- Air-L - lists.aoir.org

CFP: ACM Conference on Computing and Sustainable Societies (COMPASS) - July 2025 - Toronto
by Tamara Kneese 09 Dec '24

09 Dec '24

Hi all, I am on the papers committee for COMPASS this year and while it is an ACM conference, we are hoping to attract interdisciplinary submissions. As I think you'll see from the CFP, we are open to papers from critical data studies scholars and activists. And paper presenters also have a remote option since we are offering hybrid sessions. Please circulate widely and think about submitting your work! :) Warmly, Tamara -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *ACM COMPASS 2025 <https://compass.acm.org/>*, hosted at the University of Toronto, invites interdisciplinary research on *sustainability* with a focus on how computing and moves toward sustainability are embedded in and shaped by *specific local contexts—computing in place*. Rooted in the broader discourse of sustainability but also open to questioning its prevailing narratives, COMPASS welcomes work that critically examines how technology intersects with *social, environmental, and economic systems*. This year's theme encourages a deeper, situated perspective on how technological practices emerge as solutions, but also contributors to the complexities they claim to address. COMPASS draws from a wide array of disciplines: *computer and information sciences, social sciences, critical geography, environmental studies, economics, climate studies, and engineering*. We aim to foster a discussion that interrogates not only the potentials but also the limitations of technology-led interventions in sustainability. This includes research that explores *power dynamics, inequality, and extraction*—how technology might reinforce or disrupt existing systems. We encourage work from *activists, worker advocates*, and *indigenous scholars*, alongside those studying topics such as *labour movements, climate adaptation*, and *the ethics of sustainability practices*. COMPASS values research that brings forth the often-unseen *political and material consequences* of digital infrastructure in shaping futures. COMPASS explicitly promotes multi-disciplinary and cross-disciplinary research and practice that address key challenges for sustainable societies including, but not limited to, equity, health, education, poverty, accessibility, conservation, climate change, energy, infrastructure and economic growth. We also welcome research on the ethics of technology, especially from a critical perspective, that explores limitations and concerns with technology-led solutions for sustainable societies. COMPASS also has a particular commitment to approaches and research that address the challenges faced by under-represented and marginalized communities. The theme of the conference will be *Computing in Place. *We also invite submissions that speak to that theme and/or contribute to one or more of the following areas: - Systems and IoT for Sustainable Societies - HCI, Design and Critical Perspectives - AI, ML and Data Science for Sustainable Societies - Development, Economics and Policy - Environment, Sustainability and Climate Change - Technology, Media, and Social Practice Papers: *https://compass.acm.org/call-for-papers/ <https://compass.acm.org/call-for-papers/>* In our papers track, we welcome a variety of submission types, including deployment experiences, practitioner reports, user studies, ethnographies, design research, and systems building. We invite contributions from a range of fields, practices, and individuals who may not see themselves as traditionally members of 'computing' disciplines, including the humanities and social sciences, climate and sustainability research, and community advocacy. Accepted papers will be published as a conference proceedings with the ACM. Authors will have the opportunity to present their work as part of either in-person and hybrid paper sessions. *Important Dates for Papers: * - Submission site open: January 10, 2025 - Paper Deadline: January 17, 2025 - Notifications: March 21, 2025 - Camera-Ready Completion Deadline: April 7, 2025 Deadlines are anywhere on earth (AoE) time. Late-Breaking Work/Posters: *https://compass.acm.org/call-for-late-breaking-work/ <https://compass.acm.org/call-for-late-breaking-work/>* Accepted Late-Breaking Work submissions will be included in the ACM Archives and presented during a special posters session at the COMPASS conference. Authors must therefore expand or otherwise significantly modify versions of these works as papers to COMPASS or any other venue. This year, COMPASS is accepting late-breaking work submissions in multiple rounds. Authors who need visas to travel to Canada may consider submitting to the early round. Important Dates for Late-Breaking Work: - First Round - Submission Site Open: November 25, 2025 - Submission Deadline: December 1 - Notification to the Authors: January 15 - Camera-Ready Completion Deadline: February 7, 2025 - Second Round - Submission deadline: February 28 - Notification to the authors: April 15 - Camera-Ready Completion Deadline: May 7, 2025 Deadlines are anywhere on earth (AoE) time. -- Dr. Tamara Kneese Director, Climate, Technology, and Justice Program Data & Society Research Institute www.tamarakneese.com

