Dear all, CfP: ICA Preconference - Internet governance Internet governance: Bridging "users" and "stakeholders" Date: June 7-8, 2016 Location: The HK Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong Sponsors: - The HK Polytechnic University, - The Department of Applied Social Sciences, HK Polytechnic University, - French Centre for Research on Contemporary China (CEFC) Organisers: David Kurt Herold, Séverine Arsène Website: http://ica-governance.strikingly.com/ Deadline for abstract submissions: 1 January 2016 Internet governance can be broadly conceived as the design, implementation, regulation, management, uses and perceptions of Internet networks and services. It involves multifaceted processes and logics, from users, who contribute to building the characteristics of the Internet through their choices and usages of online services beyond the plans of developers or regulators, to the social, political, and economic positions and ideologies of businesses, agencies, government institutions, and international bodies. As evidenced from abundant research in Science and Technology Studies, the Internet as a technological artefact has become an expression of the acceptable, not only of the possible. It is the ever-changing result of technological choices made for non-technological reasons. The Internet has become easier to use as users do not have to worry about any of the networking framework or the underlying technologies to access it. Pointing and clicking, coupled with a few, very basic skills, e.g. typing, choosing the right software, etc. allow almost anybody to start a video chat with another person in another country, and to transmit files to them. The end-user doesn't have to worry about the TCP/IP protocols, location of ISP servers, the routing of messages, choices of backbone server connections, datastream conversions, network packages, etc. - it is all handled for them with little transparency of room for choice. There is still a long way to go in terms of raising users' awareness and agency, in a field that actually bears high stakes in terms of privacy, security and freedom of speech. The easy crossing or avoiding of national boundaries using networking technologies has also led to a rise in complaints about some of the data available online. From the clear-cut case of 'child pornography' to cultural and legal differences in attitudes towards gambling, religious jokes, language choices, etc. the use of the Internet has raised important questions about regulation, surveillance and control to safeguard the rights, privacy, and safety of all users of these networks, along with facilitation of access to networks. This phenomenon challenges the sovereignty of nation states and the limits of the jurisdiction of national governments both intra- as well as inter-nationally. Over the past decade, governments have begun to take action with regulatory efforts aimed at protecting their citizens from perceived dangers of the Internet, which has led to the criminalisation of many activities and a divergence of permissible online interactions based on national boundaries of the reach and power of states and their laws. However a large part of Internet governance remains in the hands of other actors like private companies (eg. terms of use) or other non-state actors (eg. standards, dispute resolution). In this regard it is surprising to note the gap that exists between the agencies created to govern or to discuss the governance of the Internet and its infrastructure with a discursive mandate to keep the Internet 'free' and 'open', e.g. ICANN, the IGF, etc. and the users of Internet services, most of whom have never even heard of these agencies, and are seldom asked their opinions about how the Internet should be governed. Internet governance is being discussed and decided by a variety of actors who have designated themselves stakeholders because they control parts of the infrastructure of the Internet, but who are not representing the users of the Internet, while the latter appear to have only vague notions of how the Internet is regulated and governed. As most of these developments have happened without clear overall planning or even statements of intent, there is a need to re-examine Internet governance as it is developing out of largely unrelated practices at different levels and by different sets of actors. This preconference invites paper proposals that address the following types of questions: - Who controls the Internet - and how? - Who are the stakeholders in Internet governance and what do they want? - How do approaches to Internet governance differ internationally? - What kind of governance do Internet users expect and want? - How included or excluded are Internet users from Internet governance? - Can the Internet be considered as a global common good? - Is an Internet of nations in the making? - How are issues of public interest and accountability addressed in current Internet governance discussions? - What is at stake behind such debates as net neutrality, territorialisation, data privacy or open networks? - What are the implications of developments in Internet governance for the study of the Internet as a tool for communication, or as interactive media, or ...? - To what extent have communication studies taken into account different Internet governance regimes in different parts of the world? The preconference aims to identify some of the gaps in studies of stakeholders in Internet governance and actual Internet users in order to create spaces for exploration towards alternative models for Internet governance and alternative approaches to communication studies taking into account geo-political realities as well as the opinions of Internet users. TO SUBMIT AN ABSTRACT: Send a 400-word abstract and 75-word bio by JANUARY 1, 2015 to: David Herold (David.Herold@polyu.edu.hk) The organisers will provide feedback on all submissions by January 15. PRESENTERS are asked to REGISTER for the conference BY FEBRUARY 15. NON-PRESENTERS can register up to ONE MONTH BEFORE the conference. Registration fee: HKD 100 (~ 13 US Dollar) Registration page: http://ica-governance.strikingly.com/ ==================== Dr. David Kurt Herold Assistant Professor Department of Applied Social Sciences HK Polytechnic University Hung Hom, Kowloon Hong Kong Phone: (+852)-3400 3015 Email: David.Herold@polyu.edu.hk ==================== [http://mlm.polyu.edu.hk/intimate/templates/images/PolyU/PolyU_Email_Signatur...] Disclaimer: This message (including any attachments) contains confidential information intended for a specific individual and purpose. If you are not the intended recipient, you should delete this message and notify the sender and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (the University) immediately. Any disclosure, copying, or distribution of this message, or the taking of any action based on it, is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. The University specifically denies any responsibility for the accuracy or quality of information obtained through University E-mail Facilities. 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