[Air-l] CFP: Workshop on Surveillance & Inequality

[Torin Monahan]

OPEN CALL FOR PARTICIPATION
Workshop on Surveillance & Inequality
March 16-18, 2007; Arizona State University; Tempe, Arizona, USA

This workshop will bring together a 
multi-disciplinary and international array of 
scholars studying the social implications of 
contemporary surveillance with a particular 
interest in questions of the public sphere, 
equality, civil liberties, privacy, and 
fairness.  Currently,  questions involving the 
collection of personal data command the attention 
of policymakers and the general public, both 
within the U.S. and beyond.  Surveillance has 
become a key mechanism employed in both public 
and private sectors to contend with the 
uncertainty raised by threats of terrorism and 
other criminal activities.  Surveillance is also 
increasingly important with respect to issues of 
commerce, work, and interpersonal 
relations.  With changes in surveillance 
technologies and practices, public concerns have 
multiplied about potential encroachments upon 
privacy, civil liberties, and public 
spaces.  These tensions have not gone unnoticed 
by social scientists and humanities scholars 
studying surveillance, but thus far – especially 
in the U.S. – there have been few opportunities 
to bring researchers together to discuss the many 
social issues and inequalities surrounding new surveillance systems.

We will hold a three-day workshop in March 2007, 
centered around issues of social justice with 
regard to surveillance.  The objectives are
    * to foster interdisciplinary dialogue on 
contemporary surveillance issues,
    * to map core areas of surveillance research 
to locate collaborative opportunities and existing research gaps, and
    * to facilitate graduate student training.

Given the diversity of scholarly interest in and 
approaches to surveillance, the workshop will be 
structured around discussion themes that 
individuals from any disciplinary background can 
participate in.  The central organizing question 
will be “What research projects are needed to 
better understand and mitigate inequalities within a surveillance society?”

In order to examine differential experiences of 
surveillance, the workshop will be organized 
around several thematic areas, including
    * privacy/trust
    * citizenship/governance
    * mobility/identity
    * power/control
    * fear/danger
    * equality/fairness
The findings of the workshops will be 
disseminated by means of a special issue of the 
journal Surveillance & Society and possibly as an edited book.

Travel stipends, food, and lodging will be 
provided for all participants.  Participants will 
be chosen to provide a balanced representation of 
both junior and senior scholars, disciplinary 
training, and international 
perspectives.  Graduate students and participants 
from outside the U.S. are especially encouraged to apply.

Potential participants should submit:

    * A 500-750 word abstract that discusses how 
your current and/or future research fits with the 
proposed workshop theme of surveillance and inequality, and
    * A two-page curriculum vitae or resume, 
listing your relevant publications and experience.

Deadline: December 15, 2006
Submit materials to: workshop at publicsurveillance.com

We will select and notify participants by January 
15, 2007.  For more information, please contact 
Torin Monahan (torin.monahan at asu.edu) or visit 
http://www.publicsurveillance.com/workshop.html. 
This project is supported by the National Science 
Foundation under grant #0623122 and by the School 
of Justice & Social Inquiry at Arizona State University.

The Workshop Committee
(Torin Monahan, Gary T. Marx, Simon A. Cole, Jill A. Fisher)

Torin Monahan
Assistant Professor
Arizona State University
School of Justice & Social Inquiry
torin.monahan at asu.edu | www.torinmonahan.com