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CFP: Philosophy of Computer Games Conference- 6/9 April 2011 Athens-Greece
by helen roinioti 11 Dec '10

11 Dec '10

Apologies for cross-posting. Call for Papers We hereby invite scholars in any field of studies who take a professional interest in the phenomenon of computer games to submit papers to the international conference "The Philosophy of Computer Games 2011", to be held in Athens, Greece, on April 6th-9th 2011. Accepted papers will have a clear focus on philosophy and philosophical issues in relation to computer games. They will also attempt to use specific examples rather than merely invoke "computer games" in general terms. The over-arching theme of the conference is Player Identity. Papers are encouraged to explore one of the following topics and invited speakers will focus on this area. On the other hand, this is not the sole domain the conference will cover and submissions dealing with other relevant aspects of game philosophy are also welcome. Player-Avatar Identity In describing gameplay there seems to be a presumed identity-relation between the player and her avatar. What an avatar does can be taken to be what the player does, and what happens to the avatar can be taken to happen to the player. This presumption even makes it possible for a player to point to her avatar and claim “that is me”. What is the nature of the reported identity-relation between player and avatar either as a cognitive relation (such as the construction of one’s self-image and projected intentionality), as a form of embodiment or as a metaphysical relation capable of directly extending personal identity to the avatar? Identity and Conceptions of the Self Modern philosophy offers various models and critiques of the self (and the 'other') through the work of Descartes, Husserl, Wittgenstein etc. Computer games - explicitly as well as implicitly - adopt these models and offer interactive representations of self-models that can be acted out and thereby evaluated. What are the affinities between such philosophical models of the self and the structural elements of computer games? Do the models express or contradict the structures? Identity and Immersion Issues of identity in virtual environments, and consequently in digital games, have been discussed primarily from the perspective of the opportunities for formation, experimentation and expression of social identity. These discussions importantly highlight the role that games play in re-writing identity through digital gameplay. The focus here is on the presentation of self to others in a virtual environment. This addresses one aspect of immersion, namely the increased sense of inhabiting the environment by virtue of others being aware of the player within the environment. We invite papers on a second, equally important aspect of immersion-as-habitation: the effect that this sense of habitation of virtual environments has on the self. What is the influence on player identity of absorbing into consciousness a game-world and its inhabitants? Identity, Artifacts and Memory Recent philosophical (and technological) studies of ontologies for digital documentation and archiving practices connected with the coding and verification of personal, collective, artefactual and other cultural identities make it of pressing interest to examine the role of gameplay activities and digital artefacts that represent new forms of cultural capital. These can be viewed as traces of an ongoing narrative construction of individual and collective memories and identities deposited in game worlds. How is the construction, during gameplay, of individual and collective gameplay identities, memories and forms of gaming capital, related to eventual digital artefacts that derive from such activities? Your abstract should not exceed 1000 words including bibliography. If your submission falls under one of the four headings, please indicate which one. Deadline for submissions is 17.00 GMT, February 1st, 2011. Send your abstract to submissions(a)gamephilosophy.org. All submitted abstracts will be subject to double blind peer review, and the program committee will make a final selection of papers for the conference on the basis of this. A full paper draft must then be submitted by March 31st and will be made available on the conference website. There will be an opportunity to revise the paper after the conference. Notification of accepted submissions will be sent out by March 1st, 2011. Gordon Calleja John Richard Sageng Patrick Coppock Seth Giddings Stephan Günzel Ian Bogost Anita Leirfall The official website http.//2011.gamephilosophy.org will be published in a few day

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Conference announcement and call for papers: "Mobile learning: Crossing boundaries..." in Bremen
by Klaus Rummler 10 Dec '10

