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FW: Job announcement: Northwestern University
by Holly Kruse 15 Oct '08

15 Oct '08

Forwarded on request Holly --------- Tenure-Track Positions in Media, Technology, and Society The Department of Communication Studies in the Northwestern University School of Communication seeks to hire for three tenure- track appointments beginning September 1, 2009. Two positions will be at the level of assistant professor, and one will be open as to rank. We are looking for candidates who can work in a strong interdisciplinary program and advance a vital area of research. Possible areas of expertise include but are not limited to: media industries, institutions, publics, and policy; digital media; media and social networks; technology, work, and organizations; computer- mediated communication, human-computer interaction, global media, information infrastructures, and history of communication and information technologies. The Department of Communication Studies supports a popular undergraduate major and graduate programs in Media, Technology, and Society, Interaction and Social Influence, and Rhetoric and Public Culture. Scholarship includes leading work on new media, technology and society, social networks, and the cultural determination of the public sphere. Through special resources for research support and scholarly event programming, the department is able to offer rich opportunities for scholarly development. Northwestern University is an equal opportunity, affirmative action educator and employer. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply. Hiring is contingent on eligibility to work in the United States. Applications should be sent to Professor Noshir Contractor, Chair, MTS Search Committee, Department of Communication Studies, Northwestern University, 2240 Campus Drive, Evanston, Il 60208-3545. Applications should include a CV, evidence of teaching effectiveness, and three letters of recommendation. Initial review of applications will begin on October 31, 2008, with continual reviews of subsequently-received applications until all positions are filled or a final review deadline of December 31, 2008 is reached.

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IR9 Cph: informal get-together in town tonight
by Lisbeth Klastrup 15 Oct '08

15 Oct '08

Hi all, To those of you in Copenhagen and wondering how to spend a rainy evening inside!: If you're new in town and don't already have other arrangements, the conf organisers have made a special deal with "Vesterbro Bryghus" (Vesterbro Brewery House) Vesterbrogade 2B HAPPY BEER-HOUR >From 20.30 - 21.30 Wednesday night, as a Internet Research 9.0 delegate you can buy two beer-coupons at the price of one beer! (ie 2 coupons for DKK59). "Beer" being their own special brew on taps. They've made special coupons for us, just ask in the bar. One beer is 0,5 litres, so that's a lot to drink - so you could team up with another IR9 person, share the coupons & get one 0,5 l beer at the price of 30 DKK (which is, I'm afraid, actually quite cheap by Copenhagen standards!). The local committe will be there to meet & greet you and we will make sure to wear our IR9 nametags, so you can see who we are. We'll likely stick around to 10pm-ish. And I'm quite positive that around 90% of people around in the brewery will be other delegates, so for once, don't hesitate to introduce yourself to strangers... Fyi, Vesterbro Bryghus is allocated right next to the City Hall square, around 15-20 min walk from Kgs. Nytorv, and 10-15 min. walk from the City Center Hostel and CabInn. Also see location on map-link below. Regarding other social events, don't forget: * official conference reception @ ITU, Thursday at 18.45 * conference banquet Saturday at 18.30 (- if you havent signed up for the banquet, you can still show up for the after-party at 22.30 when our invited CphDJ Allan Lyneskov will make you wanna dance all night!) We look forward to meeting you soon :) many greetings, the local organisers Location of brewery (see the red pin) http://www.krak.dk/query?mop=aq&mapstate=7%3B12.573089281437923%3B55.676654…

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Thought Fest 2008 - call for participation
by cristina costa 15 Oct '08

15 Oct '08

Dear Researcher Colleagues, Sorry about the cross-posting. I just wanted to share with you an event we are putting together and which we hope some of you will take part in. Opportunity to apply to ThoughtFest December08 [Totally unConference!!!!] in Manchester / University of Salford. ThoughtFest 08 (Twemes: #TFest08) is a two-day event being organized by Pontydysgu with the support of the JISC Evolve network and the European Mature-IP project. The event will bring together researchers in Technology Enhanced Learning in an open forum to debate the current issues surrounding educational technologies and discuss how and where research impacts on practice and where practice drives research. Full details about the evnt and how you can get involved can be accessed here: http://tinyurl.com/4q7hcf Thank you. Best wishes. Cristina -- Cristina Costa Site: www.knowmansland.com Blog: http://knowmansland.com/learningpath Skype: navysternchen Twitter: cristinacost

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CfP: CHI 09 workshop - Social Mediating Technologies: Developing the Research Agenda (deadline Oct 23)
by Victor M. Gonzalez 15 Oct '08