1 0

Post-Doc in Critical Media Studies
by Greg Wise 09 Dec '24

09 Dec '24

See below (and attached) a call for applications for a Post-Doc in Critical Media Studies. New College Postdoctoral Fellowship in Critical Media Studies The School of Social & Behavioral Sciences at Arizona State University (ASU) invites applications for a postdoctoral scholar position in the area of Critical Media Studies with an opportunity to transition to a tenure-track faculty position. The School of Social & Behavioral Sciences, part of the New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences, has a strong tradition and history of interdisciplinary research and teaching at the cutting edge of critical media research and emerging areas of media and is the home of the Critical Media Studies Research Cluster. This working group brings together scholars from across ASU and various disciplines to collaborate on research, teaching, and activities that explore, identify, and question how media content and devices contribute to shaping social structures, processes, and relationships. The successful candidate will work under the primary mentorship of Dr. Deborah Hall, who is psychology faculty in the School of Social & Behavioral Sciences and a member of the Critical Media Studies Research Cluster. Applications are invited from individuals who are interested in conducting research and teaching within the area of psychology, media studies, communication, or a related field. Thus, preference will be given to applicants with an active or developing research record and previous teaching experience in media-related courses. The successful candidate for this position will also have the opportunity to work closely with faculty in the Critical Media Studies Research Cluster. The program seeks applicants whose professional preparedness and accomplishments are informed by experiences working with and within groups historically underrepresented in higher education in the United States. Preference will be given to applicants who demonstrate through prior actions and achievements, a demonstrable commitment to the principles of Inclusive Excellence that undergird ASU’s charter. Examples of such contributions are research or creative activity focused on empowering underserved populations; teaching, mentorship, and service that increases equitable access; and inclusion in fields where historically excluded populations are underrepresented. The School of Social & Behavioral Sciences will implement an individualized mentorship and career development plan to ensure each fellow is well prepared to succeed in a future tenure track appointment. Career development and community building will also occur through programmatic support at the ASU Graduate College’s Postdoctoral Affairs Office. The mission of the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences (SSBS) aligns with the values of a metropolitan research university, rooted in the belief that human behavior, social institutions, and culture are best understood through interdisciplinary perspectives that integrate a variety of intellectual and methodological approaches. Our dedicated team of educators, scholars, and staff are committed to embodying the ASU Charter in every aspect of our work. https://newcollege.asu.edu/ssbs About the New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences At ASU’s New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences, we take pride in breaking down disciplinary barriers, cultivating an environment where innovative research flourishes. Our faculty are not just educators; they are trailblazers in their fields, consistently expanding the frontiers of knowledge. We invite you to join this dynamic community, where you will lead and engage in pioneering projects that redefine academic excellence. Our interdisciplinary approach offers you unparalleled opportunities for personal and professional growth. By joining our faculty, you’re not just advancing your career; you’re shaping the future of education and research in meaningful ways. You’ll be empowered to innovate and address complex global challenges, all while preparing the next generation of leaders. We are committed to supporting and guiding you throughout your academic journey, ensuring that your contributions are impactful and transformative. For more information visit us at https://newcollege.asu.edu/. New College is located on ASU’s West Valley campus, blending a liberal arts education with 21st-century workforce preparation and a learning hub for students of all ages and backgrounds supporting the rapid growth of its surrounding 14 communities. Integrating modern amenities with the natural beauty of outdoor spaces, the West Valley campus offers over 125 undergraduate and graduate degree programs across business, engineering, education, and the New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences. About Arizona State University Arizona State University, ranked the No. 1 “Most Innovative School” in the nation by U.S. News & World Report for ten years in succession, has forged the model for a New American University. Year after year, ASU ranks at or near the top of the list in areas that matter. ASU is a comprehensive public research institution, measured not by whom it excludes, but by whom it includes and how they succeed; advancing research and discovery of public value; and assuming fundamental responsibility for the economic, social, cultural and overall health of the communities it serves. ASU operates on the principles that learning is a personal and original journey for each student; that they thrive on experience and that the process of discovery cannot be bound by traditional academic disciplines. Through innovation and a commitment to accessibility, ASU has drawn pioneering researchers to its faculty even as it expands opportunities for qualified students, attracting some of the highest- quality students from all 50 states and more than 130 nations. To learn more about ASU, visit http://www.asu.edu. All we do at ASU is guided and inspired by the ASU Charter, which reads: ASU is a comprehensive public research university, measured not by whom it excludes, but by whom it includes and how they succeed; advancing research and discovery of public value; and assuming fundamental responsibility for the economic, social, cultural and overall health of the communities it serves. Successful candidates will demonstrate throughout their materials how their teaching and research will contribute to the fulfillment of this charter. Essential Functions of the Position • Pursue scholarly activities (writing scientific papers and grant proposals, presenting at conferences) • Contribute to scholarly activities of faculty mentor and researchers within the Critical Media Studies cluster • Conduct data analysis and oversee data management • Perform study coordination, project management, and supervision of other research staff • Provide in-person and online undergraduate and graduate instruction in relevant field • Teach one course each semester • Support the ideals of inclusive excellence in the College • Other duties as assigned Qualifications and Characteristics Successful candidates will be effective communicators who engage in productive scholarship and may be asked to perform duties common to academic personnel including grant writing, mentoring students, and participating in faculty meetings. Minimum Qualifications ● Ph.D. in psychology, media studies, communication, or a related field ● The candidate must be within five years from receipt of the doctoral degree Desired Qualifications ● Higher ed teaching experience ● Evidence of scholarly achievement ● Experience teaching a multicultural population of students ● Background/interests in critical media studies, media psychology, or a related area ● Training and experience with quantitative research methods ● Evidence of independent scholarship and team collaboration, strong interpersonal communication skills, and outstanding academic writing skills ● Prior first-author publication experience at peer-reviewed journals ● Experience in lab management and data collection management ● Demonstrated commitment to working successfully with students from a wide variety of socio-economic and cultural backgrounds, including first-generation college students This position is located at Arizona State University’s West Valley campus. All postdoctoral fellowship positions are for one year. Options for an additional year of funding or a transition to a tenure-track position may be offered, depending on each fellow’s progress and training needs. Because of the potential for the postdoctoral fellow to transition into a tenuretrack appointment, candidates applying for this fellowship must undergo an interview process that requires a research presentation, a review of their teaching portfolio, and individual meetings with faculty, unit leadership, and college administrators. Applications and Inquiries The initial application deadline is January 3rd, 2025, at 11:59 p.m., Eastern Standard Time. Applications will continue to be accepted on a rolling basis for a reserve pool. Applications in the reserve pool may then be reviewed in the order in which they were received until the position is filled or closed. A background check and official transcripts are required prior to employment. For assistance with your application or position-related questions, please contact tracy.lowder(a)asu.edu<mailto:tracy.lowder@asu.edu>. Only electronic submissions via Interfolio will be reviewed. All required materials must be submitted at the time of initial application. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please submit all application materials to http://apply.interfolio.com/159554 Applications must contain: • A cover letter describing how the candidate meets the required and desired qualifications listed above • A curriculum vitae with contact information, including telephone number and e-mail address • A statement addressing how the candidate’s professional portfolio will advance ASU’s Charter • Contact information for three professional references (their position, title, e-mail, phone number), one reference must be from your current employer or academic supervisor ASU conducts pre-employment screening for all positions which includes a criminal background check, verification of work history, academic credentials, licenses, and certifications. Employment is contingent upon the successful passing of the background check. A background check is required for employment. Arizona State University is a VEVRAA Federal Contractor and an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other basis protected by law. (See https://www.asu.edu/aad/manuals/acd/acd401.html and https://www.asu.edu/titleIX/.) In compliance with federal law, ASU prepares an annual report on campus security and fire safety programs and resources. ASU’s Annual Security and Fire Safety Report is available online at https://www.asu.edu/police/PDFs/ASU-Clery-Report.pdf You may request a hard copy of the report by contacting the ASU Police Department at 480-965-3456. Dr. J. Macgregor Wise (he/him/his) Professor of Communication Studies and Social Technology Global Futures Scholar, Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory Associate Editor, Surveillance & Society School of Social and Behavioral Sciences New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences Arizona State University 4701 West Thunderbird Road Glendale, AZ 85306-4908 (602) 543 6646; (602) 543 6004 (fax)

