The Committee of the "Building & Bridging Community Networks: Knowledge, Innovation & Diversity through communication" conference issues a call for your participation in an exciting opportunity to network with others engaged in community networking, community informatics and community technology research, practice and policy. The conference, which forms part of an Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) research project (RES-328-25-0012), funded through the People at the Centre of Communication and Information Technology (PACCIT) research programme, is intended to act as a catalyst for creating communication and knowledge linkages between those involved in community networking. In order to create synergy and understanding between practitioners, researchers and policy, it is important that knowledge of the issues and problems surrounding community networking be identified, articulated, recorded and shared in the form of a dynamic and ongoing community networking knowledgebase. To this end the conference welcomes contributions from practitioners, researchers and policy-makers in the following areas: . Community networking case studies . Community network analysis as a methodology and theory . Community Informatics as an emerging research agenda . The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) and the role Of Civil Society . Communication and Development - theory and practice . A human-centred approach to community technology - moving beyond causality to purposiveness . Indigenous knowledge and cultural diversity . Grass-roots community innovation and action These subjects are timely because in addition to the recent World Summit on the Information Society event in Geneva, the period between March and September, 2004 will see a number of important conferences taking place on the subject of community network or related areas. The Canadian Research Alliance for Community Information Networks (CRACIN) will be launched in the form of an International Workshop in May, 2004. The eighth biennial Participatory Design Conference will be held between July 27-31, 2004 at the University of Toronto, Canada and will have a strong community networking component. The second international colloquium of the Community Informatics Research Network (CIRN) is being convened in Prato, Italy at the end of September. The Brighton conference provides an excellent opportunity for community networkers - researchers, practitioners and policy makers alike - to establish links and share experiences and knowledge with people, groups and organisations engaged in the excitingly diverse activities that constitute community networking. We are looking to bring together researchers, practitioners and policymakers to discuss/summarize/theorize/and draw conclusions or lessons learned from some ten years of practical work and research experience in applying information and communications technology to enabling and empowering communities of all kinds. Our conference will also provide an opportunity for researchers, practitioners, and policy-makers to reflect on and draw conclusions from a range of currently relevant areas, fields and practices. A conference website will be developed early in the New Year. Submissions for this conference can take the form of extended abstracts, position papers or full papers. Extended abstracts and position papers should be no more than 1500 words. Full papers including citations, tables, diagrams and references should be no more than 5000 words. Harvard citation style is mandatory and the conference language is English. The Conference Committee will decide which extended abstracts or position papers will be accepted as full papers to be presented at conference. An opportunity will exist for a number of extended abstracts and position papers to also be presented to conference. Important Dates: Conference: 31st March - 2nd April, 2004 Venue: Old Ship Hotel, Brighton, East Sussex, England Extended abstracts, position papers and full papers must be submitted by 15th February, 2004. All submissions will be blind peer reviewed by two referees. Late submissions will not be accepted. Send abstracts, position papers, full papers to Peter Day p.day@btinternet.com Notifications of acceptance/rejection will be sent by 25th February, 2004 All amended submissions must be received by 15th March, 2004 All successful extended abstracts, position papers and full papers will appear in the conference proceedings. It is also anticipated that an edited book and various journal publications will result as an outcome of the conference. Further details available at: TBA Current Conference Committee Peter Day, SEAKE Centre, School of Computing, Mathematical and Information Sciences, University of Brighton Doug Schuler, The Evergreen State College, Washington Jon Dron, SEAKE Centre, School of Computing, Mathematical and Information Sciences, University of Brighton Karamjit Gill, Professor, SEAKE Centre, University of Brighton Michael Gurstein, (Visiting) Professor, School of Management New Jersey Institute of Technology Don Schauder, Professor, School of Information Management and Systems, Monash University Graeme Johanson, School of Information Management and Systems/Centre for Community Networking Research, Monash University Larry Stillman, School of Information Management and Systems/Centre for Community Networking Research, Monash University Michel Menou, CoVITALC, Latin America & Caribbean Scott S. Robinson, Depto. De Antropologia, Universidad Metropologia, Mexico Stewart Marshall, Professor, Faculty of Informatics & Communication, Central Queensland University Wal Taylor, Faculty of Informatics & Communication, Central Queensland University Send abstracts, position papers, full papers to Peter Day p.day@btinternet.com Please forward to relevant lists, and please excuse cross-postings