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Help Gephi to export your data to Pajek, UCINET and Netdraw
by Sébastien Heymann 20 Dec '10

20 Dec '10

Dear all, The Gephi project, an open source graph exploration tool, wants to let the users export their data in various formats like Pajek (NET), UCINET (DL) and Netdraw (VNA). We believe that interoperability between graph viz softwares is necessary as each one is better depending on the situation. Researchers shouldn't be locked by their data format, however as no unique graph file format is adopted, we choose to support as much formats as possible. That's why Gephi currently imports data in GML, GDF, GraphML, Pajet NET, Graphviz DOT and more...but currently lacks of exporters. The Gephi team is too small to quickly work on these features, so here is when you enter in action: We are experimenting a new way to attract developers and invite them to develop the features you want. As briefly explained in our blog ( http://gephi.org/2010/fund-a-new-gephi-feature/ ), we use Fundry, a crowdfunding platform ready for open innovation, to pledge for specific improvements like file exporters: https://fundry.com/project/20-gephi If you have some time but no money, code an exporter and you'll get paid depending on how much other people are ready to give. If you have some money but no time, pledge for an exporter you need to increase the chance to see it implemented. Kind regards, Sebastien Heymann http://gephi.org

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Re: [Air-L] Virtual Worlds and MMOGS
by Di Shaw 20 Dec '10

20 Dec '10

Hi, For an anthropological perspective: Boellstorff, T. (2008). Coming of age in second life: an anthropologist explores the virtually human. Princeton: Princeton University Press. Di

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JITP 2011: The Future of Computational Social Science - Deadline for full paper submissions is January 15
by Stuart Shulman 19 Dec '10