1 0

20th Anniversary Special Issue of The Journal of Community Informatics published
by Colin Rhinesmith 07 Dec '24

07 Dec '24

Dear colleagues, I am thrilled to announce the 20th Anniversary Special Issue of The Journal of Community Informatics is available online. https://openjournals.uwaterloo.ca/index.php/JoCI/issue/view/661 As Peter Johnson and I explain in our editorial, the first issue of The Journal of Community Informatics was published by Michael Gurstein on October 1, 2004. Since then the journal has continued to remain the open access, peer reviewed journal featuring contributions at the intersection of community informatics research, practice, and policy. We invite you to read the full special issue featuring nine essays from leaders in the field. Colin --- Colin Rhinesmith, Ph.D. (he/him) Founder and Director, Digital Equity Research Center Metropolitan New York Library Council https://dercenter.org Research Fellow Quello Center for Media and Information Policy Michigan State University Adjunct Lecturer School of Information Sciences University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

1 0

Announcing the Winners of LaborTech's Awards!
by Rider, Karina (gxy9fq) 06 Dec '24

06 Dec '24

The Labor Tech Research Network<http://labortechresearchnetwork.org/> (LTRN) is excited to announce the winners of our 3rd annual Book, Graduate Student Paper, and Social Justice Awards! LTRN is a community of people dedicated to analyzing issues of labor and technology from an anti-racist, feminist, and transnational perspective. We have over 650 members, including researchers, tech workers, policymakers, activists, and union organizers affiliated with institutions in over 55 countries. We will be celebrating our award winners during our end-of-year event on Dec 13 at 10am ET/3pm UTC/8:30pm IST. For more information, click here<https://bit.ly/4fIoBE2>. Book Award Winner: Code Work: Hacking Across the US/México Techno-Borderlands by Héctor Beltrán (Princeton University Press) Héctor Beltrán’s Code Work: Hacking across the US/México Techno-Borderlands is an unrivaled book in its approach to demonstrating computing culture and society in Mexico and the U.S. Through anthropological, ethnographic, and transnational qualitative methods, Beltrán prioritizes demonstrating how women, migrants, and othered programmers are engaged in hackathons and the larger socio-economic implications for Mexican and Latinx communities, across what he calls the techno-borderlands. As an author, Beltrán’s computer science and anthropology expertise is applied to construct an intricate account of the borderlands' computational culture. Code Work: Hacking across the US/México Techno-Borderlands brings together multidisciplinary fields such as anthropology, Latinx studies, science and technology studies, and Mexican history and engages beautiful montage illustrations by Daniela Rivero to demonstrate the importance of “code work” in Mexico and across borderlands. Honorable Mention: Silicon Valley Imperialism: Techno Fantasies and Frictions in Postsocialist Times by Erin McElroy (Duke University Press) Silicon Valley Imperialisms by Erin McElroy is a groundbreaking work that explores the global reach of Silicon Valley through a sharp study of Romania. McElroy delves into crucial issues such as orientalism, housing justice, and the intersection of the arts with tech-driven imperialism. Silicon Valley Imperialisms brings an urgently needed, intersectional perspective to the tech industry's impact on global cities. Through a wonderful blend of ethnography and collaborative mapping, McElroy invites the readers to confront difficult questions about the alignment of liberal and fascist ideologies in today's anti-communist climate. Engaging with a wide range of theorists, McElroy's work offers a provocative and original examination of how neoliberal expansion operates within the complex legacies of postsocialist societies. Silicon Valley Imperialism is a bold and essential contribution to contemporary scholarship on technology, power, and social justice. Graduate Student Paper Award Winner: "'Animation in London/Matchmove in Bangalore:' Territorial Profiles of 'Creative' and 'Technical' Workforces in the Visual Effects (VFX) Industry by Suryansu Guha (University of California Los Angeles Department of Film, Television, and Digital Media) Suryansu Guha's "Animation in London/Matchmove in Bangalore" is a rigorously researched and methodologically inventive paper. It investigates how visual effects (VFX) work is outsourced to India and how these workers help create effects-heavy, yet cost-effective, blockbuster films. Guha draws on oral histories, practitioner interviews, and a close textual analysis of media, trade papers, and other artifacts to demonstrate how these workers become profiled as doing non-creative, technical work. By exposing the geopolitical profiling of workers and the racialized distinction between 'creative' and 'service/technical' work, Guha shows how outsourced VFX labor helps Global North clients create a precarious standing reserve of competing labor forces. The paper makes a critical intervention into our understandings of the inequalities within global creative labor markets. Honorable Mention: "Paradox of Marginality: The Formation of a Refugee Workforce and Labor Power in the Digital Labor Market" by Michelle Lee (Northwestern University Department of Sociology) Michelle Lee’s paper is a