- Air-L - lists.aoir.org

Help: hot web forums in your country
by Hai Liang 18 Jan '12

18 Jan '12

Dear all, I am a PhD student at City University of Hong Kong. Now, I am working on a project to investigate the lurking behavior in online political discussions. One of the purposes is to compare it among countries. However, it is difficult for me to find many web forums due to the language problem. What I hope you can help is to list one or two popular web-based political discussion forum <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_forum> s in your country. I really appreciate your help!^n Some Sampled Countries: Asia: China Taiwan Japan Korea Australia Europe: UK France Germany Norway Spain Italy America: USA Canada Brazil Argentina Africa: Nigeria Egypt Morocco South Africa Kenya Best wishes, ________________________________ Liang, Hai <http://weblab.com.cityu.edu.hk/lianghai/> Ph.D. student Department of Media & Communication City University of Hong Kong

1 0

Sustainable Consumer Electronics and Growth
by Robert Rattle 18 Jan '12

18 Jan '12

Apologies for cross posts and if this is slightly off topic... Upcoming event in the European Knowledge Brokerage project RESPONDER on “Sustainable ICT and Economic Growth”. The event will bring together representatives from science and policy and address questions raised within the fields of ICT in general, and sustainable consumer electronics in particular, with regards to their contribution to economic growth and sustainable consumption. The aim of the international consortium of researchers is to connect scientific evidence on sustainable production and consumption (SCP) with policy makers’ needs in decision making on SCP issues. All relevant information can be found under this link: http://www.scp-responder.eu/pdf/events/RESPONDER_ICT_event_info.pdf Deadline for registration: January 20, 2012 In case of any questions, please contact Karin Dobernig (ict(a)scp-responder.eu)

1 0

ESA RN18 Conference 2012: Communication, Crisis, and Critique in Contemporary Capitalism
by Christian Fuchs 18 Jan '12

