Dear colleagues I hope you will be interested in the following: CALL FOR PAPERS Information, Communication, Society A Research Symposium to be held at Balliol College and the Oxford Internet Institute, 1, St Giles, Oxford, 17th-20th September 2003 for the International Journal Information, Communication & Society (iCS) Conference Chairs: Brian Loader, Director The Community Informatics Research & Applications Unit (CIRA), University of Teesside and Professor William Dutton, Director The Oxford Internet Institute Sponsors include: The Community Informatics Research & Applications Unit (CIRA) and The Oxford Internet Institute (OII) Networks using information and communication technologies (ICTs), such as the Internet, digital media, and mobile communication, have become part of the essential infrastructure of many societies. But do these new networks, and their associated institutional and social processes enable a fundamental transformation of our lives and interaction, or do they reinforce existing societal patterns in a new technological guise? What social and institutional factors constrain or enable the transformational potential of technical change? Are patterns of stability and change similar across different social and institutional settings, ranging from household to government? This symposium seeks to take forward this debate by critically analysing key issues emerging from new inter-relationships between information, communication, and society. It aims to: * examine the robustness of claims about the transformative effects and potential of the Internet and related wired and mobile ICTs; * identify and discuss the methodologies that could be used to explore such claims; * assess the current state of empirical research and highlight important gaps for future research; and * provide an international forum for the exchange of ideas, data, and analysis, including a space for exploring emerging frameworks and perspectives applicable to social research about the Internet. Symposium Tracks This will be a multi-disciplinary research symposium. Original papers are sought from researchers in all subject areas of the iCS journal. However, papers are encouraged that address one or more of the five broad tracks around which the symposium will be organised: governance; the household, community, and workplace; learning and education; science and networks; and issues of policy and regulation that cut across all these social settings. Examples are given on the attached page of the sorts of questions which papers might address, but this is a guide only, and should not limit the range of issues considered for submission. A final session will debate the value of competing and complementary overall perspectives and theoretical frameworks that could be helpful in Internet social research studies. Submission of papers Proposals for papers should be submitted as abstracts of no more than 500 words, and should include details of the proposer's name, position, affiliation, and contact details. Proposals should be submitted electronically to b.d.loader@tees.ac.uk in RTF, Word or PDF format. Papers accepted for presentation at the research symposium will be eligible for review for publication by iCS, should the author(s) wish to have an expedited review. Deadline for abstracts: 31st January 2003 Authors of accepted papers notified by: 1st March 2003 The Venue A limited number of rooms have been reserved by Balliol College for symposium participants at a very reasonable rate, which includes breakfast at the College Hall. Sessions will be held at Balliol College on Broad Street, adjacent to the Oxford Internet Institute at 1, St Giles. The venue is ideal for supporting communication among the participants, but will limit the number to about 50, including those giving papers. Thematic Tracks for the Information, Communication, Society Symposium Governance * What evidence is there that the Internet and other ICTs have created new forms of democratic participation or increased centralisation? * Have the technologies been tied to any discernible changes in the relationship between government and citizen at local, national, and global levels? How can we assess this? * What have the results been of e-Government initiatives in terms of 'joined-up government', public accountability and the electronic delivery of public services? * Is the Internet encouraging new forms of civic or political activism? Learning and Education * How has increased ICT use in all levels of education affected teaching methods and resources, and relationships between educational institutions and their communities? * What are the implications of online distributed and distance learning ICT capabilities for the geography, culture, and practices of schools and universities? * To what extent do ICTs such as the Internet provide a resource for self-education? * Are ICTs reducing or exacerbating the under-achievement of certain groups? Household, Community, and the Workplace * How do habits of usage for specific new ICTs differ across different social groups and in different social settings? What knowledge and skills are needed to participate actively in an 'e-society'? * Are new social and geographical patterns of communication and association emerging from the growing use of ICTs, for instance in dispersed virtual communities? Do such changes strengthen or undermine geographical community and family relationships? * How are the Internet and other ICT networks reshaping the location and nature of workplaces, who does the work, and when they do it? * In what ways, if any, are ICTs transforming leisure patterns? Science and Networks * How are ICTs reshaping the ways scientists and other researchers work, or the projects that they can undertake? * What social, institutional, and technical features are likely to increase or constrain the effectiveness of networks such as the e-Science Grid? * What main administrative and policy issues are raised by Internet-based research, for instance ethical aspects of the rights of participants in social science research? * How are developments in ICTs changing the funding context for scientific and other research, and for the way results are disseminated? Cross-Cutting Policy Issues * What resources are needed to address effectively equity, community cohesion, and other areas of social policy? Who in the 'digital divide' are excluded, why, what should be done about it, and what policies and resources are needed to do it? * How do existing methods of content regulation affect usage of the Internet? * What aspects of legislation need to be revised in the light of new ICT capabilities, such as privacy, surveillance, data sharing, and intellectual property rights (IPR)/digital rights management (DRM)? * How can trust and confidence in ICT networks be developed and sustained? * How does standards-setting influence outcomes of ICT use? Brian D. Loader Editor, iCS CIRA, University of Teesside, Middlesbrough, Tees Valley, TS1 3BA UK Tel: +44 (0) 1642 342710 Fax: +44 (0) 1642 342711 www.infosoc.co.uk b.d.loader@tees.ac.uk