Please post and distribute this call further. Thanks, Nick Jankowski http://baserv.uci.kun.nl/~jankow/Euricom Call for Papers EURICOM COLLOQUIUM ELECTRONIC NETWORKS & DEMOCRATIC ENGAGEMENT October 9-11, 2002 The European Institute for Communication and Culture (Euricom) is hosting a second colloquium of scholars concerned with the relation between electronic networks and democratic engagement. This colloquium will build on the inroads developed at the first event held in Piran, Slovenia, in 2001. A central objective of this colloquium is to lay the groundwork for international collaborative research initiatives. Special attention is to be given to the place of electronic networks during periods of collective crisis such as experienced after the September 11th attacks on New York and Washington. Contributions are welcome that are conceived within the more general concerns of designing networks aimed at providing politically-based information, and supporting public debate and citizen action. The arenas of electronic community networks, digital cities, and other virtual spaces within democratic engagement are particularly suitable for contributions to this colloquium. Background Interest in and experimentation with electronic networks has been ongoing since cable television infrastructures were constructed in the late 1960s. This concern intensified with development of opportunities for computer-mediated communication in the 1980s and with popularization of the Internet in the 1990s. In 1996 the European Institute for Communication and Culture (Euricom) sponsored a colloquium concerned with 'virtual democracy'. Contributions to the most recent Euricom colloquium, held in 2001, continue in this tradition and are currently being prepared for publication in the journals Javnost - The Public and Communications: The European Journal of Communication Research. Questions This work, taken as a whole, reflects increasing concern about the possible contributions of electronic networks to democratic life. Some of the questions emerging from this work include: · In what manner and to what degree do electronic networks contribute to a more informed and politically active citizenry? · How can electronic networks be designed to increase democratic engagement? · In what ways are electronic networks utilized in collective crises? The upcoming Euricom colloquium is intended to explore these and related questions. An edited volume, assembled from contributions to both colloquia, is to be published by Hampton Press. Abstracts Persons interested in participating in this event are invited to submit extended abstracts (ca. 500 words) for proposed papers. The deadline for receipt of abstracts is March 15, 2002; it is recommended, however, that interested persons contact the organizers of the colloquium prior to that date. The venue for the colloquium is still under negotiation, but will be situated in The Netherlands. Address queries to: Nicholas Jankowski <N.Jankowski@maw.kun.nl> or Slavko Splichal <slavko.splichal@uni-lj.si> Further information may be found at the Euricom Project web site: http://baserv.uci.kun.nl/~jankow/Euricom