-----Original Message----- From: ciresearchers-owner@vancouvercommunity.net [mailto:ciresearchers-owner@vancouvercommunity.net] On Behalf Of Susan O'Donnell Sent: Monday, March 05, 2012 5:01 PM To: ciresearchers@vancouvercommunity.net Subject: [ciresearchers] Call for papers: JoCI The First Mile of Broadband Connectivity in Communities Dear community informatics colleagues: Attached and below is the CfP for the upcoming special issue of JoCI: The First Mile of Broadband Connectivity in Communities. For this special issue, we are looking for community stories, vision statements and research articles related to "First Mile" activities in communities, particularly rural and remote communities, around the world. Traditionally, the "last mile" of broadband refers to the final leg of connectivity from the telecommunications provider to the home. The First Mile concept turns that around - it refers to policies and practices that support communities to invest in, own and build their local broadband infrastructure and to shape and use it to meet community needs. The First Mile is an alternative to the traditional corporate, institutional, and urban-centered telecommunications approaches. Please get in touch with me or one of the other journal co-authors if you have any questions or ideas for contributions. Thanks, Susan -- Dr. Susan O'Donnell, Researcher and Adjunct Professor Department of Sociology, University of New Brunswick PO Box 1122, Fredericton, NB, Canada E3B 5C2 susanodo@unb.ca Office: 506-444-0374 Cell: 506-238-7572 http://videocom.firstnation.ca http://firstmile.ca Call for papers - Journal of Community Informatics (JoCI) Special Issue: The First Mile of Broadband Connectivity in Communities http://firstmile.ca Please distribute this call for papers to your colleagues. Articles will be published in English and French. The Journal of Community Informatics (http://ci-journal.net) is concerned with research on the uses and appropriations of information and communication technologies (ICT) that enable communities to "improve their processes, achieve their objectives and overcome the 'digital divides' that exist both within and between communities." Since its first issues, in 2004, the journal has built an excellent reputation among academics, professionals and policy-makers involved in ICT initiatives aiming at the empowerment of citizens and communities. The Journal of Community Informatics is preparing a special issue on the "First Mile" of broadband connectivity in communities, scheduled for publication in 2013. We invite contributions from community members, researchers, graduate students, government policy makers, policy analysts, activists, practitioners, community developers, project and program leaders and staff, technology developers and technicians. Traditionally, the "last mile" of broadband refers to the final leg of connectivity from the telecommunications provider to the home. The First Mile concept turns that around - it refers to policies and practices that support communities to invest in, own and build their local broadband infrastructure and to shape and use it to meet community needs. The First Mile is an alternative to the traditional corporate, institutional, and urban-centered telecommunications approaches. In Canada, the First Mile project is documenting cases of First Nations communities connected to broadband in ways that support sustainable, locally-driven services and activities (http://firstmile.ca). We would like to share Canadian First Mile-related research and stories with the international community and learn from First Mile, parallel and associated experiences internationally. This JoCI Special Issue will accept contributions in either English or French and will publish articles in either or both languages. The deadline for abstracts is May 31, 2012. What we are looking for: Contributions exploring the First Mile of broadband connectivity and parallel or associated experiences in Canada and internationally. Contributions based on accepted abstracts can be: Original research (maximum 4,000 words) Vision statements, theoretical position papers (maximum 4,000 words) Case studies / community stories (500 to 1,500 words) Contributions can focus on these and related topics: Case studies of First Mile initiatives or parallel / associated experiences in communities Theories about First Mile initiatives and related experiences in communities Community alternatives to corporate telecommunications services Policy frameworks and public funding programs structured to support community-owned construction and operation of broadband infrastructure How communities are applying principles of OCAP (ownership, control, access and possession) to the data flowing on their local networks Experiences of strategic partnerships that sustain these community initiatives Community ownership and delivery of community services using broadband Community economic development using broadband networks The economic business case to sustain the operation and maintenance of the community network and the applications The supports, partners, infrastructure and local capacity necessary to sustain First Mile operations Public / government procurement policies and programs for services that support the First Mile telecom network Challenges and opportunities for community-owned local broadband networks Community-based approaches for researching First Mile initiatives Timelines: Anytime: Email any of the guest editors with questions May 31, 2012: Deadline for abstracts - abstracts must include author(s) and affiliation(s) and an outline of the contribution (maximum 200 words). Email abstracts to Susan O'Donnell (susanodo@unb.ca) June 30: Decisions to authors September 30: Deadline for authors to submit completed contributions October-November 2012: Peer-review November: Decisions, requests for revisions sent to authors January 2013: Authors submit final versions for publication January-February 2013: Translation of articles into French / English April 2013: JoCI Special Issue published online Guest co-editors: Susan O'Donnell (susanodo@unb.ca) - University of New Brunswick (www.unb.ca) Brian Beaton (brian.beaton@knet.ca) & Brian Walmark (brian.walmark@knet.ca) - Keewaytinook Okimakanak (www.knet.ca) Tim Whiteduck (TWhiteduck@cepn-fnec.com) - First Nations Education Council (www.cepn-fnec.com) Kevin Burton - (admin@firstnationhelp.com) - Atlantic Canada's First Nation Help Desk (www.firstnationhelp.com) Rob McMahon (rma29@sfu.ca) & Richard Smith (smith@sfu.ca) - Simon Fraser University (www.sfu.ca) Michael Gurstein (gurstein@gmail.com) - Centre for Community Informatics Research, Development and Training (www.communityinformatics.net) William McIver, Jr. (Bill.McIver@nrc.gc.ca) - National Research Council (www.nrc.ca) & University of New Brunswick (www.unb.ca Deadline for abstracts: May 31, 2012 Email abstracts to: Susan O'Donnell susanodo@unb.ca