[Air-l] early bird registration + program announcement

[Charles Ess]

Dear AoIR-ists:

On behalf of our local chairs at Karlstad University - Malin Sveningsson,
Ylva Hård af Segerstad, and Robert Burnett - Fay and I are very pleased to
pass on the following announcements.
If you need any excuse to visit Sweden right at Midsommer celebrations, this
would do nicely ...

==
with apologies for duplications and cross-postings:

*** SAVE and Register Early by 16 April 2004 ***
 
International Conference on
CULTURAL ATTITUDES TOWARDS TECHNOLOGY AND COMMUNICATION (CATaC'04)
27 June - 1 July 2004, Karlstad, Sweden
 
Conference theme:
Off the shelf or from the ground up?
ICTs and cultural marginalization, homogenization or hybridization
 
Website: www.it.murdoch.edu.au/catac/ <http://www.it.murdoch.edu.au/catac/>
 
-------------------------------------------------------
 
This biennial CATaC conference series provides a continuously expanding
international forum for the presentation and discussion of current research
on how diverse cultural attitudes shape the implementation and use of
information and communication technologies (ICTs).
 
PROGRAM
An exciting program made up of seven major themes has been arranged,
including presenters from Australia, Canada, China, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand,
Norway, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Sweden, Taiwan,
Thailand, United Arab Emirates, UK and USA. See the conference website for
paper details. Ample time is allowed for open discussions at the end of each
session. The conference concludes with a workshop that provides initial
synthesis and future directions for research and publication.
 
PANELS
CATaC’04 also features two particular foci, each chaired by a distinguished
colleague who has guided development of the panels.
 
PANEL 1: The Multilingual Internet
Panel Chairs: Susan Herring and Brenda Danet
This panel focuses on how the Internet impacts language choice and
linguistic practices in traditionally non-English speaking cultural
contexts.
 
PANEL 2: Utopian Dreams vs. Real-World Conditions: Under what conditions can
ICTs really help worse off communities?
Panel Chair: Michel Menou
This panel focuses on how far ICTs can succeed in supporting
culturally-appropriate development, and what appropriate answers to
real-world conditions are required in order for our best efforts to realize
the liberatory potentials of these technologies not be broken down.
 
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Nina Wakeford, University of Surrey, UK
 
ACCOMMODATION
Blocks of rooms have been reserved at the Radisson SAS Plaza Hotel, Ibis
Hotel and Savoy Hotel.
 
CONFERENCE DINNER
The conference dinner will be held on Tuesday 29 June, in the restaurant at
Rottneros Park (http://www.rottnerospark.se/). The Park is one of the most
beautiful flower and sculpture parks in Scandinavia. Rottneros Park is
approximately a 1.5 hour drive from Karlstad.
 
REGISTRATION
Until 16 April, the conference registration fee is USD375 with further
discounts for authors (one author discount fee per paper), reviewers, and
full-time students. After 16 April, each fee type will increase by USD50.
The registration fee includes technical sessions, panels, workshop,
conference dinner and transport, reception, proceedings, lunches, morning
and afternoon coffees. (Student registration fee _includes_ the conference
dinner and transport.)
 
See the registration form on the conference website for more information and
REGISTER NOW.
 
CONTACTS
 
Charles Ess
Drury University
Tel: 417-873-7230; Fax: 417-873-7435
catac at it.murdoch.edu.au
 
Fay Sudweeks
Murdoch University
Tel: 61-8-9360-2364; Fax: 61-8-9360-2941
catac at it.murdoch.edu.au