[Air-l] CFP: New Research for New Media - Innovative Research Methodologies :: extended deadline April 30 and confirmed scientific board

[dds at correu.urv.es]

Call for papers and participation: extended deadline April 30 and confirmed
scientific board

NEW RESEARCH FOR NEW MEDIA: INNOVATIVE RESEARCH METHODOLOGIES

Second edition - September 30th to October 2nd 2004
Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Tarragona (Catalonia, Spain)

Abstract submission extended deadline: April 30, 2004 
Participant application deadline: June 15, 2004

Panel moderators / scientific board:
Opening Speech: Nicholas Jankowski (University of Nijmegen, Netherlands)
Ethnograpy: Chris Paterson (University of San Francisco, USA)
Content and discourse analysis: Susan Herring (Indiana University, USA)
Quantitative research: Vicenç Meléndez (Idescat, Catalonia)
Historical research: Patrice Flichy (Université Marne-la-Vallée, France) 
Research ethics: Bruce Henderson (Colorado University, USA)

Organizers:
Institute for New Media Studies at the University of Minnesota
Communication Department of the Universitat Rovira i Virgili

Info and application form:
http://www.inms.umn.edu/convenings/newresearch_2004/main.htm

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DETAILED INFO

New media offer both new research techniques and new communication arenas to be
studied. This Symposium will bring together researchers who a) use new media
technologies to further their existing research methodologies or b) use
innovative research methodologies (or rethink traditional methods) to further
their research into any aspect of new media. Perspectives from around the world
and from several disciplines will meet in a dialog with the goal of sharing
experiences.

The Institute for New Media Studies at the University of Minnesota and the
Communication Department of the Universitat Rovira i Virgili have joined efforts
to offer researchers an engaging environment in which to reflect on the craft of
new media research. Invited chair persons will summarize the state of the art
and selected papers will be presented describing the methodological procedures
of actual research projects. Symposium participants will serve as discussants,
elevating the examination of these techniques and their implications for research.

After a successful and exciting first edition at the University of Minnesota,
USA, the Symposium moves to Europe with the aim of broadening the research
traditions sharing experiences. The goal is to provide an examination of current
practices and an opportunity for reflection on future directions new media
research methods might take. Panel participants will be selected based on
current research they have conducted. Symposium participants will be selected
through application to the event. We will look for a mix of highly credentialed
as well as promising new voices in the area of new media research to participate
in the workshop.

The dynamics of the Symposium will avoid the traditional paper presentations
format. Papers will be distributed to all the participants prior to the
conference so everyone will be familiar with the research methods that will be
discussed. Sessions will be organized in discussion groups, coordinated by a
chair person invited by the organizers. Participants will work in small groups
to discuss the implications of the research methods presented in terms of
ethics, logistics, impact on results, and other open questions about application
of this type of research. The reports from the small group discussions will be
an important part of the symposium’s outcomes. Participants are expected to join
all the discussion sessions in order to enrich the debate with his/her own
methodological and disciplinary perspective.

 
PANELS
 
*Ethnographic research:  Using ethnographic and new research techniques for the
study of new media organizations and populations.  While ethnographic research
means the investigator goes into the field, instead of bringing the field to the
investigator, what are the techniques that have been used to identify and study
organizations and populations? Use of chat rooms or instant messaging, ways of
contacting individuals in populations, technological monitoring techniques for
observation of work processes, etc.

*Content and Discourse Analysis: Examination of new media messages,
communication, web content, etc.  Papers could cover different programs or
technological aids used in conducting content and discourse analyses as well as
the challenges of capturing the "moving target" of online content and communication.

*Research Ethics and Issues:  New or unusual ethical issues raised in conducting
new media research, methods for dealing with human subject concerns,
confidentiality and privacy issues, sampling and verifying issues. 

*Historical Research:  Research focused on examination of the evolution of new
media.  Techniques used to find and analyze earlier forms, methods for
anticipating and capturing current media for future examination and comparison.
 Issues of access to archives of materials.

*Quantitative Research:  Development of lab experimentation into new media
effects, surveying techniques, and other methods for gathering and analyzing
quantitively the impact of new media.

 
CALL FOR PAPERS

The call for papers for the Symposium is open to any researcher interested in
writing a paper on the research method/s used for an actual research project on
new media he/she is conducting or has conducted. These papers will focus on the
methodology used rather than the outcome of the research. The papers will
discuss in depth the methodology, how they came to decide to use that method,
challenges faced in the application of the method, and questions they have about
effective use of the method. Papers should be 5 to 7 pages long.

20 lines abstracts along with a brief research interests profile should be sent
before April 30, 2004 through this webform:
http://www.inms.umn.edu/convenings/newresearch_2004/application.htm

Notification of acceptance is due by May 15th. Full papers, 5 to 7 pages long,
will be delivered before June 15th 2004, once they have been accepted.

Approaches from any discipline are welcomed, and diversity will be a criteria in
the selection. Communication, socio-technical, psychological, cultural,
linguistic, anthropological, sociological and gender studies are examples of
possible areas of new media research suitable to be selected.

Each of the panels will have a chair person who will select the most insightful
papers and will write up a summary of the research status, concerns and
challenges of that methodological area. Papers will not be strictly presented at
the sessions, which will be focused on discussion.

Papers submitted but not assigned to a panel will be able to be presented in a
poster session if the paper’s writer chooses.
 
CALL FOR PARTICIPATION
Participation is open to any researcher interested in being part of the
discussion, submission of a paper is not necessary.  In the interest of creating
a dynamic discussion atmosphere, the total number of participants will be
limited to 50. Participation applications can be sent before June 15th 2004
through this webform:
http://www.inms.umn.edu/convenings/newresearch_2004/application.htm

The work language of the Symposium will be English.

REGISTRATION FEE
100 euros, includes coffee breaks, lunches and official dinner. People whose
papers are selected for the panels will have registration fee
waived.