10 Dec '10

Conference announcement and call for papers* * *"Mobile learning: Crossing boundaries in convergent environments" Conference* Monday to Tuesday, March 21st to 22nd, 2011 in Bremen, Germany Submission deadline:January 7, 2011 The conference is hosted by the University of Bremen, run by the Department for Media Education and Design of Multimodal Learning Environments and by the Institute Technology and Education (ITB) in association with the London Mobile Learning Group (LMLG), Pontydysgu and MirandaNet. The 'Mobile learning: Crossing boundaries in convergent environments' Conference builds on a series of mobile learning research symposia hosted by the WLE Centre for Excellence at the Institute of Education, University of London between 2007 and 2009. It will focus on the challenges of developing new pedagogic approaches and on the potential of mobile devices for learning in formal and informal contexts. As mobile learning is not only about learning with mobile technologies, but also considered to be "new" learning, the conference will look at challenges for research and practice in understanding the changing social and technological structures allowing the use of technology for learning that are present in our personal lives, in school and in work places. Thus mobile learning crosses the boundary of institutional learning and looks at practical fields like work-based learning and medicine, too. Also, the conference will look at the latest developments in hardware and software which can support personalised learning. By focusing on theory and practice, development and use, teaching and learning, formal and informal contexts, the conference intends to offer spaces for researchers, practitioners, developers, the industry and policy makers to exchange ideas, experiences and research around issues and approaches to mobile learning, including sociological and educational issues and their effectiveness and desirability as learning spaces as well as the design of environments. The conference is preceded by the EduCamp, a BarCamp for people interested in media and learning, which will take place in Bremen from March 19-20, 2011. In collaboration with MirandaNet, the conference is running a MirandaMod on March 21-22, 2011 which addresses teachers and practitioners who are interested in teaching and learning with new technologies. Pontydysgu will broadcast their live internet radio show "Sounds of the Bazaar LIVE Radio Programme" from the conference. The call for papers and further information is available at the conference website: _http://bremen.londonmobilelearning.net <http://bremen.londonmobilelearning.net/>_. The conference fee is 50 EUR (students and unemployed are free) Important dates: * October 31, 2010: submission opens * December N.N., 2010: registration opens * January 7, 2011: submission closes * March 6, 2011: registration closes * March 21-22, 2011: conference We look forward to seeing you in Bremen. The Organising Committee * Klaus Rummler (LMLG; University of Bremen, FB12, Department for Media Education and Design of Multimodal Learning Environments) * Judith Seipold (LMLG; Bremen) * Prof. Karsten Wolf (University of Bremen, FB12, Department for Media Education and Design of Multimodal Learning Environments) * Prof. Norbert Pachler (LMLG; Institute of Education, University of London) * Dr. Eileen Lübcke (University of Bremen, Institute Technology and Education (ITB)) * Graham Attwell (LMLG; Pontydysgu)

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Call for Applications: Harvard Postdoctoral Position in Science, Technology and Society
by Alberto Pepe 10 Dec '10

10 Dec '10

might be of interest. Apologies for cross-postings. * * *Postdoctoral Position in Science, Technology and Society* The John F. Kennedy School of Government and the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) at Harvard University are seeking to hire a Postdoctoral Fellow with expertise in Science, Technology and Society (STS). The one-year position will carry a teaching load of one undergraduate course in Technology and Society; the successful candidate will also assist in STS Program activities and build links between STS and SEAS. Renewal for a second year may be possible contingent on satisfactory performance. Candidates should be qualified to carry out research on the social implications of one or more aspects of engineering or applied sciences, such as information and communication technologies, biotechnology, or nanotechnology. Areas of specialization might include studies of innovation; risk and regulation; intellectual property; new research partnerships and research governance; or ethical issues in technological R&D. Research experience on comparative, international and global issues is especially welcome. Interdisciplinary teaching experiences are highly desirable. Candidates should hold a Ph.D. or equivalent degree in an appropriate field, including science and technology studies, sociology, law, political science, economics, or engineering. Interested candidates should submit a curriculum vitae, a cover letter with a statement of research interests, a writing sample or representative publication,* *and three letters of recommendation in paper copy to Professor Sheila Jasanoff, Director, Program on Science, Technology and Society, Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government, 79 John F. Kennedy Street, Mailbox 17, Cambridge, MA 02138. Review of applications will begin on January 15, 2011 and continue until the position is filled. Applications from women and minorities are especially encouraged. Harvard University is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer. -- ALBERTO PEPE Postdoctoral Research Fellow CfA - Harvard University apepe(a)cfa.harvard.edu http://albertopepe.com @albertopepe

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Call for Papers----Research in Social Movements, Conflicts and Change
by Jennifer S. Earl 10 Dec '10