18 Jan '12

Communication, Crisis, and Critique in Contemporary Capitalism. Conference of the European Sociological Association’s Research Network 18 - Sociology of Communications and Media Research October 18-20, 2012. University of the Basque Country, Bilbao http://fuchs.uti.at/wp-content/uploads/ESA_RN18_CfP2012.pdf Keynote Talk: Prof. Peter Golding (Northumbria University, UK) – Why a Sociologist should take Communications and Media Seriously Abstract In the presentation of this paper, Peter Golding will reflect on why the study of communications and media demands the insights and methods of sociology, and why RN18 therefore is an appropriate network within the European Sociological Association. He will present reflections on how such key sociological concerns as inequality, identity, power, and change are at the heart of the questions we should be posing in addressing the nature and role of the media as institutions and communications as a social process. The paper will also address how far changes in the technologies of media and communications alter, or should alter, our approach to generating research and insight in this field. Peter Golding is pro-vice chancellor of research & innovation at Northumbria University, founder and honorary chair of ESA RN18. Call for Submissions and Participation We are living in times of global capitalist crisis that require rethinking the ways we organize society, communication, the media, and our lives. The current crisis seems to a certain degree be different compared to previous ones, among other reasons due to the role of mediated communication and information in establishing/changing economic, political, and social relations as well as the crisis itself. The crisis can also be seen as crisis of what has been called consumer capitalism or informational capitalism. More precisely it has resulted on the one hand in a hyperneoliberal intensification of neo-conservative policies and on the other hand in the emergence of new popular movements that are critical of the commodification of everything and demand the strengthening of society’s commons. The second movement has in the social sciences been accompanied by a renewed interest in critical studies, the critique and analysis of class and capitalism, and critical political economy. The overall goal of this conference is to foster scholarly presentations, networking, and exchange on the question of which transitions media and communication and media sociology are undergoing in contemporary society. The conference particularly welcomes contributions that are inspired by sociological theories, critical studies, and various strands and traditions of the critical study of media & society. Questions that can be covered by presentations include, but are not limited to: * What is a crisis? What forms of crisis are there? How do they relate to capitalism and communication? * How have the media presented the crisis? Which similarities and differences in crisis reporting are there between different media (television, press, and new media) or between media in different countries? * How has the crisis affected various media and cultural industries? What is the role of changing media technology in the economic crisis? How has the media economy changed since the start of the crisis in 2008? How have advertising investments, profits, market values, etc developed in the media economy since the start of the crisis? How has the global expansion of media industries been reshaped by the crisis and what is the future of global media and news agencies? What changes can be traced in the production of news and other media content? Are there changes in the nature of media products? * What is the role of media and communication technologies in the financialization, acceleration, and globalization of the capitalist economy? How can a post-crisis media economy look like? How has advertising favoured a climate of private consumer debt? * What are the ideological implications of the crisis for mediascapes? Which ideological discourses do companies, CEOs, managers, or neoliberal politicians use for justifying their interests, lay-offs, high bonuses, inequalities, etc and how are these discourses represented by the media or in strategic company reports? How are hyper-neoliberal crisis policy responses (“socialism for the rich and capitalism for the poor” in the form of bank bail outs and budget cuts in areas like welfare, education, social security, health care, etc) ideologically justified and how do the media represent such ideologies? What is the role of finance capital in the media and cultural industries? Which hegemonic, alternative, or contradictory interpretations and reception practices of media content that relates to the crisis are there? Which ideologies and myths underlie the capitalist crisis? * What is the role of media, communication, critical journalism, and alternative media in contemporary uproars, riots, rebellions, social movements, protests, demonstrations, and revolutions? * How do identities and mediated identities change in times of crisis? How should one think about the relationship of economy and culture in light of the capitalist crisis? What is the relationship of class and identities and of politics of redistribution and recognition today? How do we have to rethink and reshape the relation between political economy and cultural studies in the light of capitalist crisis in order to adequately study the media and communication? * How is the public sphere changing in the light of the global crisis? What are perspectives for politics, participation, and democracy today and how do these perspectives relate to the media and communication? Is the role of media in democracy changing? If so, how? Are media a distinct player in politics? If the established media form an estate of power in democracy, do we today new a new estate of power? If so, how could it look like? * What are the causes, realities, and consequences of the commodification of the communication commons? What are alternatives to the commodification of the communication commons? How can one strengthen and create public media and commons-based forms of communication? What are the relationships and differences between the commodity logic, the gift logic, and the logic of public goods and how do these logics shape the media? * How do contemporary societal trends, such as integration, diversity and conflicts in Europe and the world, transnationalism and networking, digitization, informatization, globalization, glocalization, prosumption, neoliberalism, privatization and commodification, migration, racism, changing gender relations, consumer and advertising culture, warfare, terrorism, the new imperialism, surveillance, social movement protests, global societal risks, the strengthening of right-wing extremist and fascist movements, or the anti-corporate movement and other movements, shape media and communication and how do media and communication in turn shape society in times of crisis and transition? * What are the tasks, roles, responsibilities, and identities of the sociology of media and communication in a society that is facing deep crisis? What is the actual or potential role of critique, ethics, struggles, counter-power, resistance, protest, civil society, and social movements in contemporary societies and contemporary communications? * What are the major trends that shape contemporary society and how are these trends related to mediated communication and knowledge production? In what society do we live? What society do we desire to have? What forms of media and communication do we find in contemporary society? What forms of media and communication do we desire and how must society change in order to achieve these goals? * What are the major trends in respect to crisis, communication, and critique in Europe? What are the major trends in respect to crisis, communication, and critique in other parts of the world? * How do different companies and organizations make use of different information transmission technologies? What is the role of high speed financial flows and associated transmission networks in the finance industry? How (in)visible are these flows? Submission An abstract of 200-250 words should be sent to Dr. Romina Surugiu, University of Bucharest, at the following e-mail address: bilbao.conference(a)yahoo.com. Please insert the words Bilbao in the subject. The deadline for abstract submission is May 31st, 2012.

