[Air-L] cfp: Communication networks on the Web

[Gregor Petrič]

CALL FOR PAPERS FOR PhD-STUDENTS AND JUNIOR RESEARCHERS IN THE EU

QMSS-2 2008 Workshop »Communication Networks on the Web«
Sponsored by the European Science Foundation

Date: 18 – 19 December 2008

Location: University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam School of Communications 
Research, Kloveniersburgwal 48, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Goal: The intensive use of new information and communication 
technologies, especially the web, by individuals and social actors 
generally has tremendously increased the availability of data and 
opportunities for data processing and analysis. This seminar will stress 
the value of taking appropriate theoretical perspectives and using 
appropriate analytic strategies in the study of (computer mediated) 
communication networks. The seminar will bring together leading 
researchers and young scientists from a range of disciplines to share 
knowledge and produce synergies that will define the research field.

Themes:
Main topics of the workshop

1. Communication networks on the web as a theoretical and methodological 
challenge
- conceptualization of communication processes on the web
- possibilities and problems of theoretically informed social network 
analysis

2. Social structures on the web
- emergence of social structures in communication networks on the web
- interactional and community dynamics
- social roles, collective action

3. Dynamics of communication on the web
- structure of citation and collaboration ties
- structure of content
- combination of two approaches

4. Measuring and collecting data for communication networks on the web
- methodologies for analyzing communication networks on the web
- collecting, parsing, coding data
- identification of actors and identification of content

Format: The workshop is organized as follows. For each of the main 
topics, a prominent researcher delivers an invited lecture. The junior 
participants present their papers, which are commented upon by the 
invited speakers, followed by a discussion with the other participants. 
The papers will be distributed to the participants before the start of 
the workshop. Altogether, the workshop will host 4 invited speakers and 
a maximum of 20 junior presenters.

Invited speakers

Prof. Noshir Contractor, Northwestern University, USA.
Prof. Loet Leydesdorff, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Prof. Mike Thelwall, University of Wolverhampton, United Kingdom.
Howard Welser PhD, Ohio University, USA.

Submission: Papers specifying a research design or presenting 
(preliminary) results by postgraduate students or junior researchers 
addressing the above topics are invited. In addition to a presentation, 
active participation in the discussions is expected. An extended 
abstract of the paper is required for submission.

All papers should be prepared in electronic form. Detailed submission 
directions will be available at QMSS-2 web site 
http://www.ccsr.ac.uk/qmss/seminars/2008-social/index.shtml. Extended 
abstracts must be written in English and should be between 1,000 – 1,500 
words. Notification of acceptance will be given by October 15.

Important dates:
September 1: Deadline for submission of the extended abstracts
October 15: Authors of accepted papers are notified
December 1: Submission of full papers (app. 4000 words)
Please send your abstract to Wouter de Nooy (w.denooy at uva.nl) and Gregor 
Petrič (gregor.petric at fdv.uni-lj.si).

Travel and accommodation:
Participants' travel and accommodation expenses will be covered by the 
QMSS 2 programme, provided that they come from or are working in one of 
the 17 countries who support QMSS 2. To check eligibility, see 
http://www.ccsr.ac.uk/qmss/countries/.

Language: The official language of the workshop will be English.

Organizers:
Dr. Gregor Petrič, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Dr. Wouter de Nooy, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

The European Science Foundation (ESF) provides a platform for its Member 
Organisations to advance European research and explore new directions 
for research at the European level. Established in 1974 as an 
independent non-governmental organisation, the ESF currently serves 75 
Member Organisations across 30 countries.