15 Oct '08

CHI 09 workshop: Call for Participation April 4, 2009, Boston USA Social Mediating Technologies: Developing the Research Agenda Are you interested in /researching Social Networking Sites, e-Communities, other collaborative Internet Technologies ? Do you want to discuss the complex reasons why these technologies are a run away success with leaders in the field ? If so read on.. The popularity of social networking sites such as MySpace, Facebook and Bebo, and online communities like Wikipedia and Flickr, has launched a debate about the social impact of these technologies. This workshop will review the current state of the art in social networking technologies and develop a deeper, theory-based understanding of these socio-technical phenomena. Workshop Goals This workshop will survey, discuss and synthesise current knowledge on Social Mediating Technologies (SMTs) usage to develop a research agenda for future studies. It will also provide a forum for researchers from academia and industry to exchange insights into how these technologies are being used in society and industrial organisations. (i) to bring together researchers in academia and industry, and from diverse backgrounds (psychology, sociology, computer science, etc.) who are interested in understanding the impact of social mediating technologies; (ii) to create a road map for future research directions. The immediate goals are to survey current knowledge of SMT research and develop a deeper understanding of these phenomena from both a social and technological perspective. The workshop aims to develop a road map of issues to conceptualise the SMT research space and set the future research agenda in this field, to look beyond the current investigations and descriptive studies to more theory-led research. Participation- Submissions To participate please submit either a position paper (1,500-2,000 words) or an extended paper (up to 8,000 words) reporting more substantial research, on the following topics: . Empirical and ethnographic studies into the use of social-mediating technologies (e.g. e-communities, SNS, CMC sites). . Social network analysis in social mediating technologies. . Comparative surveys of use of social technologies, ranging from e-mail to Internet SNS. . Computational models and simulations of social technologies. . Critical evaluations of social technologies, design affordances, usability problems, etc. . Theories, models and frameworks of technology-mediated socialisation. Send submissions to Alistair Sutcliffe as Word or PDF attachments: ags(a)man.ac.uk by the end of 23rd October 2008, (whatever your time zone).- lets us know if you need more time Key Questions Research questions which could be addressed range from theoretical connections to pragmatic analyses of use and assessment of the design features of current technologies, as well as looking forward to the next generation of SMTs: . How do SMTs foster the formation of new relationships, or is most usage simply maintenance of existing face-to-face relationships? . How do SMTs contribute to the identity of communities and groups? . Do people change their behaviour online? Evidence suggests that people are less security-conscious online, so the deeper question is, why? . How good are people at detecting bogus usage in social technologies, e.g. advertising; alternatively, do they see advertising as legitimate? . Which design features of SMTs afford the formation and maintenance of relationships? . Which design features of SMTs help group and community identity, and maintenance of diaspora relationships? For more details see workshop web site http://social-mediating-technologies.org/ Organisers Alistair Sutcliffe, University of Manchester Manchester, UK ags(a)man.ac.uk Victor M. Gonzalez, University of Manchester Manchester, UK victor.gonzalez(a)mbs.ac.uk Robert Kraut Human Computer Interaction Laboratory Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh PA, USA robert.kraut(a)cmu.edu Program panel John Carroll, IST, Penn State University, USA Nicole Ellison, Michigan State University, USA Judith Donath, Media Lab, MIT Marcus Foth, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Australia Cameron Marlow, FaceBook, USA Susan O'Donnell, NRC IIT, Canada Alex (Sandy) Pentland, MIT, USA May Beth Rosson, IST, Penn State University, USA

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more copenhagen questions
by Paul Emerson Teusner 14 Oct '08

14 Oct '08

Hey is anyone in CPH already? Where's a good place to get a drink and who's going? paul emerson teusner fishers, surfers and casters - <http://teusner.org/> http://teusner.org/ bio - <http://paulteusner.org/> http://paulteusner.org/

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Call for Papers related to computer-mediated communication
by Charles Ess 14 Oct '08

14 Oct '08

I'm very happy to pass this on, on behalf of Dr. Rasha Abdulla (one of the contributors to our special issue of JCMC (vol. 12, no. 3) on religion and the Internet) - charles ess Dr. Rasha Abdulla, rasha(a)aucegypt.edu <mailto:rasha@aucegypt.edu> Call for Papers related to computer-mediated communication (Apologies for cross-postings) Dear colleagues, I have been assigned as editor of a new monthly book series aimed at the youth audiences in Egypt and relating to computers, the Internet, and computer-mediated communication in general. If you have a monograph, book chapter, or article on the subject that you would like to see published or re-published in Arabic for Egyptian audiences, please contact me. We will do the translation and all aspects of design at no cost to the author, who will (of course) have his/her name on the cover of the book. There is also a small honorarium for the author. The manuscript could be written specifically for our series, or it could be an already existing publication in English. It would be especially interesting if the manuscript tackles an aspect of computer-mediated communication as it relates to the Arab world, but this is not necessary. The series will cover a broad range of topics related to CMC and meant for a general audience. The new book series is a publication of the Egyptian Authority for Cultural Palaces, which is affiliated with the Egyptian Ministry of Culture. The book series aims at increasing knowledge and penetration of computer- and Internet use in Egypt, and at generating high readership rates of such topics. As such, books will be sold to the public at a nominal fee of about 1 to 5 Egyptian pounds (about 20 cents to under a dollar). If you are interested in becoming part of this effort and getting published in a different language, or if you have any questions or comments, please contact me at rasha(a)aucegypt.edu <mailto:rasha@aucegypt.edu> Thank you very much. -- Rasha A. Abdulla, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Journalism and Mass Communication The American University in Cairo www.rashaabdulla.com <http://www.rashaabdulla.com/>

