is Portrayed in Second Life: Dr. Jekyll or Mr. Hyde? The Extent of Congruence Between Real Life and Virtual Identity*<http://jvwresearch.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=de4fa2a435382cb1fa67cb…> Bernadett Koles, Peter Nagy - *Samarita Ibanez: An Identity Journey from First Life to Second*<http://jvwresearch.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=de4fa2a435382cb1fa67cb…> Samara Mamatovna Anarbaeva - *Between Purpose and Method: A Review of Educational Research on 3D Virtual Worlds*<http://jvwresearch.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=de4fa2a435382cb1fa67cb…> Sahoon H. Kim, Jiyeon Lee Lee, Michael K. Thomas - *Second Life and Academia – Reframing the Debate between Supporters and Critics<http://jvwresearch.us2.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=de4fa2a435382cb1fa67c…> * David Kurt Herold - *How do People with Disability Use and Experience Virtual Worlds and ICT: A Literature Review*<http://jvwresearch.us2.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=de4fa2a435382cb1fa67c…> Karen Stendal Let me conclude with few notes on this first issue of 2012 which opens our fifth year. This year we focus on JVWR international expansion. - This issue was led by David Herold from Hong Kong, teamed with Shaily Minocha from UK and Natalia Rybas from the US. - Our next issue will be led by Ken Lim from Singapore; - This month, May 2012, JVWR will host a Special Seminar on Virtuality as a Frontier for MIS Research as part of AIS affiliated Eleventh Wuhan International Conference on E-Business, in Wuhan, China; - We connected with MCIS 2012 with a special track on Real Virtual Worlds and Serious Games, September 2012, Guimarães, Portugal; - We connected with the HICSS conference for a special issue on Q3 2013 to be headed by Imed Boughzala, Institut Mines-Telecom, France; We are also happy to let you know of the following: - Our web site includes now a special page on* events<http://jvwresearch.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=de4fa2a435382cb1fa67cb…> * in our field. - We have a special page that includes a cover view of all our past issues<http://jvwresearch.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=de4fa2a435382cb1fa67cb…> . - You welcome you to join our Facebook page (search “Journal of Virtual Worlds Research”) - And/or subscribe to our mailing list (on the top left of http://www.jvwreserach.org<http://jvwresearch.us2.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=de4fa2a435382cb1fa67c…> ). - Cover art is an avatar design by Elif Ayiter, aka Alpha Auer. Wishing you all interesting reading and joyful journey in the Journal of Virtual Worlds Research, Tzafnat Shpak Coordinating Editor Journal of Virtual Worlds Research Prof. Yesha Y. Sivan Managing Editor Journal of Virtual Worlds Research [image: Assembled 2012 Image]<http://jvwresearch.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=de4fa2a435382cb1fa67cb…> Unsubscribe<http://jvwresearch.us2.list-manage.com/unsubscribe?u=de4fa2a435382cb1fa67cb…>| Update your profile<http://jvwresearch.us2.list-manage.com/profile?u=de4fa2a435382cb1fa67cb708&…>| Forward to a friend<http://us2.forward-to-friend.com/forward?u=de4fa2a435382cb1fa67cb708&id=3b8…> You are receiving this email because you opted to receive announcements from the Journal of Virtual Worlds Research at http://jvwresearch.org Journal of Virtual Worlds Research 1108 Lavaca St 110-494 Austin, TX 78701 Add us to your address book<http://jvwresearch.us2.list-manage.com/vcard?u=de4fa2a435382cb1fa67cb708&id…> © 2012 Journal of Virtual Worlds Research All rights reserved. [image: Email Marketing Powered by MailChimp]<http://www.mailchimp.com/monkey-rewards/?aid=de4fa2a435382cb1fa67cb708&afl=1> Template created by Dominique Elkind<http://jvwresearch.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=de4fa2a435382cb1fa67cb…> -- =========== *Tzafnat Shpak* Coordinating Editor *The Journal of Virtual World Research* tzafnat.shpak(a)jvwresearch.org http://jvwresearch.org

1 0

Final CFP workshop and tutorial proposals for NordiCHI 2012
by Irina Shklovski 18 May '12

