[Air-l] Oxford Internet Institute news

[Dr Chris Mann]

Dear members

It’s with great excitement that I’m writing to share the news that I’m now
the first (!) Visiting Fellow at the Oxford Internet Institute (see
http://www.oii.ox.ac.uk). The OII
was announced last May and officially became a department of the University
of Oxford in August. It wants to become ‘the world’s leading independent
centre of excellence in academic research on the impact of the Internet on
society, and in informing policy and generating debate.’
Unlike some Internet centres its stress is on the social rather than the
technical side of Internet activities – and it wants to be independent,
neutral and multidisciplinary.

The Institute is very keen to make links with colleagues world-wide and
wants to
network right away with interested academics and other internet-linked
centres (and to
encourage academics to apply for Visiting Fellowships etc).  I do hope aoir
members will visit the website and make contact with OII there – there’s
also news of the OII’s Inaugural Conference on 27 September, 2002!

While at OII I will start editing a book series called the Internet Research
Toolkit (Sage Publishers, UK and US). This series will set out to give a
definitive picture of the areas and issues that are integral to Internet
research – different books will encompass the key methodological, practical
and theoretical opportunities and concerns. However, the interlinking nature
of these areas of interest will be reflected in the publishing format – the
books (each between 80 and 120 pages) will be published as a boxed set. Each
book will also be available for individual purchase. The ‘box’ increases the
potential for dissemination of work across interest boundaries - and all
book box authors will be encouraged to strongly reference all other ‘box’
authors where appropriate.

I am hoping that aoir members will share with me their ideas of the key
areas ‘books in the box’ should cover. I am also keen to hear from anyone
who thinks they might be the person to write one of these books – or who can
suggest someone else who is clearly the right person to write a particular
book.  I’d be very grateful if colleagues could send me their views and
suggestions off-list.

Hope to see you in Oxford in September!

All the best

Chris (Mann)