On May 25, 2005, at 1:39 PM, Ellis Godard wrote:
Perhaps you misunderstand the AUT's blacklist, which itself is political, whereas opposition to it is not. The blacklist interferes with academic freedom, impeding the very plurality which, as you note, the AOIR tries to advance, and inhibits international groups from speaking equally.
i'm actually not involved in the AUT debate at all.
The opposition to it is a-political, and includes a wide range of organizations such as the National Academy of Sciences, the New York Academy of Sciences, the American Association of University Professors, the Middle East Studies Association, the American Political Science Association, the American Mathematical Society, and even a local chapter of the AUT.
yes, those are the appropriate venues for your interest.
What part of the AOIR population would be alienated by defending academic interaction against the encroachment of politics?
it is not this topic that alienates, it is the tendency to begin to make political statements, which will eventually alienate. We don't do any political statements, against anyone, or for anyone, at least under our current bylaws and incorporation . AoIR's purpose is pretty clear: (a) to provide an international, interdisciplinary and interprofessional organization for promotion of scholarly and critical research into the social, cultural, political, economic and aesthetic aspects of the Internet. (b) to organize and sponsor regular conferences to provide a forum so those engaged in Internet research can meet and exchange information about their work. (c) to sponsor and disseminate information about Internet research through publication of a site on the WorldWideWeb and through other publications. (d) to encourage recognition of Internet studies as an area for scholarly research, curriculum development and teaching. (e) to establish connections between the scholarly community, those in Internet and Internet-related industries, and Internet users. (f) to encourage the development of research and systematic study in topics and areas of Internet and Internet-related phenomena where such study is not well developed, both in terms of pioneering, substantive intellectual areas and in terms of regions, localities and institutions interested in Internet studies. (g) to be a clearinghouse for information about Internet research resources and encourage their development. (h) to encourage socially responsible Internet research that serves the common good. (i) to engender a networked approach to the establishment, growth, and organization of this association. Other organizations may have more socially active or policy-oriented bylaws. but the above is what we do, and it does not involve in my ability to discern developing statements as you request. You can ask the President to bring this to the Exec's attention, but I would expect that we would read the bylaws and say 'it is outside of our mission'.
-eg
Jeremy Hunsinger Center for Digital Discourse and Culture () ascii ribbon campaign - against html mail /\ - against microsoft attachments