Proposed Special Issue on *Veillance and Transparency: A Critical Examination of Mutual Watching in the Post-Snowden, Big Data Era* *Guest Editors: Vian Bakir, Martina Feilzer, Andrew McStay (Bangor Univ.)* We invite papers for a proposed Special Issue in Big Data and Society, Sage’s inter-disciplinary, open access, peer-reviewed scholarly journal that explores the social implications of Big Data from social sciences, humanities and computing perspectives. *Our central proposition:* today we live in a techno-cultural condition of increased and normalised transparency through various veillant forces of mutual watching. *Our central question: *what are the technical, social, economic, political, legal, ethical and cultural implications of this situation? Drawing on the many academic disciplines that deal with issues of veillance and transparency, we seek theoretical and empirical academic papers; artistic, activist and educational provocations (the journal can link to digital versions of these); and shorter commentary from the wide range of actors involved in these debates (including data regulators, intelligence and security services, private companies, NGOs, politicians and journalists). Specifically, we are interested in the following questions (each unpacked further below): 1. On Theory-Practice: How useful are theories of ‘veillance’ in explaining transparency practices in the post-Snowden, ‘Big Data’ era? 2. On Ethics, Values and Norms: What, if anything, can or should we do about practices of watching that operate without informed consent or adequate processes of accountability? 3. On Regulation, Power, Resistance and Social Change: Are existing mechanisms of regulation and oversight able to deal with nation-states’ desire for forced transparency, or is resistance required 4. On Representation, Discourse and Public Understanding: What socio-cultural discourses and practices on veillance and transparency prevail; how do they position the sur/sous/veillant subject; and are they adequate to the task of educating and engaging people on abstract and secretive surveillance practices, as well as on the possibilities and pitfalls of sousveillance? More details on the Call are here <http://data-psst.bangor.ac.uk/big-data-society.php.en>. Proposals of no more than 1000 words are invited for consideration and inclusion in this proposed Special Issue of Big Data & Society (BD&S). All papers should foreground why Big Data practices are important to their central argument, as outlined in this CfP. Proposals should be sent to the Guest Editors: v.bakir@bangor.ac.uk, mcstay@bangor.ac.uk, *Manuscript and Style Guidelines* As this is an online only journal, there are fewer restrictions on format, including the use of visualizations (which are encouraged, where this helps the explanation). Full guidelines are available at: http://www.uk.sagepub.com/msg/bds.htm#Prep Final Manuscripts should be 8,000 words for an Original Research Article, 3,000 words for a Commentary, and 1,000 words for an essay in the Early Career Research Forum section. All submissions of Original Research Articles to BD&S are double-blind, and triple peer-reviewed. Anonymous peer review feedback will be accompanied by comments from the guest editors that draw on the central arguments of other papers selected for inclusion in order to enhance the coherence of the Mutual Watching in the Post-Snowden, Big Data Era. Commentaries, Early Career Research Forum submissions, and artistic, activist and educational provocations are reviewed by the Guest Editors. *Deadline for academic papers* (original research articles and early career research forum essays) - Proposal Deadline: 15 Oct 2015 - Notification of Acceptance: 1 Dec 2015 - Paper Deadline: 1 May 2016 - Reviews Returned: 31 Jul 2016 - Revised Paper Deadline: 1 Nov 2016 *Deadlines for commentaries and artistic, activist and educational provocations:* - Proposal Deadline: 27 May 2016 - Notification of Acceptance: 1 Jul 2016 - Revisions Deadline: 1 Nov 2016 *Anticipated Publication date for Special Issue: *Jan/Feb 2017. Dr. Madeline Carr Senior Lecturer in International Politics and the Cyber Dimension Department of International Politics Aberystwyth University Penglais, Aberystwyth SY23 3FE Wales desk: +44 01970 621955 mobile: +44 (0)752 867 2088 email: madeline.carr@aber.ac.uk twitter: @MadelineCarr Recently published... 'Power Plays in Global Internet Governance' *Millennium, *Vol.43, No.2, 2015 2013 Teaching Through Technology Award 2014 Blackboard Exemplary Course Award