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practical communication question
by KMV 13 Oct '08

13 Oct '08

To anyone familiar with Copenhagen, what's the cheapest, easiest way to get a cell phone for a week? --And where? Thx, and see you all soon! Kim -- Kim De Vries http://else-if-then.blogspot.com

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CFP on E-Learning Final Call
by Olaniran, B 13 Oct '08

13 Oct '08

CALL FOR CASES Proposal Submission Deadline: October 15, 2008 Notification of Proposal Acceptance: October 20, 2008 Cases on Successful E-Learning Practices in the Developed and Developing World: Methods for the Global Information Economy. A book edited by Bolanle A. Olaniran, Texas Tech University, USA The Overall Objective of the Book In the fields of E-Learning, Information systems and Knowledge management, there exists a need for an edited collection of articles and especially case studies. Case studies can point to assessment of e-learning in terms of practical guide and points of good practices, while addressing potential pitfalls to avoid. Therefore, organizations, practitioners, and individuals alike, need to be aware of what constitutes good and effective e-learning practices and how to design them for specific contexts and audiences in the global information economy. At the same time, it would help to address issues of maintaining open access to e-learning architecture platforms in less economically developed countries where computer access is sporadic at best, but mobile device penetration is in the uptrend. Also, the idea of open access while maintaining or not sacrificing privacy and security is a must. Few of us, however, understand all of these nuances of the e-learning and the related communication factors that affect it. However, such an understanding is required for individuals and organizations to better invoke or implement successful e-learning in the global information age and economy. For this reason, collections of case studies in e-learning can reveal communication practices that can significantly benefit learners and vendors in the in the information and global economy. Posible topics: Culture, organizational culture, and society culture Socio-technical challenges Other challenges Practical guides Implications of e-learning in developed and developing worlds Mobile devices and e-learning Security and privacy issues Digital divide Bridging e-learning divide Learning styles Cognitive learning Transformative effects and transformative learning Social networking and learning E-learning and mobile devices Decision processes in e-learning Communication and interactions in e-learning Learners and organization concerns Researchers and practitioners are invited to submit on or before October 15, 2008, a 2-3 page manuscript proposal clearly explaining the mission and concerns of the proposed case. Authors of accepted proposals will be notified by October 20, 2008 about the status of their proposals and sent case organizational guidelines. Full cases are expected to be submitted by December 1, 2008. All submitted cases will be reviewed on a double -blind review basis. This book is scheduled to be published by IGI Global submissions can be forwarded electronically (Word document) to: Dr. Bolanle A. Olaniran, email: B.Olaniran(a)ttu.edu

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Avant Garde art & Open Source Programming
by Niels Hendriks 13 Oct '08

13 Oct '08

Dear All on the 17th of October the Croatian activist/programmer/new media artist/curator Nenad Romic (aka Marcell Mars) will give a lecture on Avant garde Art & Open Source programming, the internet as a counter culture, his experiments on setting up a new fysical network structure as a way to question the existing ones,... (bio further in this message). You are all welcome on the 17th of October (as of 14.30h) at Kaai16 (www.kaai16.be) in Hasselt (Belgium). The event is free and will be broadcasted live on our Ustream-channel http://www.ustream.tv/expmed. This is an organisation of the Belgian new media master Communication- & MultimediaDesign (http://www.c-md.be) BIO Nenad Romic (aka Marcell Mars) (http://ki.ber.kom.uni.st) _free software advocate_, _cultural explorer_, _social instigator_... Marcell is one of the founders of Multimedia Institute - mi2 and net.culture club mama in Zagreb. He initiated GNU GPL publishing label EGOBOO.bits, TamTam platform for on-line collaboration, NGODE software for NGOs financial management. He initiated Skills sharing regular informal meetings of enthusiasts in mama + started Skills sharing's satellites g33koskop and 'The Fair of Mean Equipment'. Marcell participated in collborative artistic projects like NRD Kit of NRD Van group of artists, gifoskop (interactive animation) together with Nikolina Pristas & Maja Marjancic, and did programming and technical support for EditThisBanner (by Lina Kovacevic), Flying Carpet (by Lala Rascic) and Telephoning (by Ivan Marusic Klif). He was one of the organizers of summer camps "Otokultivator" on island Vis (together with URK/Močvara & EASA Croatia) and SummerSource (together with TacticalTech). Marcell participated in curating or producing mi2 yearly exhibitions "I'm still alive" (2001), re:Con and Freedom to creativity!" (2005) and in conceptual exhibition "System.hack()" (2006). He is a member of Creative Commons Team Croatia.