1 0

ESA RN18 Conference 2012: Communication, Crisis, and Critique in Contemporary Capitalism
by Christian Fuchs 18 Jan '12

18 Jan '12

Communication, Crisis, and Critique in Contemporary Capitalism. Conference of the European Sociological Association’s Research Network 18 - Sociology of Communications and Media Research October 18-20, 2012. University of the Basque Country, Bilbao http://fuchs.uti.at/wp-content/uploads/ESA_RN18_CfP2012.pdf Keynote Talk: Prof. Peter Golding (Northumbria University, UK) – Why a Sociologist should take Communications and Media Seriously Abstract In the presentation of this paper, Peter Golding will reflect on why the study of communications and media demands the insights and methods of sociology, and why RN18 therefore is an appropriate network within the European Sociological Association. He will present reflections on how such key sociological concerns as inequality, identity, power, and change are at the heart of the questions we should be posing in addressing the nature and role of the media as institutions and communications as a social process. The paper will also address how far changes in the technologies of media and communications alter, or should alter, our approach to generating research and insight in this field. Peter Golding is pro-vice chancellor of research & innovation at Northumbria University, founder and honorary chair of ESA RN18. Call for Submissions and Participation We are living in times of global capitalist crisis that require rethinking the ways we organize society, communication, the media, and our lives. The current crisis seems to a certain degree be different compared to previous ones, among other reasons due to the role of mediated communication and information in establishing/changing economic, political, and social relations as well as the crisis itself. The crisis can also be seen as crisis of what has been called consumer capitalism or informational capitalism. More precisely it has resulted on the one hand in a hyperneoliberal intensification of neo-conservative policies and on the other hand in the emergence of new popular movements that are critical of the commodification of everything and demand the strengthening of society’s commons. The second movement has in the social sciences been accompanied by a renewed interest in critical studies, the critique and analysis of class and capitalism, and critical political economy. The overall goal of this conference is to foster scholarly presentations, networking, and exchange on the question of which transitions media and communication and media sociology are undergoing in contemporary society. The conference particularly welcomes contributions that are inspired by sociological theories, critical studies, and various strands and traditions of the critical study of media & society. Questions that can be covered by presentations include, but are not limited to: * What is a crisis? What forms of crisis are there? How do they relate to capitalism and communication? * How have the media presented the crisis? Which similarities and differences in crisis reporting are there between different media (television, press, and new media) or between media in different countries? * How has the crisis affected various media and cultural industries? What is the role of changing media technology in the economic crisis? How has the media economy changed since the start of the crisis in 2008? How have advertising investments, profits, market values, etc developed in the media economy since the start of the crisis? How has the global expansion of media industries been reshaped by the crisis and what is the future of global media and news agencies? What changes can be traced in the production of news and other media content? Are there changes in the nature of media products? * What is the role of media and communication technologies in the financialization, acceleration, and globalization of the capitalist economy? How can a post-crisis media economy look like? How has advertising favoured a climate of private consumer debt? * What are the ideological implications of the crisis for mediascapes? Which ideological discourses do companies, CEOs, managers, or neoliberal politicians use for justifying their interests, lay-offs, high bonuses, inequalities, etc and how are these discourses represented by the media or in strategic company reports? How are hyper-neoliberal crisis policy responses (“socialism for the rich and capitalism for the poor” in the form of bank bail outs and budget cuts in areas like welfare, education, social security, health care, etc) ideologically justified and how do the media represent such ideologies? What is the role of finance capital in the media and cultural industries? Which hegemonic, alternative, or contradictory interpretations and reception practices of media content that relates to the crisis are there? Which ideologies and myths underlie the capitalist crisis? * What is the role of media, communication, critical journalism, and alternative media in contemporary uproars, riots, rebellions, social movements, protests, demonstrations, and revolutions? * How do identities and mediated identities change in times of crisis? How should one think about the relationship of economy and culture in light of the capitalist crisis? What is the relationship of class and identities and of politics of redistribution and recognition today? How do we have to rethink and reshape the relation between political economy and cultural studies in the light of capitalist crisis in order to adequately study the media and communication? * How is the public sphere changing in the light of the global crisis? What are perspectives for politics, participation, and democracy today and how do these perspectives relate to the media and communication? Is the role of media in democracy changing? If so, how? Are media a distinct player in politics? If the established media form an estate of power in democracy, do we today new a new estate of power? If so, how could it look like? * What are the causes, realities, and consequences of the commodification of the communication commons? What are alternatives to the commodification of the communication commons? How can one strengthen and create public media and commons-based forms of communication? What are the relationships and differences between the commodity logic, the gift logic, and the logic of public goods and how do these logics shape the media? * How do contemporary societal trends, such as integration, diversity and conflicts in Europe and the world, transnationalism and networking, digitization, informatization, globalization, glocalization, prosumption, neoliberalism, privatization and commodification, migration, racism, changing gender relations, consumer and advertising culture, warfare, terrorism, the new imperialism, surveillance, social movement protests, global societal risks, the strengthening of right-wing extremist and fascist movements, or the anti-corporate movement and other movements, shape media and communication and how do media and communication in turn shape society in times of crisis and transition? * What are the tasks, roles, responsibilities, and identities of the sociology of media and communication in a society that is facing deep crisis? What is the actual or potential role of critique, ethics, struggles, counter-power, resistance, protest, civil society, and social movements in contemporary societies and contemporary communications? * What are the major trends that shape contemporary society and how are these trends related to mediated communication and knowledge production? In what society do we live? What society do we desire to have? What forms of media and communication do we find in contemporary society? What forms of media and communication do we desire and how must society change in order to achieve these goals? * What are the major trends in respect to crisis, communication, and critique in Europe? What are the major trends in respect to crisis, communication, and critique in other parts of the world? * How do different companies and organizations make use of different information transmission technologies? What is the role of high speed financial flows and associated transmission networks in the finance industry? How (in)visible are these flows? Submission An abstract of 200-250 words should be sent to Dr. Romina Surugiu, University of Bucharest, at the following e-mail address: bilbao.conference(a)yahoo.com. Please insert the words Bilbao in the subject. The deadline for abstract submission is May 31st, 2012.

