Hello all, I believe Art sent around this CFP already, but I was asked to circulate once more before deadline. Best, jillana Begin forwarded message:
------------- conference call--------------
AfroGEEKS: FROM TECHNOPHOBIA TO TECHNOPHILIA
MAY 7-8, 2004 @ THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SANTA BARBARA
CALL FOR CONFERENCE PAPERS: DEADLINE MARCH 1, 2004
The Center for Black Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara, invites submissions of papers for an upcoming conference, entitled “AfroGEEKS: From Technophobia to Technophilia.” This conference examines the rapidly-shifting relationship between issues of Blackness and technology. In recent years, African Americans, especially, have been portrayed as poster children for the digital divide discourse. Though rarely represented as full participants in the information technology revolution, Black people are among the earliest adopters and comprise some of the most ardent and innovative users of IT (information technology). African diasporic people’s many successes within new media and information technologies are too often overshadowed by the significant inequalities in technology access which ultimately produces the racial digital divide.
But there is more to this important and timely topic. We are interested in proposals that consider the following topics:
1. Structural barriers to IT access that specifically impact Black communities 2. Effective models of innovative IT use and adoption in Black communities 3. The influence of traditional science education on Black youths 4. Technophobes and Luddites in the Black community 5. Computer gaming in the Black community 6. Black popular music culture, such as sampling and turntablism, within the IT economy 7. The place of Blacks in the IT industry 8. How categories of hi-tech and low-tech mastery get determined and circulated 9. Black IT leaders 10. Recent legislation regarding the telecommunications industry and universal access to IT 11. The responsibility of the government and IT businesses to minority communities 12. IT issues on the African continent and for African diasporas outside of the U.S. 13. Events of September 11 relative to Blacks’ position in the IT economy 14. The Geek identity problematic 15. From IT Consumers to IT Producers 16. Black virtual communities 17. Black blogs 18. Blacks and military-based IT training 19. Becoming AfroGeeks 20. Proposals addressing related topics welcome
The conference will be held May 7-8, 2004, at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Proposals should be limited to two pages and should include an abstract of not more than 350 words, an abbreviated c.v. or resume, and audio/visual equipment needs. Proposals should be submitted to:
Dr. Anna Everett, Director Center for Black Studies University of California Santa Barbara, CA 93106
For more information, e-mail: ctr4blst@omni.ucsb.edu http://www.research.ucsb.edu/cbs
<everett.vcf>
Jillana Enteen jillana@jillana.net http://jillana.net
Jillana Enteen jillana@jillana.net http://jillana.net