10 Dec '10

Call for Papers----Research in Social Movements, Conflicts and Change (Please forward and distribute widely) Research in Social Movements, Conflicts and Change, a peer-reviewed volume published by Emerald Group Publishing/JAI Press, encourages submissions for Volume 33 of the series. This volume will have both thematic and open-submission sections and will be guest edited by Jennifer Earl (University of California, Santa Barbara) and Deana Rohlinger (Florida State University). For the open-submission/non-thematic section, submissions appropriate to any of the three broad foci reflected in the series title will be considered. The special section of Volume 33 will focus on "new" and "old" media in social movements, conflicts, and change. We encourage submissions on the relationship between older media (e.g., newspapers, books, music, radio and network and cable television) and social movements, conflicts, or change, or between "new" media (e.g., the Web) and social movements, conflicts, or change. Research in Social Movements, Conflicts and Change (RSMCC) is a fully peer-reviewed series of original research that has been published annually for over 30 years. We continue to publish the work of many of the leading scholars in social movements, social change, and peace and conflict studies. Although RSMCC enjoys a wide library subscription base for the book versions, all volumes are now published both in book form and are also available online to subscribing libraries through Emerald Insight. This ensures wider distribution and easier online access to your scholarship while maintaining the esteemed book series at the same time. RSMCC boasts quick turn-around times, generally communicating peer reviewed-informed decisions within 10-12 weeks of receipt of submissions. To be considered for inclusion in Volume 33, papers should arrive by May 16, 2011. Send submissions as a WORD document attached to an email to BOTH Jennifer Earl and Dena Rohlinger, guest RSMCC editors for Volume 33, at jearl(a)soc.ucsb.edu and drohling(a)fsu.edu. Remove all self-references (in text and in bibliography) save for on the title page, which should include full contact information for all authors. Include the paper's title and the abstract on the first page of the text itself. For initial submissions, any standard social science in-text citation and bibliographic system is acceptable. RSMCC Website: http://info.emeraldinsight.com/products/books/series.htm?PHPSESSID=ao67n2qd… ********************************* Jennifer Earl Associate Professor of Sociology SS&MS 3129 University of California, Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 93106-9430 P: (805) 893-7471 F: (805) 893-3324 http://www.soc.ucsb.edu/faculty/earl/ *********************************

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IEEE Annals EIC Search
by Eden Medina 09 Dec '10

09 Dec '10

IEEE Annals of the History of Computing: Applications and Nominations Sought for Editor in Chief Applications are due 1 March 2011 The IEEE Computer Society seeks applicants for the volunteer position of editor in chief of IEEE Annals of the History of Computing commencing in January 2012. The EIC position is a two-year appointment by the President of the IEEE Computer Society, with a possible two-year extension. Given that publications are one of the most tangible services that the IEEE Computer Society provides its members, EICs play a critical role in the IEEE Computer Society’s success. Scope of IEEE Annals of the History of Computing IEEE Annals of the History of Computing serves as a record of vital contributions that recount, preserve, and analyze the history of computing and the impact of computing on society. Where possible, firsthand accounts of events and activities are recorded, and scholarly reports of analyses of the historical record from archives and personal contact are published so as to better understand both the past and the future of our field. Candidate Qualifications and Requirements Key qualities of the EIC are a good understanding of industry, academic, and government needs, plus the managerial skills to manage the editorial cycle and Web site in a timely fashion. The EIC must also be able to attract respected experts to his or her editorial board. Applicants should have recognized expertise in the history of computing field, possess editorial experience, and be able to lead an active editorial board to work effectively with technical and publishing professionals. Applicants must have clear employer or institutional support for this volunteer activity for the duration of the appointment, including release time as necessary and general office support. If interested in applying, contact Robin Baldwin, rbaldwin(a)computer.org. www.computer.org/annals

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Supervising the Doctorate Experience - Invitation to Participate in a Study
by Jeffrey Keefer 09 Dec '10

09 Dec '10

It appears the url for our request for participants in our research study, Faculty Support: Doctoral Student Threshold Concepts, was omitted from our email yesterday. An overview of our study and request for participants is available online on our study page: http://silenceandvoice.com/archives/2010/12/08/supervising-the-doctorate-ex… If you do (or did) supervise / mentor/ teach doctoral students, use some technology in the process, and have helped your students through threshold concepts (i.e., aha moments, trouble spots, breakthrough areas, or defining moments of epistemological or ontological shift), then we are very interested in speaking with you about your experiences. Please reply to me directly if you wish to learn more and / or participate. Thank you. ----- Jeffrey Keefer j.keefer(a)lancaster.ac.uk Blog: http://silenceandvoice.com Twitter: http://twitter.com/JeffreyKeefer Website: http://www.jeffreykeefer.com

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Corrected Date: Facebook & Twitter Webinar is today, 2 PM EST
by Stuart Shulman 09 Dec '10

09 Dec '10

The free Webinar on using the Facebook Graph and Twitter APIs for research is today at 2 PM EST. Please register at: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/471866081 ~Stu -- Stuart Shulman President & CEO <http://www.texifter.com/> Have you tried DiscoverText? http://discovertext.com *Featuring the Facebook Graph & Twitter APIs*

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Re : Re: Online role-playing community study
by Fabien Lorc'h 09 Dec '10

