[Air-L] Workshop Announcement and CFP: Surveillance and Empowerment

[Hector Postigo]

Apologies for cross-posting.

 

-hector

________________________

Hector Postigo

Associate Professor 

Temple University

Dept. of Broadcasting Telecommunications and Mass Media

School of Communication and Theatre

Annenberg Hall

2020 North 13th Street. Room 205

Philadelphia, PA

 

 

OPEN CALL FOR PARTICIPATION  

 

Workshop on Surveillance & Empowerment

March 20-22, 2009

Vanderbilt University; Nashville, Tennessee, USA

 

This workshop will bring together transdisciplinary and international
scholars studying the social implications of contemporary surveillance with
a particular interest in the complexities of empowerment.  In the
surveillance studies literature, there have been significant contributions
on social sorting, digital discrimination, privacy invasion, racial
profiling, sexual harassment, and other mechanisms of unequal treatment.  In
contradistinction, this workshop seeks to explore the potential of
surveillance for individual autonomy and dignity, fairness and due process,
community cooperation and empowerment, and social equality.  Key to this
inquiry will be questioning the extent to which surveillance can be
designed, employed, and regulated to contribute to democratic practices
and/or the social good.  

 

The very framing of the workshop in terms of "surveillance and empowerment"
begs the question of empowerment for whom and for what purposes.  Thus, we
seek to provoke a broad discussion about the ways in which surveillance
practices may unfairly embody advantages for some groups over others and to
explore alternatives.  To this end, the workshop organizers seek to include
as many different voices as possible, from as many different countries as
possible.

 

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.  Possible research
areas might include (but aren't limited to):

 

            . Surveillance in post-authoritarian societies - toward
restrictions and counters to the unleashed surveillance of former regimes.

            . Ubiquitous computing environments that provide care for the
dependent and elderly.

            . Social networking tools employed by social movements.

            . Surveillance of environmental toxins and waste management.

            . Monitoring of energy consumption at any level.

            . Surveillance of corporations, government agencies, or
political parties by watchdog groups.

            . Policies for ensuring privacy, accountability, and
transparency with video or other surveillance systems.

 

The findings of the workshops will be disseminated by means of a special
issue of a journal, such as Surveillance & Society or Theoretical
Criminology, or 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:

 

1.       A 500-750 word abstract that discusses how your current and/or
future research fits with the proposed workshop theme of surveillance and
empowerment, and

 

2.       A two-page curriculum vitae or resume, listing your relevant
publications and experience.

 

 

Deadline:  January 5, 2009 

Submit materials to:  workshop at publicsurveillance.com

 

Full papers will not be required in advance of the workshop. Article
submissions for the journal will be requested in the months following the
workshop (at a date yet to be determined).  Should we decide to pursue an
edited book as an outcome of this workshop, we will ask participants to
submit titles, abstracts, and brief biographies.

 

We will select and notify participants by January 20, 2009.  For more
information, please contact Torin Monahan (torin.monahan at vanderbilt.edu) or
visit www.publicsurveillance.com/workshop.html.  

 

This project is supported by the National Science Foundation (under grant
#0623122 and #0853749) and by the Department of Human and Organizational
Development at Vanderbilt University. 

 

 

The Workshop Committee 

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

Torin Monahan, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Human & Organizational Development

Associate Professor of Medicine

Vanderbilt University

www.torinmonahan.com