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Re: [Air-L] Using ANT as ethos and method
by Andrew Herman 12 Mar '09

12 Mar '09

Jeremy- Unfortunately, I must go out out to Waterloo tomorrow so I wot be able to come to you talk and go to lunch. Next time! Andrew Herman, Ph. D. Associate Professor Department of Communication Studies Wilfrid Laurier University Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3C5 CANADA 519 884-1970 x3693 >>> jeremy hunsinger <jhuns(a)vt.edu> 02/10/09 10:30 AM >>> On Feb 10, 2009, at 10:14 AM, Tamara Paradis wrote: > Hi all > > I'm working on a graduate project that explores the controversies and > understandings of MMO gaming as valid leisure. I'm curious what is > it about > MMO gaming that results in it being viewed as geeky, strange, "luser- > ish", > etc. I've been struck by the ways in which MMO gamers themselves, as > well as > everday non-gaming folks and mass media reportage (outside of > financial > reports!) seem to accept that MMO gaming is somehow a type of > strange and > suspect pursuit. > > I've long been intrigued with the work of Bruno Latour and others > from SST > and material culture studies who use an Actor-Network Theory (ANT) > approach > to studying the world and its phenomenon. I am drawn to the ethos of > ANT > which flattens the divide between researcher and the researched, and > which > advocates jettisoning old notions of society and "the social", and > the old > (artificial?) divides between micro/macro, structure/individual, > power/domination etc. in the interests of letting the actions tell > the story > of the results. I'm equlally drawn but intimidated by the methods > built into > ANT -- the mapping of actors and connections and associations. actually ANT is not a method, it is just a way of thinking about methods. The methods usually employed are ethnography, network analysis, discourse analysis, citation analysis, and semiotics, much of the terminology of ANT comes from semiotics. > > I'm trying to convince a reluctant adviser that an ANT approach is a > valid > way of studying my research question. If you are studying the ways things in networks mould and affect the network, then ANT is a good theory to have under your belt. However, when you start to talk about systems like media and reporting, ANT loses power, it is interested in the singular objects and the systems of objects/subjects, not the system itself. So for instance, you could use ANT to easily discuss how certain elements of the MMO interfaces recruit users and provide translations of various meanings to users. You can't really use it to talk about 'newspapers', you can use it to talk about a story in a newspaper that convinced 3 people to contact 6 other people, and those people were confronted by people who understood the story differently and to describe the relationships between signs, the object(newspaper story) and the various individual to tell a story about how the tensions in the groups developed due to different interpretations of the singular object. Then you could add more to that story.... > Given the digital focus and the desire > to use ANT as ethos and method, as well as the ways in which ANT > approaches > study and fieldwork, I'm having a rough go of it. I'm wondering if > any of > you are using ANT or have used it in the past for qualitiative > research > purposes (e.g. virtual ethnography; findings reporting; etc.). If > you have > done so in the past, are in the midst of doing so now or are at least > intrigued by the possibilities, I'd be interested in talking with you > off-list. I use ANT as a way to think about objects/subjects and relationships, but I tend not to say ANT, I also tend to argue about ANT a fair amount, so take the above with a grain of salt. most people who work with ANT will tell you that they stopped using it in the 90's and they are definitely working in an age that is past, after, beyond ANT. I tend to recommend reading John Law's recent works on this and Latour's recent works, Reassembling the Social and Politics of Nature, which are all works, I'd argue, of 'after-ANT' . > > > Thanks. > > Tamara Paradis > tparadis(a)connect.carleton.ca > tsparadis(a)gmail.com > Carleton University - Sociology & Anthropology > Ottawa, ON, Canada > _______________________________________________ > The Air-L(a)listserv.aoir.org mailing list > is provided by the Association of Internet Researchers http://aoir.org > Subscribe, change options or unsubscribe at: http://listserv.aoir.org/listinfo.cgi/air-l-aoir.org > > Join the Association of Internet Researchers: > http://www.aoir.org/ _______________________________________________ The Air-L(a)listserv.aoir.org mailing list is provided by the Association of Internet Researchers http://aoir.org Subscribe, change options or unsubscribe at: http://listserv.aoir.org/listinfo.cgi/air-l-aoir.org Join the Association of Internet Researchers: http://www.aoir.org/