19 Dec '10

JITP 2011: The Future of Computational Social Science CALL FOR PAPERS May 16 & 17, 2011 at the University of Washington, Seattle, WA The 3rd annual, two-day Journal of Information Technology & Politics (JITP) thematic conference will be in Seattle, Washington, coordinated by the Department of Political Science and the Center for American Politics and Public Policy (CAPPP) at the University of Washington. APPROACH Computational social science is an emergent field and source of new theoretical and methodological innovation for social science more broadly. Multidisciplinary teams of social and computer scientists are increasingly common in the lab and at workshops where cross-fertilization occurs in the areas of theory, data, methods, and tools. Peer-reviewed interdisciplinary work is becoming more common as the computational tools and techniques of computer science are being used by social scientists. Previously, large-scale computational processing was the purview of expensive, university-centric computing labs. Now, with the democratization of technology, universities and for-profit firms increasingly provide large amounts of inexpensive computing power to researchers and citizens alike. It is the potential of these new computational technologies and related Web-based platforms for research, politics, and governance that led to the creation of the Journal of Information Technology & Politics. Previous special issues on "Text Annotation for Political Science" 5(1), "Politics: Web 2.0" 6(3/4), "YouTube and the 2008 Election Cycle in the United States" 7(2/3), and "The Politics of Open Source" (in production) have focused the attention of researchers on the expansive new landscape of digital democracy as well as the architecture and tools that underpin it. In their 2009 Science article, David Lazer and colleagues highlighted some of the future challenges for scholars working in this area. "Computational social science could become the exclusive domain of private companies and government agencies. Alternatively, there might emerge a privileged set of academic researchers presiding over private data from which they produce papers that cannot be critiqued or replicated. Neither scenario will serve the long-term public interest of accumulating, verifying, and disseminating knowledge." Luckily, the phenomenon of computational social science is distributed so widely and found in such variety that these scenarios are unlikely. The trends towards openness and data and tool sharing are notable breakthroughs in a sphere where proprietary approaches dominate. Data, method, and tool transparency are increasingly watchwords for governments and researchers. With this background in mind, we invite a wide range of paper submissions on the future of computational social science. Submissions may include, but are not limited to: * Applications of information theory to social science research * Methodologies and tools for studying users and information on social media services * Projects featuring novel uses of computer assisted qualitative data analysis software * Large-scale empirical analysis and modeling * Web technologies and data mining * Interdisciplinary methodologies in collaborative research * Pedagogical issues in computational social science * Computer simulations in political science education and training * Concepts from social sciences enhanced by computation, such as social network analysis * Innovation in socio-technical network and infrastructure analysis PAPER SUBMISSIONS Authors are invited to prepare and submit to JITP a research paper, policy viewpoint, workbench note, or teaching innovation manuscript by January 15, 2011. Proposals for full panel presentations will also be accepted. Please contact the conference manager to discuss panels. Papers accepted for publication will be invited to revise and resubmit their articles for publication in a special issue, or double issue, of JITP. Authors should "establish membership" at the JITP website, http://www.jitp.net, to submit a paper. Follow the instructions for regular article submissions, being sure to indicate that the paper is for JITP2011 in the comments section. Papers will be put through an expedited, blind peer review process by the Program Committee, and authors will be notified about a decision by March 1, 2011. A small number of papers will be accepted for presentation at the conference. Other paper authors will be invited to present a poster during an evening reception. KEYNOTE SPEAKER JITP 2011 is pleased to welcome Jaime Teevan as the 2011 Keynote Speaker. Jaime is a researcher in the Context, Learning, and User Experience for Search (CLUES) Group at Microsoft Research. Her work explores how our digital past can help shape our future information interactions. Jaime was named a Technology Review (TR35) 2009 Young Innovator for her research on personalized search. She co-authored the first book on collaborative Web search, and is co-chair of the Web Search and Data Mining (WSDM) 2012 conference. BEST PAPER AND POSTER CASH PRIZES The author (or authors) of the best research paper will receive a cash prize. The creator (or creators) of the best poster/research presentation will also receive a cash prize. PROGRAM COMMITTEE Gil ad Ariely, Lauder School of Government Diplomacy and Strategy, Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya Paul M. Baker, Georgia Institute of Technology David M. Berry, Swansea University, UK. Chris Bronk, Rice University Jana Diesner, Carnegie Mellon University Muzammil M. Hussain, University of Washington Daniel Katz, Fellow, University of Michigan, Center for the Study of Complex Systems Jacob Groshek, Iowa State University Baden Hughes, University of Melbourne Andrea Kavanaugh, Virginia Tech Georgios Lappas, Technological Educational Institution of Western Macedonia, Greece Azi Lev-On, Ariel University Center Ignacio J. Martinez-Moyano, Argonne National Laboratory and the University of Chicago Bruce Neubauer, Albany State University Andre Oboler, Monash University, Australia Justin Reedy, University of Washington Joseph W. Roberts, Roger Williams University Scott Robertson, University of Hawaii Derek Ruths, McGill University Chirag Shah, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey Mack Shelley, Iowa State University Stuart Shulman, University of Massachusetts Amherst, co-chair Anas Tawileh, Cardiff University, UK John Wilkerson, University of Washington, co-chair -- Stuart Shulman President & CEO Texifter, LLC <http://www.texifter.com/> Have you tried DiscoverText? http://discovertext.com *Featuring the Facebook Graph & Twitter APIs*

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Postdoc opportunity: Media, Activism, Participatory Politics, USC Annenberg
by Zhan Li 18 Dec '10