18 May '12

Call for Participation: NordiCHI 2012, Workshops Deadlines * Submission deadline: May 25, 2012 * Notification of acceptance: June 15, 2012 * Deadline for submission of papers to workshops: July 20, 2012 * Notification of acception of papers to workshops: August 10, 2012 Submissions: Email to workshop chairsworktut(a)nordichi2012.org Workshops offer an informal environment for attendees with common interests and diverse perspectives to engage in rich discussions around works in progress or new areas of research and practice. NordiCHI 2012 invites workshop proposals addressing basic research, applied research, new methodologies, emerging application areas, design innovations, and HCI education. The goal of the workshops is to generate ideas that might give the NordiCHI community new ways of thinking about well traveled themes and topics or that might suggest new promising directions for future work. For a sample of workshop topics from the last conference, please look at the NordiCHI 2010 Workshop Program (http://www.yourhost.is/en/nordichi-2010/workshop-program.html) Workshops are held the day before the start of the conference and can be full or half-day in length. We will give preference to workshops that focus on community building and communal knowledge creation rather than structured miniature paper presentation sessions. Workshop proposals should be emailed tochairs(a)nordichi2012.org. The proposal should be no longer than 1500 words and should detail: (1)Title and duration; (2)Workshop theme and goals, (3)Outcomes of the workshop; (4)Relevance to the field; (5)Intended audience; (6)Organizers' names and backgrounds; (7)Expected number, balance and selection of participants; (8)Description of activities planned; (9)Needed facilities; For further information, please contact the workshop chairsworktut(a)nordichi2012.org Workshops Co-Chairs * Irina Shklovski ITU * Joseph Jofish Kaye Nokia Research workshops at http://www.nordichi2012.org/ -- ============================================== Irina Shklovski Assistant Professor Digital Culture and Mobile Communication (DCMC) IT University of Copenhagen Rued Langgaards Vej, 7 2300, Copenhagen S. Denmark http://www.itu.dk/people/irsh/ ==============================================

1 0

Open call for (funded) participation in "Digital Media and Disruptive Publics" conference in Kenya (co-located with Global Voices 2012).
by danah boyd 18 May '12

18 May '12

This might be relevant to many of you: Begin forwarded message: > From: Zeynep Tufekci <socnetres(a)gmail.com> > > Dear Colleagues, > > Global Voices is announcing an open call for participation in a co-located academic workshop called “Digital Media and Disruptive Publics”, to be held together with our 2012 Summit in Nairobi, Kenya. This workshop will be held from June 29 - 30 and is being organized by Zeynep Tufekci. The event, including travel and lodging, is fully subsidized by Global Voices for selected participants. There will also be a public event, July 2-3, which you can participate either as a speaker on a panel or through the open sessions. > > Global Voices will support up to four individuals selected through this open call process. > > The purpose of this event is to introduce people within the academic community who study citizen media with a very active community of practitioners, who perhaps a function as a microcosm of citizen media more broadly. On the Summit site you'll find background information on previous Summits and the goals of the meeting. > > We are looking for academics with a variety of perspectives and approaches, who can move beyond the polarized and rather simplistic conversations on the question of citizen media that so often find in mainstream media. We're hoping to approach the subject with an awareness and focus on a variety of different media environments - different countries, languages, access concerns, regulatory environments, and censorship. > > The workshop will not require formal presentations of papers, but will be focused on intensive discussion of the issues, together with engagement with citizen media activists and practitioners from around the world. > > We are expecting around 20 participants overall from a variety of disciplines and regional expertise. The public meeting will have roughly 300 participants. > > There will also be opportunities for people to observe or participate in some of our internal events. > > If you would like to be part of this summit, please send us a short (1-2 paragraph) description of your work and why you’d like to attend along with a CV to “zeynep at unc dot edu” and “ivan.sigal at gmail dot com” by May 23nd. We will be finalizing the list of participants by the end of that week. > > Please forward to mailing lists and colleagues as appropriate. > > Best regards, > Zeynep > > > -- > Zeynep Tufekci, Ph.D. > Assistant Professor, University of North Carolina > Fellow, Harvard Berkman Center for Internet and Society > > zeynep at unc.edu or @techsoc > http://www.technosociology.org > > __

