Dear
Colleagues:
Each year CSUS organizes at least one conference, and the event for 2010-11 is
below.
Please distribute widely, as paper proposals are due May 20, 2010. Best,
Elspeth
DIY Citizenship: Critical Making and Social Media
Centre for the Study of the United States, Munk School of Global Affairs
University of Toronto
Nov 12-14, 2010
http://diycitizenship.com/
Call for papers/presentations: due May 20, 2010
Plenary speakers include: Anne Balsalmo, Suzanne de Castell, Ron
Deibert, Paul Dourish, Henry Jenkins, Jennifer Jenson, Natalie Jeremijenko,
Steve Mann, Trebor Scholz.
Conference Organizers: Prof. Megan Boler, Associate Chair, Department of
Theory and Policy Studies in Education, Ontario Institute for Studies in
Education, University of Toronto; Prof. Matthew Ratto Assistant Professor,
Faculty of Information, University of Toronto; Director, Critical Making Lab,
University of Toronto
A renewed emphasis on participatory forms of digitally-mediated production is
transforming our social landscape. ‘Making’ has become the dominant
metaphor for a variety of digital and digitally-mediated practices. The web is
exploding with independently produced digital ‘content’ such as
video diaries, conversations, stories, software, music, video games—all
of which are further transformed and morphed by “modders,”
“hackers,” artists and activists who redeploy and repurpose
corporately-produced content. Equally, communities of self-organized crafters,
hackers, and enthusiasts are increasingly to be found online exchanging sewing
and knitting patterns, technical guides, circuit layouts, detailed electronics
tutorials and other forms of instruction and support. Many of these individuals
and collaborators understand their work to be socially interventionist. Through
practices of design, development, and exchange they challenge traditional
divides between production and consumption and to redress the power
differentials built into technologically-mediated societies.
“DIY
Citizenship” invokes the participatory nature of these diverse
“do-it-yourself” modes of engagement, community, networks, and
tools—all of which arguably replace traditional with remediated notions
of citizenship. The term “critical making” refers to the increasing
role ‘making’ plays in critical forms of social reflection and
engagement.
This
interactive conference seeks to extend conversations about new modes of engaged
DIY citizenship and politics evidenced by the exponential increase of DIY
media, “user-generators”, “prosumers,”
“hacktivists,” tactical media interventionists, and other
‘maker’ identities. We invite scholars, activists, artists,
designers, programmers and others interested in the social and participatory
dimensions of digitally-mediated practices, to engage in dialogue across disciplinary
and professional divides. All methodological and theoretical approaches are
welcomed. Submissions may include paper proposals, works of art and/or design,
short video or audio segments, performances, video games, digital media, or
other genres and forms. Potential topics include: the relation between social
media and the ‘making’ of new forms of citizenship
engagement—thus, for example, making movements; making community; making
news; making play; making bodies; making health; making public; making
education; making networks.
For the full conference call, see:
http://diycitizenship.com/