18 Dec '10

Hi! If it is of interest, please would you forward this notice to your listserv. Thank you! > > Please read and forward as you think relevant! Thanks! > > ------------------------------------------------------------- > USC's Annenberg School for Communication is seeking a Postdoctoral > Research Associate to join its Media, Activism, Participatory > Politics (MAPP) Case Studies Project. > > The Postdoctoral Research Associate will assume significant > responsibility in conducting case study based research for the > Project. This research will investigate the continuities between > participatory culture and civic engagement. As such, qualified > candidates should be aware of current research trends in fan > studies, civics, globalization and/or media studies and should be > ready to apply that knowledge to the case study research. > > The Postdoctoral Research Associate will have earned an advanced > degree and/or conducted previous qualitative research in one or > more of the above listed areas. Successful candidates must be able > to work independently and apply knowledge of domestic and > international participatory cultures and civic action to the > development of innovative models of civic learning and identity. > Fluency in one foreign language, especially Spanish, is strongly > preferred. The Postdoctoral Research Associate will report to the > Project's Research Director. > > The University of Southern California (USC), founded in 1880, is > located in the heart of downtown L.A. and is the largest private > employer in the City of Los Angeles. As an employee of USC, you > will be a part of a world-class research university and a member of > the "Trojan Family," which is comprised of the faculty, students > and staff that make the university what it is. > > Job Accountabilities: > > Serves as a research trainee for the purpose of enhancing and > developing research competencies. Participates in planning, > designing and conducting highly technical and complex research > projects under the direction of a supervisor. May or may not work > independently.Identifies, researches, compiles and evaluates data > sources, background information and/or technology related to area > of specialization. > Analyzes and evaluates research data utilizing computers and > provides interpretations requiring significant knowledge of a > specialized area of research. Searches literature, utilizing all > available resources including electronic, regarding new methodology > and designs experiments accordingly. > Contributes to the development of research documentation for > publication and/or prepares technical reports, papers and/or records. > Performs other related duties as assigned or requested. The > University reserves the right to add or change duties at any time. > The University of Southern California values diversity and is > committed to equal opportunity in employment. > > more information about posted position and application details: > https://jobs.usc.edu/applicants/jsp/shared/frameset/Frameset.jsp?time=12869… > > -- > Zhan Li > USC PhD Student (Organizational Communication) > Research Manager, USC Annenberg Scenario Lab > http://www.uscscenariolab.com > Research Assistant for Prof. Henry Jenkins > Teaching Assistant for Prof. Laura Portwood-Stacer > zhanli(a)usc.edu +1 (213) 590-4958 twitter:thezhanly >

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Virtual Worlds and MMOGS
by Andrew Herman 18 Dec '10

18 Dec '10

Friends- If you were to suggest two or three canonical/essential readings on persistent virtual worlds, especially of the MMOG variety, what would you suggest. Also, aside from Castranova and Malaby, who would you suggest for economics of virtual worlds. AH Andrew Herman, Ph. D. Associate Professor and Chairperson Department of Communication Studies Graduate Program in Cultural Analysis and Social Theory Wilfrid Laurier University Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3C5 CANADA 519 884-1970 x3693

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Governments shouldn’t have a monopoly on Internet governance
by jeremy hunsinger 18 Dec '10

18 Dec '10

sign the petition below, if you agree with it:) various orgs have signed it, iamcr, etc. http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/igf/ > > >> From: GLIGOR1(a)aol.com >> Date: December 17, 2010 7:16:25 PM EST >> >> Subject: Governments shouldn’t have a monopoly on Internet governance >> >> >> Governments shouldn’t have a monopoly on Internet governance >> >> 12/17/2010 07:00:00 AM >> The beauty of the Internet is that it’s not controlled by any one group. Its governance is bottoms-up—with academics, non-profits, companies and governments all working to improve this technological wonder of the modern world. This model has not only made the Internet very open—a testbed for innovation by anyone, anywhere—it's also prevented vested interests from taking control. >> >> But last week the UN Committee on Science and Technology announced that only governments would be able to sit on a working group set up to examine improvements to the IGF—one of the Internet’s most important discussion forums. This move has been condemned by the Internet Governance Caucus, the Internet Society (ISOC), the International Chamber of Commerce and numerous other organizations—who have published a joint letter (PDF) and launched an online petition to mobilize opposition. Today, I have signed that petition on Google’s behalf because we don’t believe governments should be allowed to grant themselves a monopoly on Internet governance. The current bottoms-up, open approach works—protecting users from vested interests and enabling rapid innovation. Let’s fight to keep it that way. >> >> Posted by Vint Cerf, Chief Internet Evangelist >> Jeremy Hunsinger Center for Digital Discourse and Culture Virginia Tech Live without dead time. -graffitti Paris 1968

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New Book: Digital Fandom: New Media Studies
by Paul Booth 18 Dec '10