nuanced, empirically-driven study of how labor market intermediaries create “markets” for refugee labor by constructing what Lee calls “refugee capital.” The paper draws on nine months of ethnography with a digital labor market intermediary in the U.K. and Ethiopia, as well as 51 interviews with experts and refugees in the digital labor market to demonstrate how organizations transform refugee status from a market liability to a market asset. The paper represents a vital and critical engagement with the support of refugees by labor market intermediaries and how such supports can be improved in our current political and environmental climate. Social Justice Award Winner: Homeless Workers Movement in Brazil (MTST) The winner of the Labor Tech Research Network Social Justice Award 2024 is Homeless Workers Movement (MTST) in Brazil. It is a “popular, urban and left-wing movement” that started in 1997. It is one of the largest urban social movements in Latin America with 30,000 activists, and focuses on rights and struggles for housing. All members of the Social Justice Award working group found the grassroots activism by the organization impactful. MTST has already guaranteed housing for millions for homeless workers. In addition, MTST has also run education projects, based on the pedagogical directions of Paulo Freire. It has successfully run solidarity kitchens—offering food to homeless people and delivery workers. It has also created a Technology Division that looks closely into the intersection of labor and technology for homeless workers. We are also impressed with the clear future goals of the organization, in terms of expanding their work in Latin America. We felt MTST is expanding the definitions of “tech labor” in ways that critically recognize the under-explored intersection of informal labor and technology for socially marginalized communities. The Technology Division of MTST also brings together software engineers, designers and system analysts who question the hegemony of Silicon Valley tech corporations. The Technology Division of MTST has developed a digital platform for delivery workers’ co-operative—representing women and trans persons—in Sao Paulo. In the “Hire Who Struggles” project, MTST has created a virtual assistant who connects homeless workers to potential employers. MTST also offers coding courses for homeless workers, and develops educative and informative games to strengthen homeless workers’ movement. We find that these instances exemplify an innovative integration of technology to support labor rights and social justice. These initiatives show that there are solid, productive connections between tech and labor justice. Honorable Mention: Rajashi Dawn/Awakening IT-FITE Kolkata The honorable mention for the Social Justice Award this year is conferred on Rajarshi Dawn, the General Secretary of Awakening IT-FITE Kolkata, an organization representing IT workers and workers in the IT-enabled service industry in Kolkata, India. It is a local chapter of the Forum for IT&ITES Employees, that was founded in 2014. Awakening IT fights against layoffs and arbitrary terminations of workers in the tech industry, against gender discrimination, and discrimination against immigrant workers—showing its commitment to social justice. The organization has been attempting to register as a labor union for the last five years, but faces various institutional barriers including resistance from the local government. Therefore, a large part of its activism involves negotiation with bureaucrats, particularly the Labor Minister and the Labor Secretary. Awakening IT also provides legal assistance to tech workers who experience unfair terminations and other forms of harassment in tech companies. Awakening-IT also organizes campaigns and workshops in the IT corridors or tech parks to raise awareness about the importance of collective bargaining. Rajarshi has also made multiple media appearances to raise awareness about tech workers’ rights. We are impressed with Rajarshi’s work on the ground and attempts to organize different groups and classes of workers within the IT-ITES industry in India. We also recognize the social-justice relevance of some of the future projects that Awakening IT will undertake. It will pursue transnational collaboration with tech workers in other countries, addressing issues of exploitation in offshore locations. It will organize workshops to analyze and discuss the four new Labor Codes that are being introduced in India, and threatening to weaken existing labor protection. Awakening IT is also carefully considering the possible impacts of AI on workers, that may diminish labor demands and create a need for upskilling. We feel that Rajarshi’s work in Awakening IT deserves recognition for centering discussions on tech workers’ rights around social justice, and for creating public awareness about the hidden challenges of seemingly privileged tech jobs in India. A huge thanks to our committee co-chairs and members! Labor Tech is an all-volunteer-run organization. We can only do what we do because of our members. This year, we'd like to honor the hard work (over many, many months!) of our award committee co-chairs: * Book Award: Fatma Guneri and Fiza Brakel-Ahmed * Grad Student Paper Award: Ritu Gosh and Brian Dolber * Social Justice Award: Rianka Roy and Winnie Poster Thank you so much for all the hard work you have dedicated towards making our award committees a success!

