"Internationalization" of AoIR was in fact one of the main discussion topics for AoIR AGM of the conference on Monday. So, I assume that it is a growing concern for the organization and its identity, and the exec. board members are working on this issue. As a member, I wonder what this "internationalization" really means, though. I myself am having a trouble grappling with the concept. It seems more complicate than just picking up cities in "Asia, Southeast Europe or Latin America for conference venues." Having been born and raised in Korea for most of my life, me attending conferences in the US (or Canada or England) is still somewhat "international?!?" to me (although I am getting my academic training done at a US institution). Going to an AoIR conference in Korea would be more like being "domestic" to me although it may be being "international" to some others. What seems paradoxical here is that by arguing that the conferences should occur in Non-US, Non-English-speaking, Non-White, etc. places, perhaps we are reinforcing the idea that those US, English-speaking, White, etc. characteristics are the very defaults for AoIR and Other-izing "Asia, Southeast Europe or Latin America"? (And yes, I do think that AoIR is still mainly US-based, English-speaking, and White.) I guess my point is that it may be much more fruitful to approach this issue of "internationalization" with a different conceptual angle than to merely discuss what "exotic, foreign!?!?" cities to pick for the next conference sites. Cheers, Han Lee Department of Communication University of Illinois at Chicago ----- Original Message ----- From: "Philipp Budka" <philbu@gmx.net> To: "Association of Internet Researchers " <air-l@aoir.org> Sent: Monday, October 04, 2004 4:33 AM Subject: [Air-l] AoIR conference venues
Dear AoIR list members,
I am participating on the list for about three years. In this period the AoIR conference took place in the Netherlands (2002), in Canada (2003), in England (2004) and will take place in the US (2005). These venues have at least two things in common: they are all countries of the north, and, apart from Holland, they are all English speaking countries. I can imagine that it is very hard to find a conference venue with the proper infrastructure, academic and financial background, etc. But wouldn't it be real international to look at Asia, Southeast Europe or Latin America for conference venues. I would love to attend an AoIR conference in Sao Paulo, Cairo or Budapest. I am sure this would send real international signals to the global internet interested community. Greetings from Vienna,
Philipp
-- Philipp Budka philbu@gmx.net Rustengasse 5/10 A-1150 Wien, Austria http://www.philbu.net http://www.lateinamerika-studien.at --
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