18 Dec '10

Hi all, Apologies for the self promotion, but I wanted to announce the publication of my Digital Fandom: New Media Studies, in Peter Lang's Digital Formations series (edited by Steve Jones). Here's the blurb from the back of the book: "This book re-evaluates the way we examine todays digital media environment. By looking at how popular culture uses different digital technologies, Digital Fandom bolsters contemporary media theory by introducing new methods of analysis. Using the exemplars of alternate reality gaming and fan studies, this book takes into account a particular philosophy of playfulness in todays media in order to establish a new media studies. Digital Fandom augments traditional studies of popular media fandom with descriptions of the contemporary fan in a converged media environment. The book shows how changes in the study of fandom can be applied in a larger scale to the study of new media in general, and formulates new conceptions of traditional media theories." Specifically, the book examines Alternate Reality Gaming, blogs, wikis, and social network sites through the lens of fandom, and would be useful for classes in media studies, fandom, and issues of convergence and transmediation. For more information, you can check out a blog interview Henry Jenkins ran with me, here: http://henryjenkins.org/2010/08/args_fandom_and_the_digi-grati. "From blogs to ARGS, wikis to social networking sites, Paul Booth provides to digital in-depth tour of how fans straddle and traverse the boundary between television and media. With a theoretically rich analytic eye, 'Digital Fandom' breaks new ground for the next generation of media scholarship. "(Jason Mittell, Middlebury College, Author of 'Television & American Culture') "In this Web 2.0 world, where content is king and not community, the fan marks a new form of interactive subjectivity that deconstructs the usual categories of consumer and producer. Paul Booth's' Digital Fandom 'breaks new ground in the investigation of this subject, demonstrating how it reorganize and reorient the field of new media studies. "(David J. Gunkel, Presidential Teaching Professor, Northern Illinois University, Author of' Hacking Cyberspace and Thinking Otherwise ') Feel free to write with any questions, Cheers, Paul Booth Paul Booth Assistant Professor College of Communication DePaul University 1 E. Jackson Chicago, IL 60604 312-362-7753

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Nexus: New Intersections In Internet Research
by Tessa Houghton 17 Dec '10

17 Dec '10

Distribute as appropriate. Apologies for cross-postings. -------------------------------// *Peter Lang just published the volume "Nexus: New Intersections in Internet Research<http://www.peterlang.com/index.cfm?event=cmp.ccc.seitenstruktur.detailseite…> " *(edited by Daniel Araya, Yana Breindl and Tessa J. Houghton). It's the legacy project coming out of OII SDP09, QUT, Brisbane, Australia. The collection examines the current ways that mass collaboration intersects with sociocultural, technosocial and political changes in varied contexts, and questions their impact on established institutions and modes of production. The growing presence of digital technologies and the dramatic impact of networked collaboration pose a challenge, not only to the dominant economic paradigm, but also to a broad range of received social science thinking. This collection interrogates established theories and concepts in the light of recent developments and builds upon emergent research and original empirical findings. "*This book is a rich and varied exploration of current and emerging themes in Internet research, and a testament to the strength and diversity of the field.*" (Axel Bruns, Associate Professor, Creative Industries Faculty, Queensland University of Technology) "*This book reveals significant trends in Internet research and provides well-grounded insights into contemporary phenomena surrounding the Internet*." (Jeremy Hunsinger, Virginia Tech) "*The talented young scholars behind this collection break new ground in examining emerging collaborative uses of the Internet and the impact of such use across a range of settings. Well-written and thematically coherent, this volume takes us deeper into the social implications of ICTs, while at the same time ably demonstrating the multidisciplinary and transnational character of the developing field of Internet studies*." (Peter Dahlgren, Professor Emeritus, Media and Communication Studies, Lund University, Sweden) *Contents**:* Foreword - Ralph Schroeder Introduction: Collective Intelligence- Daniel Araya *Section 1: Sociocultural Intersections* Women and Technology: «Five Acts of Digital Agency» - Anitza Geneve/Carla Ganito Snap, Post, Share: Understanding the Online Social Life of Personal Photography - Eric Cook/Cristina Garduño Freeman Geo-linguistic Analysis of the World Wide Web: The Use of Cartograms and Network Analysis to Understand Linguistic Development in Wikipedia - Thomas Petzold/Hanteng Liao Mapping the Future of News in a Digital World: US and Australian Perspectives - Lucy Morieson/Nikki Usher: *Section 2: Technosocial Intersections* Media Literacy in the Facebook Age: Designing Online and Face to Face Learning Environments - Andrés Monroy-Hernándes/Michael Dezuanni/Kai Kuikkaniemi eHealth: Bridging the Divide between Current Performance and Legitimate Expectations in Health Care Delivery - Luca Camerini/Yujung Nam Fielding Networked Marketing: Technology and Authenticity in the Monetization of Malaysian Blogs - Julian Hopkins/Neal Thomas Cyberinfrastructure Inside Out: Definition and Influences Shaping Ist Emergence, Development, and Implementation in the Early 21st Century - Kerk Kee/Lucy Cradduck/Bridget Blodgett/Rami Olwan *Section 3: Political Intersections* Leetocracy: Networked Political Activism or the Continuation of Elitism in Competitive Democracy - Yana Breindl/Nils Gustafsson The People's Republic of Hacktivism: A Public Sphere Theoretical Interpretation of Online Independence Movements and the People's Republic of China - Tessa J. Houghton Cybercrime: A New Challenge for Legislation and International Negotiation - Yao-Chung Chang ICTs and the Green Economy: US and Chinese Policy in the 21st Century - Daniel Araya/Jin Shang/Jingfang Liu An Afterchat by Jean Burgess/Marcus Foth ----------------------------- Tessa J. Houghton PhD Student Media and Communication School of Social and Political Science University of Canterbury New Zealand "If one could conclude as to the nature of the Creator from a study of creation, it would appear that God has an inordinate fondness for stars and beetles." - J.B.S. Haldane