3 2

Survey on perceptions of authorship of computer-generated texts
by Leah Henrickson 05 Dec '24

05 Dec '24

Dear AoIR folks, This is an invitation to participate in a study about perceptions of text authorship in an era where computers are producing texts increasingly autonomously. Participating in the study entails reading a brief text and responding to a short questionnaire. We also ask for some information about your background. We expected the survey to take no more than 15 minutes of your time. Participation is completely voluntary, with no reimbursement for participating. Information about how your responses will be stored and processed can be found at the start of the survey. The study has been approved by the University of Queensland Humanities and Social Sciences ethics review panel as project 2024/HE001972. Link to the survey: https://uniofqueensland.syd1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8CY8LflWyAAt2cK We would also greatly appreciate your help in forwarding this invitation to any colleagues you believe could be interested in participating in the study. For further information or questions, please contact: Leah Henrickson: l.henrickson(a)uq.edu.au<mailto:l.henrickson@uq.edu.au> Leo Leppänen: leo.leppanen(a)helsinki.fi<mailto:leo.leppanen@helsinki.fi> Thanking you in advance, Leah Henrickson and Leo Leppänen ______________________________ Dr Leah Henrickson (she/her) Lecturer in Digital Media and Cultures School of Communication and Arts University of Queensland | St Lucia QLD 4072 | Australia Room 302 | Joyce Ackroyd (37) +61 (0)7 334 68255 UQ ALLY: Supporting the diversity of sexuality, sex characteristics, and gender identity at UQ.