1 0

FW: [IRP] RETS shuts down site in protest against SOPA/PIPA
by michael gurstein 18 Jan '12

18 Jan '12

Worth a look... http://www.rets.org.br M -----Original Message----- From: irp-bounces(a)lists.internetrightsandprinciples.org [mailto:irp-bounces@lists.internetrightsandprinciples.org] On Behalf Of Graciela Selaimen Sent: Wednesday, January 18, 2012 6:53 AM To: irp(a)lists.internetrightsandprinciples.org Subject: [IRP] RETS shuts down site in protest against SOPA/PIPA Dear people, The online magazine "Revista do Terceiro Setor", RETS, has shut down its services in protest against SOPA-PIPA bills of law being considered by the US Congress. The shut down started at 00:00 Brasília time and will last for 24 hours today, January 18. The site's main page is still visible after 40 seconds, but any attempt to visit any option will return it to the protest page: http://www.rets.org.br We have chosen this Web site since it is by far the most visited among the sites managed by Nupef. Car*s amig*s, A "Revista do Terceiro Setor", RETS, desativou o acesso a suas páginas às 00:00 de hoje, 18 de janeiro, hora de Brasília, juntando-se ao protesto mundial contra os projetos de lei SOPA e PIPA em trâmite no Congresso dos EUA. A página inicial do portal ainda é visível depois de 40 segundos, mas retorna à página de protesto em resposta ao clique em qualquer opção da página. http://www.rets.org.br Escolhemos este sítio Web porque é de longe o mais visitado entre os administrados pelo Nupef. Estimad*s amig*s, La revista online "Revista do Terceiro Setor", RETS, ha desactivado el acceso a sus páginas a las 00:00 de hoy, 18 de enero, hora de Brasilia, para participar de la protesta mundial en contra de los proyectos de ley SOPA y PIPA en trámite en el Congreso de los EEUU. La página inicial del portal será visible en 40 segundos, pero retornará a la página de protesta en respuesta a cualquier intento de visita a las opciones de la página. http://www.rets.org.br Elegimos este sitio Web porque es de lejos el más visitado entre los administrados por Nupef. Fraternal regards Abraços fraternos Abrazos fraternales The Instituto Nupef team A equipe do Instituto Nupef El equipo del Instituto Nupef ----------------------------- http://www.nupef.org.br http://www.politics.org.br http://www.rets.org.br http://www.tiwa.org.br -- Graciela Selaimen Instituto Nupef www.nupef.org.br www.politics.org.br www.rets.org.br www.tiwa.org.br _______________________________________________ IRP mailing list IRP(a)lists.internetrightsandprinciples.org http://lists.internetrightsandprinciples.org/listinfo.cgi/irp-internetrights andprinciples.org