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CFP: Fan Studies (MPCA/ACA Oct 30-Nov 01)
by P Booth 12 Mar '09

12 Mar '09

Please forward as appropriate; apologies for cross-posting Call for Papers: FAN STUDIES 2009 Midwest Popular Culture Association/American Culture Association Conference Friday-Sunday, October 30 - November 01, 2009 Detroit, MI http://www.mpcaaca.org Deadline: April 30, 2009 The Fan Studies area of the Midwest Popular Culture and Midwest American Culture Association is now accepting proposals for its upcoming Conference in October./November The MPCA/MACA conference will be held in Detroit, MI October 30-November 01, 2009. Topics can include, but are not limited to fan fiction, multi-media fan production, fan communities, fandom of individual media texts, sports fandom, or the future of fandom. Case studies are also welcome. Please send 250 word abstract proposals on any aspect of Fan Studies to Paul Booth, at pbooth81(a)gmail.com. More information about the conference can be found at http://www.mpcaaca.org/ Please include name, affiliation, and e-mail address with the 250 word abstract.

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CFP: Hypermedia Studies (MPCA/ACA Oct 30-Nov 01)
by P Booth 12 Mar '09

12 Mar '09

Please forward as appropriate; apologies for cross-posting Call for Papers: HYPERMEDIA STUDIES 2009 Midwest Popular Culture Association/American Culture Association Conference Friday-Sunday, October 30 - November 01, 2009 Detroit, MI http://www.mpcaaca.org Deadline: April 30, 2009 The Hypermedia Studies area of the Midwest Popular Culture and Midwest American Culture Association is now accepting proposals for its upcoming Conference in October./November The MPCA/MACA conference will be held in Detroit, MI October 30-November 01, 2009. Topics can include, but are not limited to hypermedia and literature, uses of hypermedia, analyses of hypermedia works, and hypermedia and the future of technology. Case studies are also welcome. Please send 250 word abstract proposals on any aspect of Hypermedia Studies to Paul Booth, at pbooth81(a)gmail.com. More information about the conference can be found at http://www.mpcaaca.org/ Please include name, affiliation, and e-mail address with the 250 word abstract.

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mDEVELOPMENT 2009, The 1st Int. Conference on Mobile Development, Barcelona
by I Kushchu 12 Mar '09

12 Mar '09

Dear All, The 1st International Conference on Mobile Development (mDEVELOPMENT 2009 - http://www.m4life.org ) will be held during 2-3-4 September, 2009, in Barcelona, Spain as part of Mobile Life Conferences and Exhibitions. Mobile technologies have significant impact on not only individual life, societies and organizations but also on economies. This impact is clearly visible for the developing economies in Africa, Latin America and parts of the Asia. mDevelopment 2009 aims to explore the impact of the mobile technologies on economic and social development and invites all professionals from public, private, non-profit and third sector org organizations to create a prime platform for knowledge exchange and dissemination. Research paper submission deadline is the 1st of June 2009 and proposals for practice talks, workshops, tutorials, special sessions, are open and ongoing. Proposals for exhibiting demos, mobile devices, applications and services for mobile government are also welcome. The umbrella platform, Mobile LIfe 2009, explores and disseminates knowledge, applications and services aiming to convert the impact of mobile technologies to economical and social welfare for individuals, societies, governments, businesses and economies. mLIfe 2009 hosts two other conferences this year. -- EURO mGOV 2009: The 4th European Conference on Mobile Government -- mSOCIETY 2009: The Second Int. Conference on Mobile Society The conference is organized by the Mobile Government Consortium Int. (www.mgovernment.org ) in cooperation with the Barcelona City Council. It is a platform for effective interaction and dissemination of knowledge among public and private sector professionals, and researchers. For more on submissions, participation, exhibitions of demos and applications, please visit http://www.m4life.org or send email to conf(a)mlife.org ------- IBRAHIM KUSHCHU, MBA, MSC., PHD Associate Professor and Founding Director, Mobile Government Consortium International, UK http://www.mgovernment.org ik(a)mgovernment.org +44 1273 777853 ------- IBRAHIM KUSHCHU, MBA, MSC., PHD Associate Professor and Founding Director, Mobile Government Consortium International, UK http://www.mgovernment.org ik(a)mgovernment.org +44 1273 777853