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Book Announcement: CAMGIRLS: Celebrity and Community in the Age of Social Networks
by Terri Senft 13 Oct '08

13 Oct '08

Hi Friends, So, we're all about to head to Copenhagen and I just realized I never announced my book on AIR-L. This is a problem, as I expect people to be buying me beer to celebrate. The title is CAMGIRLS: Celebrity and Community in the Age of Social Networks (Peter Lang Publishers.) If you are teaching or researching in the areas of social networks, visual communications, online ethics, sexuality and/or gender, this may be a book for you. There are a couple of ways to get hold of it: --You can order it from Amazon for about 2/3 the publisher's list price at http://tinyurl.com/3r5pkl --You can get it at the AoIR conference (Lang usually has a table there; yes?) --If you think you'd like to write a review or adopt it for a class, drop me a line and I will GIVE you a copy, for free, even! A description of the book is below, as are links to some downloadable chapters. See you in Copenhagen!! Terri Senft --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DESCRIPTION It's 10 a.m. on any given day, and the windows of the Web are wide open. On YouTube, a group of twelve-year-old girls have filmed themselves imitating Destiny's Child. At Stickam.com, an academic is puzzling out his next day's lecture on a live video stream. On LiveJournal, bloggers are reading random strangers' diary entries. And on Facebook, parents are posting updates on their children's lives for the world to see. This self-documentation craze isn't new. Since the 1990s it has been the stock in trade of camgirls: women with web cams who have chosen to broadcast their lives to anyone with an interest in watching. Camgirls: Celebrity and Community in the Age of Social Networks examines the lives of some of the earliest camgirls, beta-testers for technologies and conditions that are now a natural part of our media landscape … and women who cultivated a measure of fame in the process. To their fans, camgirls are honest, refreshing, and even revolutionary. To their detractors, they are annoying, narcissistic, and often obscene. The first camgirls were the pioneers of today's era of 'microcelebrity': a time in which everyone has the potential to be famous—to fifteen people. Camgirls is the result of four years of ethnographic research with more than fifty camgirls and hundreds of viewers. Drawing from writers as diverse as Douglas Holt (on branding) to P. David Marshall (on celebrity) to Donna Haraway (on cyborgs) to Barry Wellman (on networked individualism) to Gayatri Spivak (on strategic essentialism) to David Angelides (on teen sexuality), it offers a fresh historical and contemporary analysis that speaks to the fields of internet, media, film, cultural, and women's studies. Camgirls is an exploration of the construction and presentation of the self in the online era --- of how we establish and maintain ourselves as people and as personae when we live our lives online. It asks why women are encouraged to express themselves through confession, celebrity and sexual display, yet punished with censure and backlash when their representation becomes 'too much' to handle. The book is written in lively, engaging, reader-friendly prose and is suitable for both undergraduate and postgraduate audiences. LIST OF CHAPTERS --Introduction: The Personal as Political in the Age of the Global Brand (download at www.terrisenft.net/camgirls/chapters/intro.pdf) --Chapter 1: Keeping it Real on the Web: Authenticity, Celebrity, Branding (download at www.terrisenft.net/camgirls/chapters/ch1.pdf) --Chapter 2: I'd Rather be a Camgirl than a Cyborg: The Future of Feminism on the Web --Chapter 3: Being and Acting Online: From Telepresence to Tele-ethicality --Chapter 4: The Public, the Private and the Pornographic (download at www.terrisenft.net/camgirls/chapters/ch4.pdf) --Chapter 5: I am a Network: From 'Friends' to Friends -- Conclusion: Moving from 'Sisters' to Sisters ABOUT THE AUTHOR Theresa M. Senft is a Senior Lecturer in Media Studies at the University of East London, U.K. Her books include History of the Internet, 1843-Present (co-author), and a special issue of Women & Performance devoted to sexuality and cyberspace (co-editor). Terri has published in The New York Times, appeared on U.S. National Public Radio, and been featured in the documentary Webcam Girls. She brings the perspective of a former camgirl to the book as well, having lived with a web camera in her house for a year as a part of her research. -- Dr. Theresa M. Senft Senior Lecturer, Media Studies School of Social Sciences, Media and Cultural Studies University of East London Docklands Campus 4-6 University Way London E162RD www.terrisenft.net www.livejournal.com/users/tsenft

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