09 Dec '10

Dear Professor Lehdonvirta, For introduce thank you for your anwser to my dissertation subject. The terminogology of real world is i am agree more ambiguous. I use this for this mail but i think i use an another during my work. My project is not really a comparison beetween the « two world ». I try to analysis I try to analyze the political behavior of the gaming community and check those who might be their own and those who depend on the national cultural practices or social. The game is a pan-European world view, even if the community is only 150,000 members, I try to see if attitudes have some specificity or not. The direction of policy that I use does not refer to behavior parliamentarians as the example you cite but the etymological sense of policy (Politika, the affairs of the city) The policy covers actions, the balance, the development internal or external to the community, its internal and its relationship to other sets. That's why I adopt a holistic approach in my analysis. -- Fabien Lorc'h Message: 4 > Date: Wed, 8 Dec 2010 12:10:26 +0900 > From: Vili Lehdonvirta <vili.lehdonvirta(a)hiit.fi> > To: air-l(a)listserv.aoir.org > Subject: Re: [Air-L] Online role-playing community study > Message-ID: <D83089DE-4C7B-4AAB-8E0D-5A06B225CFEC(a)hiit.fi> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed; delsp=yes > > Dear Fabien, > > Welcome to study online games. My suggestion would be to re-think your > approach, as it seems to rest on a dichotomous "real world" vs. > "virtual world" notion, which in my opinion is fundamentally flawed ( > http://gamestudies.org/1001/articles/lehdonvirta > ). > > You state that your goal is "to see if there is a difference between > the real world and the virtual environment". But what is the "real > world" against which you are comparing? The parliamentary politics of > France, the politics of the world of finance, or the politics of game > research are all different, yet all part of the "real world". It is > obvious from the start that you will find the politics of a given > online game to differ from your chosen point of comparison in some > respects, and resemble it in others. Unless this online game is an > important research subject in itself (e.g. because it engages so many > people), such findings may not be very useful. > > My advice would be to look instead for a theoretical research question > from the literature of your discipline, and then see if this > theoretical question can be addressed with a study pertaining to the > online game. Write your research question clearly. Good luck! > > Vili Lehdonvirta > University of Tokyo / HIIT > http://www.hiit.fi/~vlehdonv/ <http://www.hiit.fi/%7Evlehdonv/> > > p.s. please do not worry about your English. > > > Date: Tue, 7 Dec 2010 21:52:27 +0100 > > From: "Fabien Lorc'h" <fabien.lorch(a)gmail.com> > > To: air-l(a)listserv.aoir.org > > Subject: [Air-L] Online role-playing community study > > Message-ID: > > <AANLkTinEb9QA+OzfZjfL4Us8g99ZQPh5b6vn6K+72XfK(a)mail.gmail.com<AANLkTinEb9QA%2BOzfZjfL4Us8g99ZQPh5b6vn6K%2B72XfK(a)mail.gmail.com> > > > > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 > > > > Ladies and Gentlemen, > > > > I am writing to you to present you my Master's dissertation subject . > > > > I am currently a student in the Master's program in Political > > Science at the > > University of Rennes 1 in France. > > > > For this Masters, I have decided to study an online role-playing > > community : > > The Renaissance Kingdoms: http://www.renaissancekingdoms.com/ > > > > > > The purpose of this study is to make a political analysis of this > > community, > > in a global meaning and thencommunity considered as a whole, through > > an > > analysis of some data : > > > > - Register/Leave the game > > - Identity (virtual or real, sociological analysis of the players (I > > am > > planing to get a questionnaire for this) > > - Internal regulation and discipline (almost all institutions between > > characters having been planned by players) > > - Independence of this community with national culture and history > > (the game > > is in an alternate history of the 15th century in Europe) > > > > The goal of this study is to think in an Aristotelian sense of > > Politics, and > > to see if there is a difference between the real world and the virtual > > environment. > > It is also to consider if the community has a clear particularity. > > > > I would love to receive your help on possible research lines that > > maybe I > > have forgotten to study, or if you have ideas to concerning my > > approach. > > > > If you have books or articles on this, please don't hesitate to > > contact me > > with suggestions. > > > > Thank you so much for your time and attention. > > > > -- > > Fabien Lorc'h > > > > > > PS: Sorry in advance for my English that I am sure is catastrophic. >

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CfP: "Theorizing the Web" Conference @ University of Maryland - April 9th, 2011
by PJ Rey 08 Dec '10

08 Dec '10

Dear AIR Listserv Members, I am excited to announce the 2011 "Theorizing the Web" conference at the University of Maryland. Please distribute this announcement widely. For more information, and to download the CfP, see: http://www.cyborgology.org/theorizingtheweb/ Best, PJ Rey Department of Sociology University of Maryland www.pjrey.net 2112 Art-Sociology Building University of Maryland College Park, MD 20742

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Reliable "academic" online research panel company
by Kyun Soo Kim 08 Dec '10

08 Dec '10

Hi! All, Please help me to find some good online research panel firms based in US. I mean reliable and cost-effective by saying good (: I have been looking for them, but my search has not been productive. If possible, I would like know more academic-oriented firms than market research panels. Some of them may do both. I would be grateful for your sharing of experience and information. You can email me at kyun4zzing(a)gmail.com. Thank you for your inputs in advance. Kyun Soo

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