*CFP: Digital Diasporas and Transnational Social Movements: Capital, Labor, Mobility and Identity* Editor - Radhika Gajjala (see http://personal.bgsu.edu/~radhik ) "Digital diasporas" occur at the intersection of local/ global, national/ international, private/public, offline/online and embodied/disembodied. In digital diasporas, a multiplicity of representations, mass media broadcasts, textual and visual performances and interpersonal interactions occur. The term *"digital diaspora"* is most often used to talk about how diasporic populations the world over use the Internet to connect to each other. Scholars such as Anna Everett (2009) and Jeniffer Brinkerhoff (2009) have each used the phrase in relation to very specific situated histories of forced migrations (African American histories of slavery) and transnational travel respectively. The link to labor flows and hierarchies of colonialisms and digital globalization is clear in both. In most general usage of the phrase "digital diaspora," however, it is used to describe migrant populations without attention to the specific conditions of subjectivity that produces diasporas. Further, it is interesting that international NGOs (specifically the United Nations) and Transnational corporations as well as National businesses have mobilized the notion of digital diaspora in "reverse brain-drain" efforts where very materially successful transnationals and migrants with moneys to invest actually get to return home. In the past I have edited a couple publications that center around South Asian Digital Diasporas (a Special Section of New Media and Society in 2006) and South Asian Technospace (a co-edited collection of essays). My intent with this next volume on digital diasporas is to include material that helps elaborate on the more current platforms where links between transnational capital and labor flows can be mapped in the context of the increasing NGOization and ITization of the globe. Thus questions include (but are not limited to) - why "digital diaspora" and why now? What forms a "digital diaspora" within gaming environments and social networks? How are non-profits and transnational corporations (similarly or differently) mobilizing this idea of digital diaspora in relation to labor and capital flows? How does a "digital diaspora" form - how does it "look" - how does it function and so on.
From prospective contributors, I will need an extended abstract of 800 to 1000 words that fleshes out the theoretical and methodological approaches in relation to a specific site that will be examined.
Due Dates: 1] Extended abstract due on July 26th, 2011 2] You will hear back about your abstracts by August 15th 2011 - with suggestions on how you can proceed if the abstract is considered acceptable for the collection 3] Full essays are due by October 1, 2011. If you have questions regarding the publisher and what exactly I'm looking for and so on - feel free to email me - <Radhika@cyberdiva.org> radhika@cyberdiva.org <Radhika@cyberdiva.org> with the subject header "digital diasporas." -- Radhika Gajjala Director, American Culture Studies Professor of Communication Studies and Cultural Studies 101 East Hall Bowling Green State University Bowling Green, OH 43403 http://personal.bgsu.edu/~radhik