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mSOCIETY 2009, The 2nd Int. Conference on Mobile Society, Barcelona
by I Kushchu 12 Mar '09

12 Mar '09

Dear All, The 2nd International Conference on Mobile Society (mSOCIETY 2009 - http://www.m4life.org ) will be held during 2-3-4 September, 2009, in Barcelona, Spain as part of Mobile Life Conferences and Exhibitions. The mSOCIETY conference aims to explore the negative and positive impact of mobile technologies, applications and services on individuals, primary relations and the societies. It covers issues related to how mobile technologies re-defines the way we interact with each other, with places we live, and the organizations we interact. Research paper submission deadline is the 1st of June 2009 and proposals for practice talks, workshops, tutorials, special sessions, are open and ongoing. Proposals for exhibiting demos, mobile devices, applications and services for mobile government are also welcome. The umbrella platform, Mobile LIfe 2009, explores and disseminates knowledge, applications and services aiming to convert the impact of mobile technologies to economical and social welfare for individuals, societies, governments, businesses and economies. mLIfe 2009 hosts two other conferences this year. -- EURO mGOV 2009: The 4th European Conference on Mobile Government -- mDEVELOPMENT 2009: The 1st Int. Conference on Mobile Development The conference is organized by the Mobile Government Consortium Int. (www.mgovernment.org ) in cooperation with the Barcelona City Council. It is a platform for effective interaction and dissemination of knowledge among public and private sector professionals, and researchers. For more on submissions, participation, exhibitions of demos and applications, please visit http://www.m4life.org or send email to conf(a)mlife.org ------- IBRAHIM KUSHCHU, MBA, MSC., PHD Associate Professor and Founding Director, Mobile Government Consortium International, UK http://www.mgovernment.org ik(a)mgovernment.org +44 1273 777853

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CFP: Mobile Life 2009 Conference and Exhibitions
by I Kushchu 12 Mar '09

12 Mar '09

-- Apologies for multiple copies -- mLife 2009: Three Conferences and Exhibitions ----------------------------------------------------------------- 2 - 3 - 4 September 2009, Barcelona, Spain, Centre de Cultura Contemporania de Barcelona ----------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.m4life.org conf(a)mlife.org “Converting impacts of mobile technologies to economical and social welfare” -- mSOCIETY 2009: The 2nd International Conference on Mobile Society -- EURO mGOV 2009: The 4th European Conference on Mobile Government -- mDEVELOPMENT 2009: The 1st Int. Conference on Mobile Development Dates: ------- Practice talk proposals :as soon as possible Research Paper Submission dead line :1st of June 2009 Submissions: ------------------ mLife conference and exhibitions are prime events for all organizations and professionals who would like to monitor, take part in, and shape the development of the social impact of the mobile revolution. They provide opportunities to businesses, public sector organizations and researchers to explore the frontiers of the social mobile revolution and be informed in order to reach their goals. Covering all aspects of mobile business, mobile society, m/e- government and mDevelopment. mLife Organisation invites research, practice and policy presentations; exhibitions and demos; tutorials and special sessions. For more on submissions please visit: http://www.m4life.org Conference Chairs: I. Kushchu (mLife 2009), Mobile Government Consortium Int. M. Bull, (mSociety 2009), Sussex University C. Borucki and J. Batlle (EURO mGOV 2009), Temple University, Japan and Barcelona City Council K. Banks, (mDevelpment 2009), Kwanja.net Program Chairs: Carl Adams, University of Portsmouth, UK Rain Rannu, Mobi Solutions & Fortumo, Estonia Organizers & Supporters: -- Mobile Government Consortium International -- Barcelona City Council For more on participation, exhibitions and sponsorship, previous conferences, please visit www.m4life.org or send email to conf(a)mlife.org