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The state of Internet Law
by Thomas Jones 17 Dec '10

17 Dec '10

In the US there are only a handful of law schools teaching Law, Science, and Technology tracks - otherwise known as Internet or Cyber Law. Harvard, Stanford, Yale, Columbia, and a few others have such a program or similar thereto. Most other law schools only offer a class or two in what is a young and vibrant area of law, especially in light of the recent Wikileaks escapade. Do any of you have any insight into other Law Schools that have, or are planning to have a Law, Science, and Technology Law track within their Law School? (Yes, Im looking for candidate law schools to apply to as well) :-) Do you think this is an area that is being ignored or dismissed as a legitimate niche? Please discuss! -- Thomas Jones http://www.TheOtherTomJones.com http://twitter.com/OtherTomJones http://www.linkedin.com/in/TheOtherTomJones One should guard against preaching to young people success in the customary form as the main aim in life. The most important motive for work in school and in life is pleasure in work, pleasure in its result, and the knowledge of the value of the result to the community. -- Albert Einstein, On Education -- Sent with Sparrow

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Book Announcement "Nexus: New Intersections in Internet Research"
by Yana Breindl 17 Dec '10

17 Dec '10

Distribute as appropriate. Apologies for cross-postings. Peter Lang just published the volume "Nexus: New Intersections in Internet Research" (edited by Daniel Araya, Yana Breindl and Tessa J. Houghton). The collection examines the current ways that mass collaboration intersects with sociocultural, technosocial and political changes in varied contexts, and questions their impact on established institutions and modes of production. The growing presence of digital technologies and the dramatic impact of networked collaboration pose a challenge, not only to the dominant economic paradigm, but also to a broad range of received social science thinking. This collection interrogates established theories and concepts in the light of recent developments and builds upon emergent research and original empirical findings. "This book is a rich and varied exploration of current and emerging themes in Internet research, and a testament to the strength and diversity of the field." (Axel Bruns, Associate Professor, Creative Industries Faculty, Queensland University of Technology) "This book reveals significant trends in Internet research and provides well-grounded insights into contemporary phenomena surrounding the Internet." (Jeremy Hunsinger, Virginia Tech) "The talented young scholars behind this collection break new ground in examining emerging collaborative uses of the Internet and the impact of such use across a range of settings. Well-written and thematically coherent, this volume takes us deeper into the social implications of ICTs, while at the same time ably demonstrating the multidisciplinary and transnational character of the developing field of Internet studies." (Peter Dahlgren, Professor Emeritus, Media and Communication Studies, Lund University, Sweden) ---------------------- Yana BREINDL PhD Candidate Department of Information and Communication Sciences Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), BELGIUM Tél.: + 32 (0)2 650 44 46 Fax : +32 (0)2 650 39 21 E-mail: ybreindl(a)ulb.ac.be http://www.breindl.eu/

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