1 0

UFMG Visiting Professor Program 2024 call for proposals
by Carlos d'Andréa 05 Dec '24

05 Dec '24

Dear AoIR Colleagues, I’m pleased to inform you that the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Brazil, has launched a simplified selection process to hire visiting professors from foreign higher education institutions. The aim is to attract experienced researchers for in-person activities within UFMG's Graduate Programs. Candidates must have completed their PhD at least 10 years ago, along with other requirements outlined in the call for applications. The salary offered is equivalent to that of a full professor at a Brazilian federal university. The Graduate Program in Communication Studies (PPGCOM) is accepting applications until January 4. Located in the city of Belo Horizonte, PPGCOM/UFMG is a 30-year-old program with a vibrant faculty of 32 researchers and nearly 200 PhD and M.A. students. For more information, please visit our website: https://ppgcom.fafich.ufmg.br/noticiadet.php?numaut=360. The UFMG Visiting Professor Program 2024 call for proposals can be downloaded here: Call for Proposals <https://www.ufmg.br/prpg/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/English-Version_PublicC…> . We would greatly appreciate it if you could share this opportunity with potential candidates. Kind regards, Carlos d'Andréa Lattes <http://lattes.cnpq.br/0283817427921969> - Google Scholar <https://scholar.google.com.br/citations?hl=pt-BR&user=aZADPiUAAAAJ&view_op=…> - ORCID <https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7328-6714> R-EST - estudos redes sociotécnicas <https://www.instagram.com/rest_ufmg/> PPGCOM <https://ppgcom.fafich.ufmg.br/>, UFMG, Brasil

1 0

PhD Scholarship – Sydney Vietnam Media Innovation Hub, University of Sydney
by Jonathon Hutchinson 04 Dec '24

04 Dec '24

Dear Colleagues, **With apologies for cross-posting** Come research the booming Vietnamese digital media industries on this fully funded research scholarship at the University of Sydney! The Discipline of Media and Communication, with the support from the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and the Sydney Vietnam Institute, is pleased to offer a full scholarship for a candidate interested in studying the platform society within Vietnam. The candidate will be based in Sydney with the opportunity to travel to Vietnam during their candidature to conduct fieldwork. The project, while independently managed by the candidate, is part of the larger Sydney Vietnam Institute’s Media Innovation Hub that will spend the next five years researching Vietnamese digital media. The successful candidate will specifically be interested in how platformization in Vietnam operates to align with the Vietnam Media and Platforms node. Questions can be directed to Associate Professor Jonathon Hutchinson: jonathon.hutchinson(a)sydney.edu.au<mailto:jonathon.hutchinson@sydney.edu.au>. Full details and how to apply can be found here: https://www.sydney.edu.au/scholarships/a/postgraduate-research-scholarship-… Associate Professor JONATHON HUTCHINSON Chair of Discipline, Media and Communication Editor-in-Chief, Policy & Internet Journal [https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/19442866] Associate Investigator for the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision Making + Society THE UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY Rm N233, John Woolley Building (A20) | The University of Sydney | NSW | 2006 T +61 2 9351 2821 | F +61 2 9351 2434 E jonathon.hutchinson(a)sydney.edu.au<mailto:jonathon.hutchinson@sydney.edu.au> | W sydney.edu.au<http://sydney.edu.au> | W jonathonhutchinson.com.au<http://www.jonathonhutchinson.com.au/> CRICOS 00026A This email plus any attachments to it are confidential. Any unauthorised use is strictly prohibited. If you receive this email in error, please delete it and any attachments.

1 0

PhD LEVEL COURSE (Creativity & Generative AI: Philosophical Perspectives on Creative Uses of Artificial Intelligence)
by Matthew Dennis 04 Dec '24