1 0

Day of #SOPA Protest
by Richard Forno 18 Jan '12

18 Jan '12

Since nobody's mentioned it yet...... Watching this issue in recent weeks, I really think the various public responses from Congresscritters and the Hollywood cartels about those who challenge these pieces of legislation are beginning to reek of desparation and/or sheer ignorance. The tone in tech policy circles over SOPA/PIPA makes the tone surrounding the enactment of DMCA 12 years ago look downright tranquil by comparison. (Disclosure: My personal site is participating in the protest today. -- rick) SOPA protests shut down Web sites By David A. Fahrenthold, Published: January 17 | Updated: Wednesday, January 18, 12:05 AM This is what happens when you make the Internet mad. On Wednesday, a group of technology companies is planning to stage an unusual form of protest: The firms are shutting down their own popular Web sites for a day to show their unhappiness with two Internet-regulation bills grinding through Congress. They argue that the bills would impose huge regulatory costs and stifle innovation on the Web. < -- > http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/sopa-protests-to-shut-down-web-sites… --- Just because i'm near the punchbowl doesn't mean I'm also drinking from it.

3 2

Carl J. Couch Internet Research Award 2012
by Mark D. Johns 18 Jan '12

18 Jan '12

CALL FOR AWARD APPLICATIONS (please distribute to your students) Carl J. Couch Internet Research Award 2012 Sponsored by the Carl Couch Center for Social and Internet Research http://www.cccsir.com/ 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 the 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 [at] luther.edu Application deadline is April 30, 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 [at] luther.edu

1 0

Call for texts IN FRENCH - forms and challenges of digital collaboration
by Lorna Heaton 18 Jan '12

18 Jan '12

Bonjour Pour ceux et celles que cela pourrait intéresser, je coordonne un numéro de la revue tic&société sur les formes et enjeux de la collaboration numérique. L¹appel est ci-joint mais vous pouvez aussi le trouver en ligne à http://ticetsociete.revues.org/1022 Date limite 30 avril 2012 Merci de diffuser l¹information dans vos réseaux. Lorna Heaton Professeure agrégée Département de communication Université de Montréal (514)343-5686

1 0

Re: [Air-L] Air-L Digest, Vol 90, Issue 18
by Anne Helmond 18 Jan '12

18 Jan '12

Dear Monica, In addition to the previous comments made I would like to point this research on Twitter and location: Only 66% Use Twitter Profile Location Field as Intended, Says PARC Research Study: http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/66_percent_use_twitter_profile_locatio… It also describes the implications for researchers. I hope this helps. Anne PhD Candidate at the Digital Methods Initiative, University of Amsterdam.

1 0

Rutgers Opportunities
by Ingrid Erickson 18 Jan '12

18 Jan '12

Please circulate through your networks. Rutgers University School of Communication and Information seeks a new Director of our undergraduate program in Information Technology and Informatics (ITI). Also seeking Teaching Fellows in digital media and social media. Brief PDF overview here: http://comminfo.rutgers.edu/images/stories/employment/itiandteachingfellows… Apply here: https://its.scilsnet.rutgers.edu/FacultySearchNTT/Default.aspx ......................... Ingrid Erickson, PhD ierick(a)gmail.com +1.650.451.8770 @griderick

1 0