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Lacan and videogames
by Adam Davis 11 Mar '09

11 Mar '09

***Apologies for cross-posting*** A contributor to one of these lists mentioned a paper they had written on Lacan and videogames. I meant to ask for a copy but accidentally deleted the email. I wonder if the author would be so kind as to get in touch with me? Also: If anyone else knows of good papers or books on subjectivity in virtual worlds and videogames, and particularly from a Lacanian perspective on identification, I'd appreciate it! Adam Adam Davis Doctoral Student Mass Communication and Media Arts Southern Illinois University SL: Forthwith Sideways

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Research Studentship (Essex, UK): Spatial patterns of digital exclusion
by Ben Anderson 11 Mar '09

11 Mar '09

Please forward widely. Being a collaborative studentship this has a higher stipend (living allowance) than other UK Research Council studentships, covers all tuition fees and has a reasonable research expenses budget. many thanks Ben The Centre for Research in Economic Sociology and Innovation in the Department of Sociology at University of Essex invites applications for an Economic and Social Research Council/Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) Collaborative Studentship on "Modeling and analysing spatial patterns of digital exclusion" (Supervisor: Dr Ben Anderson). For more info see: http://cresi.wordpress.com/2009/03/11/research-studentship-spatial-patterns… ---- Dr Ben Anderson Centre for Research in Economic Sociology and Innovation Department of Sociology University of Essex http://cresi.wordpress.com

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New Book Series: Information Society Series: An Interdisciplinary Book Series on Technology, Law, and Society
by Michael Zimmer 11 Mar '09

11 Mar '09

The MIT Press Information Society Series -- An Interdisciplinary Series on Technology, Law, and Society Series Editors, Laura DeNardis and Michael Zimmer We are delighted to announce the formation of the MIT Press Information Society Series – an interdisciplinary series on technology, law, and society. The Information Society Series will address the social, legal, and policy implications of the Internet and new information technologies and will especially feature works from the growing global ranks of interdisciplinary scholars in information schools; communications departments; science, technology, and society programs; and programs in law, technology, and culture. We are now accepting book proposals for the series. Preference will be given to monographs rather than edited volumes and books that are interdisciplinary, normative, and global in scope. Book proposals should include: 1) a prospectus (brief description, outstanding features and uniqueness of work, audience and market considerations, status of book, and recommended reviewers); 2) a detailed table of contents; 3) sample chapters; and 4) the authors curriculum vitae. Please submit completed proposals to laura.denardis(a)yale.edu and zimmerm(a)uwm.edu . Thanks, Laura and Michael Laura DeNardis, Ph.D. is the Executive Director of the Yale Information Society Project and a Lecturer at Yale Law School. Michael Zimmer, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor in the School of Information Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and an associate at the Center for Information Policy Research. -- Michael Zimmer, PhD Assistant Professor, School of Information Studies Associate, Center for Information Policy Research University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee e: zimmerm(a)uwm.edu w: www.michaelzimmer.org

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U.S. Census Bureau: Hispanics become more prevalent on college campuses
by Debashis Aikat 10 Mar '09

10 Mar '09

Hispanic students comprised 12 percent of full-time college students (both undergraduate and graduate students) in 2007, up from 10 percent in 2006, according to U.S. Census Bureau tables released March 4, 2009. Hispanics comprise 15 percent of the nations total population. See more details at http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/education/013391.… Deb ******************************************** Debashis 'Deb' Aikat, Ph. D. Associate Professor and Media Futurist School of Journalism and Mass Communication CB # 3365, Carroll Hall 374 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3365 Phone: 919 962 4090 (office) Fax: 919 962 0620 Email: da(a)unc.edu URL: http://www.unc.edu/~daikat/ ******************************************

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