04 Dec '24

*CALL FOR REGISTRATIONS* *Title:* *Creativity & Generative AI: Philosophical Perspectives on Creative Uses of Artificial Intelligence * *Location:* TU Eindhoven, the Netherlands *Dates: *22–28 January, 2025 *Duration: *5 x day-length sessions (11am–5pm) Target Participants: PhD & Research Master students (also open to other researchers if space is available) Full program and registration, visit the course website: https://www.ozsw.nl/activity/creativity-generative-ai-philosophical-perspec… ‘*I want AI to do my laundry and dishes so that I can do art and writing. Not for AI to do my art and writing, so that I can do my laundry and dishes*’ (Joanna Maciejewska, 2024). This widely circulated quote captures growing unease about the potential displacement of human intellectual labour and creativity by AI. With the rapid deployment of generative AI in the arts, many creative professionals worry that this technology will be especially disruptive for the creative industries (film, plastic arts, new media), as well as for how we reward creativity in education and academic research. Simply put, generative AI is showing signs that it can perform a wide variety of creative tasks, often with speed, accuracy, and alacrity. This creates a problem because many still see creativity as a key capacity of human beings, equally as distinctive as rationality or the capacity for political participation. How should we respond to the seemingly creative capabilities of generative AI? Should we take these creative abilities seriously? What ethical issues must be dealt with in using generative AI in creative work? And looking in the other direction, does generative AI have anything to teach us about human creativity? If so, what can we learn from it? This course will explore how generative AI changes our concept of creativity, and how future iterations of this technology may transform how creativity is regarded as a fundamentally human characteristic. *Day 1 *begins by exploring how philosophers understand creativity, as well as how generative AI shows signs of challenging this. This will be followed (*Day 2*) by an exploration of the key philosophical issues generative AI raises for creativity. *Day 3 *will introduce practitioners who use AI creatively, including the renowned computer scientist, Iyad Rahwan <https://www.rahwan.me/>, and the new media artist, Helena Nikonole <https://nikonole.com/>. The final two days explore how these ethical issues should govern the use of generative AI (*Day 4*) and for the future of work (*Day 5*). During the course, participants will write an abstract on a potential paper on the philosophy of creativity and generative AI (assessed), as well as writing a plan for a future academic article on this topic (optional). *Learning Outcomes*: Participants will understand the following topics: - How generative AI can be deployed creatively in the arts, education, as well as the exact sciences. - How philosophical notions of creativity can aid understanding what is new about the powers of generative AI (and what is not). - How using generative AI in the arts, education, and academia requires addressing serious ethical questions. - How the future development of generative AI may cause widespread social disruption. Registration: Free for PhD candidates and Research Master students who are a member of the OZSW <https://www.ozsw.nl/> and/or 4TU Center for Ethics and Technology <https://www.4tu.nl/ethics/> and/or another Dutch Research School in Humanities (LOGOS). All other participants pay a tuition fee of 300 euros *Registration Deadline: January 15th, 2025* Visit the course website< https://www.ozsw.nl/activity/creativity-generative-ai-philosophical-perspec…> for registration Organizers: Matthew J. Dennis & Kaush Kalidindi The course is organized by the Eindhoven Center for Philosophy of AI <https://ephil.ai/> and OZSW, with the support from the ESDiT Research Programme <https://www.esdit.nl/>. Further information and queries, contact k.v.kalidindi(a)tue.nl *Dr. Matthew J. Dennis * *Assistant Professor in Ethics of Technology * Co-Director: Eindhoven Center for Philosophy of Artificial Intelligence ( ECPAI <https://ephil.ai/>) Senior Researcher: Ethics of Socially Disruptive Technologies (ESDiT <https://www.esdit.nl/>) Course Leader: Creativity & Generative AI: Philosophical Perspectives on Creative Uses of Artificial Intelligence (OZSW <https://www.ozsw.nl/activity/creativity-generative-ai/>) Unit Editor: Artificial Intelligence & Society (Oxford University Press <https://academic.oup.com/intersections/pages/ai-in-society>) Next Nature Research Fellow (Next Nature <https://nextnature.org/en/people/fellows/matthew-dennis>) Philosophy & Ethics Capacity Group (P&E <https://www.tue.nl/en/research/research-groups/innovation-sciences/philosop…>), Dept. Ind. Eng. & Innovation Science (IE&IS <https://www.tue.nl/en/our-university/departments/industrial-engineering-and…>), TU Eindhoven (TU/e <https://www.tue.nl/en/>). @mtwjmsdns <https://twitter.com/mtwjmsdns> | www.matthewjamesdennis.com <https://www.matthewjamesdennis.com/index.php>

1 0

Collaborative working group on Imagining the (un)desired.
by Fridzema, N. 04 Dec '24

04 Dec '24

Collaborative working group on Imagining the (un)desired. Via this list I would like to make you aware of a research initiative me and my colleague have started called Matter of Imagination <https://matterofimagination.neocities.org/>: Technologies are never merely material but are actively made sense of through phenomena such as discourse and imagination. As sci-fi books and movies, interface metaphors or blueprint texts, different forms of imagining shape how we make sense of past, present and future innovations. Deconstructing such discourses and positioning them in historical contexts gives important insight into the materiality, meaning, and morality of technology. But how do we study this? What theoretical and methodological options are there to assess both the matter of imagination and its real (and not wishful) implications? This blog is an initiative of Nathalie Fridzema <https://www.rug.nl/staff/n.fridzema/?lang=en> (PhD Student at University of Groningen) and Anya Shchetvina <https://www.kleine-formen.de/team/anya-shchetvina/> (PhD Student at Humboldt University). We treat "Matter of imagination" as an open-format working group that attempts an inventorisation. We focus on collecting, structuring and commenting on existing frameworks and track ongoing developments in this field. The main focus is on complex digital networked technologies (internet, its offsprings, precedents and alternatives) with occasional steps to related or overlapping fields. We want to update our shared reading list <https://matterofimagination.neocities.org/readinglist> and would greatly appreciate feedback and suggestions. Many thanks and warm regards, Nathalie Fridzema