1 0

Pan-European Forum on Media Pluralism & New Media
by Jo Pierson 18 May '12

18 May '12

PAN-EUROPEAN FORUM ON MEDIA PLURALISM & NEW MEDIA - wIDER? wORLD? wEB? The Honourable Society of Gray’s Inn (UK), University of Leuven, ICRI & IBBT (Belgium) and the Centre for Media Pluralism and Media Freedom (Italy) kindly invite you to: PAN-EUROPEAN FORUM ON MEDIA PLURALISM & NEW MEDIA Wednesday 27 June 2012; European Parliament – Plenary Chamber, Brussels The new media revolution seems to have overturned many old certainties, yet is that a reality or merely a mirage? Is the technological change matched by fundamental shifts of power and influence, or will the traditional big players continue to wield vast influence? Do the new media contribute to, or undermine, a pluralistic public sphere? Do new technologies overcome bottlenecks related to traditional media – do they create new information gatekeepers? Twenty years after the European Commission Green Paper on Pluralism and Media Concentration in the Internal Market, the New Media Forum will ask these and other crucial questions, and seek to find telling answers. This unique meeting in a unique setting will bring together politicians, traditional and new media, academics, NGOs, judges and leaders from the music, film and book industries in a pan-European, and indeed global, dialogue. Don’t miss this opportunity to participate in a unique and unprecedented event in the heart of the European Parliament. Have your say and contribute to shaping future policy and industry responses to opportunities and threats arising from new media for pluralistic discourse and cultural diversity! For more information and registration: http://www.mediapluralism.eu (Registration will close on 12 June!) If you cannot access the website, or need to cancel your participation, please contact nmf27(a)mediapluralism.eu. SUPPORTED BY (a.o.): Alliance Internationale de Journalistes; London School of Economics; Mirovni (Peace) Institute, Slovenia; Central European University, Budapest; University of Westminster; European Publishers Council; Reporters Without Borders (Reporters Sans Frontières); Index without Censorship; International Federation of Journalists; European Alternatives; Centre for Freedom of the Media, University of Sheffield; European Platform of Regulatory Authorities (EPRA); European Broadcasting Union (EBU); MEDIADEM; Music Managers Forum; Association of European Journalists; European Association of Viewers Interests; BEUC (the European Consumer Organisation) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Jo Pierson (Phd) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Vrije Universiteit Brussel - Free University of Brussels (VUB) Interdisciplinary Institute for Broadband Technology (IBBT) Studies on Media, Information and Telecommunication (SMIT) Pleinlaan 2 / B-1050 Brussels / Belgium T: + 32 (0)2 629 2412 F: +32 (0)2 629 1700 E: Jo.Pierson(a)vub.ac.be Office: 0C.005 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1 0

Postdoctoral Scholar in Community-Based Campaign Communications
by Seungahn Nah 18 May '12

18 May '12

**Apologies for cross-posting ***Please forward this job opening to those who might be interested in. ******************** *Postdoctoral Scholar* *in Community-Based Campaign Communications* *Department of Community and Leadership Development* *University of Kentucky* * * The University of Kentucky is pleased to announce a postdoctoral scholar position in Community-Based Campaign Communications in the Department of Community and Leadership Development. The position seeks a candidate to work with Dr. Seungahn Nah and Dr. Kang Namkoong through the University of Kentucky’s Community Communication Research Group (UK-CCRG). This is a one-year, 12-month position with a possibility of a single year renewal contingent upon satisfactory performance and availability of funding. The position includes a competitive stipend plus benefits and is available July 1 with a negotiable starting date no later than August 24, 2012. The successful candidate will be expected to develop a research program with the research team focusing on the community-based campaign communications (e.g., health, science, environmental, risk communication and/or civic, political, and nonprofit communication). Qualifications: - An earned doctorate in communication, journalism, media studies, sociology, anthropology, public health, information studies, computer science or related discipline (the Ph.D. must be completed prior to appointment).** - Demonstrated research productivity.** - Ability to compete for external funding.** - Interpersonal skills to interact effectively with a variety of audiences and stakeholders.** * * The Department of Community and Leadership Development includes faculty with expertise in communication, community development, rural sociology, agricultural education, and leadership. The department offers undergraduate degrees both in Community and Leadership Development and in Career and Technical Education. At the graduate level, the department offers an MS degree in Career, Technical, and Leadership Education with options in either Community and Leadership Development or Career and Technical Education. In cooperation with the Department of Sociology, many faculty members also participate in the MA and PhD programs in Sociology. Review of applicants will begin on May 21 and continue until a suitable candidate is found. Interested candidates should send a letter of interest, a curriculum vita, a representative writing sample, and contact information of three references to: Dr. Seungahn Nah, Associate Professor of Community Communication, Department of Community and Leadership Development, 500 Garrigus Bldg., University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40546-0215 (phone: 859-257-1509; e-mail: seungahn.nah(a)uky.edu) The University of Kentucky is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Applications from minorities and females are encouraged. -- ********************************************** Seungahn Nah, PhD Associate Professor of Community Communication Director, The Kentucky Citizen Media Project (KCMP): The Lexington Commons (kylexingtoncommons.org) Director, Community Communication Research Group (CCRG) Graduate Faculty in Communication and Information Studies Dept. of Community & Leadership Development College of Communication and Information Studies (Affiliated) University of Kentucky 514 Garrigus Building Lexington, KY 40546-0215 Tel: (859) 257-1509 Fax: (859) 257-1164 Mobile: (859) 608 - 8035 Email: seungahn.nah(a)uky.edu

1 0

New Book --- Burdens of Proof: Cryptographic Culture and Evidence Law in the Age of Electronic Documents (with links)
by Jean-François Blanchette 18 May '12

18 May '12

Hello all, I am pleased to announce the publication of my book, Burdens of Proof, at MIT Press. I am hoping it may prove of interest to researchers on this list and/or to those who once in a while wonder, "Whatever happened to crypto?" For more information, you can take a peek online at the first 50 pages or peruse a summary of the book on my site. Links: http://mitpress.mit.edu/catalog/item/default.asp?ttype=2&tid=12838 http://wdn.ipublishcentral.net/mit/viewinside/33769409589453 http://polaris.gseis.ucla.edu/blanchette/bop/ -- Book flap --- The gradual disappearance of paper and its familiar evidential qualities affects almost every dimension of contemporary life. From health records to ballots, almost all documents are now digitized at some point of their life cycle, easily copied, altered, and distributed. In Burdens of Proof, Jean-François Blanchette examines the challenge of defining a new evidentiary framework for electronic documents, focusing on the design of a digital equivalent to handwritten signatures. From the blackboards of mathematicians to the halls of legislative assemblies, Blanchette traces the path of such an equivalent: digital signatures based on the mathematics of public-key cryptography. In the mid-1990s, cryptographic signatures formed the centerpiece of a worldwide wave of legal reform and of an ambitious cryptographic research agenda that sought to build privacy, anonymity, and accountability into the very infrastructure of the Internet. Yet markets for cryptographic products collapsed in the aftermath of the dot-com boom and bust along with cryptography’s social projects. Blanchette describes the trials of French bureaucracies as they wrestled with the application of electronic signatures to real estate contracts, birth certificates, and land titles, and tracks the convoluted paths through which electronic documents acquire moral authority. These paths suggest that the material world need not merely succumb to the virtual but, rather, can usefully inspire it. Indeed, Blanchette argues, in renewing their engagement with the material world, cryptographers might also find the key to broader acceptance of their design goals. -- Endorsements -- "Jean-François Blanchette has written more than the history of electronic signatures; this is a masterful account of how---as we enter the digital age---our ideas of authenticity remain solidly anchored in our analog past. What emerges is a gripping tale, untold so far, of high aspirations, dashed hopes, and an epic struggle. Uncovering why and how digital technologies fail to change professions and society, Burdens of Proof is a truly important book." -- Viktor Mayer-Schönberger, Oxford Internet Institute "This book is a wonderful weave of social and technical analysis of the history of cryptography, unified by a passion for exploring the material nature of computers. With grace and wit, Blanchette has produced a work which makes a major contribution to our understanding of complex configurations of the virtual and the real." -- Geoffrey C. Bowker, Department of Informatics, University of California, Irvine "A technology guaranteeing the authority of electronic documents would appear an essential tool of the digital age, which is why there is so much to learn from the failure to develop one. Jean-François Blanchette shows that understanding this failure requires addressing the historical evolution of contemporary cryptography and the legal concerns such a technology raises, together with a fearsome array of contextual issues ranging from state power to the materiality of mathematics. In contrast with the parochialism of much contemporary academia, Blanchette explains these events through an exemplary embrace of the requisite skills of a polymath." -- Daniel Miller, Professor of Material Culture, University College London -- Jean-François Blanchette, Assistant Professeur Department of Information Studies, UCLA http://polaris.gseis.ucla.edu/blanchette/