1 0

Call for Abstracts - Hype Assessment Panel - 6th ETAC, Vienna - close deadline
by Jascha Bareis 04 Dec '24

04 Dec '24

Call for Abstracts - Hype Assessment Panel - 6th European Technology Assessment Conference (ETAC6) Technology Assessment Goes Global Abstract submission deadline: 9th of December Submit your abstract at: criticalhypestudies(a)posteo.com Panel description The burgeoning field of hype studies is ever-growing. This panel stems from a collective effort to create a unified approach named Critical Hype Studies that started during last year’s 4S/EASST conference. Hype is a topic that matters for TA as S&T trajectories, trust and expectations are severely impacted by overpromises and also affect assessment and political regulation of technology. With this panel we want to leverage collective experiences, to co-creatively build foundational structures and establish a TA and STS rooted, but also outer-disciplinary, set of perspectives. Acknowledging that hype is a phenomenon intimately related to financial interest and political agendas that performs epistemic, behavioral, communicative, urbanistic, environmental and affective agencies, *this panel will have two aims: * *(1) firstly, we want to present our current progress as a collective of researchers focusing on critical hype studies as part of our introductory presentation linking it to current TA debates; * *(2) secondly, we aim to invite new contributions explore why hype should be assessed; what would be a possible programme for hype assessment; present possible hype cases to be assessed; and reflect about what kinds of methods can be designed to assess hype in order to inform policy makers and TA practitioners. * Thus, we are particularly interested in insights considering how promises, visions, futures, imaginaries, expectations, narratives, fictions, and discourses come together in hype. Especially for TA it is important to assess what path dependencies and lock-ins they produce and how they should be addressed in order to guarantee democratic, sustainable and fair socio-technical societies. That is especially relevant when very local elites (i.e. Silicon Valley) are capable to activate hype cycles whose effects are global, but with local instantiations through regulations, investments, media outlets, discourses and affects ranging from hope to fear. We welcome contributions that present historical analysis of hype and its consequences, as well as contemporary approaches addressing its possible performative effects in decision-making, public perception, innovation, policies, funding and in general the unequal distribution of attention, information, wealth and power. Our scope is global: Given the rising importance of global TA, political notions are present if (western) tech-hypes silence other global pressing issues of poverty and environment combatting. Further, and in alignment with the theme of ETAC6, we are committed to explore how hype assessment, as an emergent TA practice, can be activated through advisory in different socio-political contexts; how it can engage different TA practices; or how hype assessment has already conducted in specific contexts close to TA. Scholars with a background in STS and innovation studies, particularly those engaged in TA, studies of innovation, expectations, expertise and experience,transitions, and imaginaries, are especially invited. *Contributions from media studies, design studies, philosophy, cybernetics, phenomenology, and psychoanalysis are also highly welcome, as we weave together multiple threads to formulate a comprehensive understanding of hype phenomena. * *Background: * Panel participants and attendees are particularly welcome into this forum, currently consisting of more than 30 hype researchers, where, together, we are assembling insights into a structured field. We envisage that by the time of ETAC6, we will have submitted a multi-authored position paper, offering a unified approach for hype studies, with definitions, related literature, methodological recommendations, and research agenda that followed from our initial meeting last year, that we will be willing to share in preprint form for discussion as a point of departure for an international hub and observatory for the critical study of hype as a sociotechnical phenomenon. Addressing hype assessment will be an opportunity to activate many of the conclusions addressed in the upcoming work and follow new avenues of research and action. Best, Jascha in the name of the critical hype studies group -- *Jascha Bareis*(Profile) <https://www.itas.kit.edu/english/staff_bareis_jascha.php>(Scholar) <https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=bf1gf9AAAAAJ&hl=de&oi=ao>(LinkedIn) <https://www.linkedin.com/in/jascha-bareis-36082523b/> Institute for Technology Assessment and Systems Analysis(ITAS) <https://www.itas.kit.edu/english/index.php> Karlsruher Institute of Technology(KIT) <https://www.kit.edu/english/index.php> Research Group Digital Technology and Societal Change(FG DigIT) <https://www.itas.kit.edu/english/rg_digit.php> *Recent Publications* Ask Me Anything ! 😈How ChatPGT Got Hyped Into Being.SOC ARXIV Preprint <https://osf.io/preprints/socarxiv/jzde2> The Trustification of AI. Disclosing the bridging pillars that tie Trust and AI together.Big Data & Society <https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/20539517241249430> Technology Hype: Dealing with bold expectations and overpromising, with M. Roßmann and F.Bordignon.Journal of Technology Assessment in Theory and Practice <https://www.tatup.de/index.php/tatup/article/view/7073>

1 0