2 1

RC10 panels on Electronic Democracy, IPSA World Congress, July 8-12, 2012
by Stephanie Wojcik 18 May '12

18 May '12

Hello all, The 22nd World Congress of the International Political Science Association will take place in Madrid (Spain) from 8 to 12 July 2012. The programme of the 8 panels organized by the RC 10 on Electronic Democracy is now available. Full details about them can be found at http://rc10.ipsa.org/post/2012/02/16/Panels-of-the-RC10-at-the-next-IPSA-Wo… And on the IPSA website : http://www.ipsa.org/ Stéphanie Wojcik Lecturer in communication studies Université Paris Est Créteil @stephaniewojcik

1 0

New Book --- Burdens of Proof: Cryptographic Culture and Evidence Law in the Age of Electronic Documents
by Jean-François Blanchette 17 May '12

17 May '12

Hello all, I am pleased to announce the publication of my book, Burdens of Proof, at MIT Press. I am hoping it may prove of interest to researchers on this list and/or to those who once in a while wonder, "Whatever happened to crypto?" For more information, you can take a peek online at the first 50 pages or peruse a summary of the book on my site. -- Book flap --- The gradual disappearance of paper and its familiar evidential qualities affects almost every dimension of contemporary life. From health records to ballots, almost all documents are now digitized at some point of their life cycle, easily copied, altered, and distributed. In Burdens of Proof, Jean-François Blanchette examines the challenge of defining a new evidentiary framework for electronic documents, focusing on the design of a digital equivalent to handwritten signatures. From the blackboards of mathematicians to the halls of legislative assemblies, Blanchette traces the path of such an equivalent: digital signatures based on the mathematics of public-key cryptography. In the mid-1990s, cryptographic signatures formed the centerpiece of a worldwide wave of legal reform and of an ambitious cryptographic research agenda that sought to build privacy, anonymity, and accountability into the very infrastructure of the Internet. Yet markets for cryptographic products collapsed in the aftermath of the dot-com boom and bust along with cryptography’s social projects. Blanchette describes the trials of French bureaucracies as they wrestled with the application of electronic signatures to real estate contracts, birth certificates, and land titles, and tracks the convoluted paths through which electronic documents acquire moral authority. These paths suggest that the material world need not merely succumb to the virtual but, rather, can usefully inspire it. Indeed, Blanchette argues, in renewing their engagement with the material world, cryptographers might also find the key to broader acceptance of their design goals. -- Endorsements -- “Jean-François Blanchette has written more than the history of electronic signatures; this is a masterful account of how---as we enter the digital age---our ideas of authenticity remain solidly anchored in our analog past. What emerges is a gripping tale, untold so far, of high aspirations, dashed hopes, and an epic struggle. Uncovering why and how digital technologies fail to change professions and society, Burdens of Proof is a truly important book.” -- Viktor Mayer-Schönberger, Oxford Internet Institute “This book is a wonderful weave of social and technical analysis of the history of cryptography, unified by a passion for exploring the material nature of computers. With grace and wit, Blanchette has produced a work which makes a major contribution to our understanding of complex configurations of the virtual and the real.” -- Geoffrey C. Bowker, Department of Informatics, University of California, Irvine “A technology guaranteeing the authority of electronic documents would appear an essential tool of the digital age, which is why there is so much to learn from the failure to develop one. Jean-François Blanchette shows that understanding this failure requires addressing the historical evolution of contemporary cryptography and the legal concerns such a technology raises, together with a fearsome array of contextual issues ranging from state power to the materiality of mathematics. In contrast with the parochialism of much contemporary academia, Blanchette explains these events through an exemplary embrace of the requisite skills of a polymath.” -- Daniel Miller, Professor of Material Culture, University College London

1 0