[Air-L] Call for Chapter Proposals - Networked Sociability and Individualism: Technology for Personal and Professional Relationships

[francesca comunello]

FYI

thank you!

Call For Chapter Proposals

*Networked Sociability and Individualism: Technology for Personal and
Professional Relationships
*
To be published by IGI Global: http://www.igi-global.com

*Editor*:

Francesca Comunello

Sapienza Università di Roma, Italy


*Call for Chapters:
*
Proposals Submission Deadline: May 30, 2010

Introduction

The rise of individualism has been recently described in terms of “networked
individualism” or “individualized networking” (following Wellman and
Castells). Instead of being organized in groups, our lives are articulated
around multiple networks, while our forms of sociability are getting
growingly increasingly privatized. The new patterns of sociability seem to
be built on multiple me-centred networks: each person "becomes a
communication and information switchboard, between persons, networks, and
institutions" (Wellman, 2004). Far from proposing an atomized vision of
individuals, these Authors underline the growing degree of responsibility
people experience in their everyday activity of relationship management. The
concept that better describes the forms of sociability we are experiencing
is, in my opinion, Castells’ networked sociability. Digital technology is
not determining this process: it is rather enabling each person to build and
manage their own social networks, both on- and offline.

The recent popularity of Social Network Sites (SNS) such as My Space,
Facebook, Linkedin, etc. shows that there is a growing interest in
articulating, making visible, and managing personal or professional
relationships through technology-enabled environments. The phenomenon
addressed is wider than Social Network Sites, and includes the wide variety
of ways in which people are linked to each other.

Objective of the Book

In the proposed publication we will focus on a variety of Social Media and
Computer-Mediated Communication environments, in order to underline the ways
in which people articulate their social relations and the related
individualized identity performances. In this book's analysis, Social
Network Sites will play a major but not exclusive role. For a better
understanding of the identity performances and of the ties’ strength, this
book will not only focus on SNS, but rather consider the wider context,
including the variety of ways in which people are linked to each other (a
context where old and new media collide, and where mediated and face to face
social relations are growingly integrated). Nevertheless, SNS are powerful
playgrounds, both for the user and for the researcher. From a sociological
point of view, one of the main point of interest of Social Network Sites,
let alone their constantly growing popularity among internet users
worldwide, is that they represent powerful environments to observe publicly
articulated self presentation and identity performances: SNS make such
processes visible, trackable, and, therefore, easy to study. Far from
constituting an alternative or “virtual” world, social media are embedded in
everyday life: using Social Network Sites, people connect to each other in
ways they perceive seamless to face-to-face relations. Nevertheless, the
above mentioned “trackability” enables people’s awareness (we are now more
consciously engaged in our personal network management). This book will
analyze the increased consciousness, fully exploring the technology and
impact of our social networks in the current social atmosphere.



Target Audience

Academics: Scholars, Researchers, Students (Media Studies, Internet Studies,
Education, Sociology, Psychology, etc.)
Educators (Primary and Secondary School)
Policy makers
Consulting firms, marketing and communication experts

Recommended topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

Networked individualism and networked sociability: theoretical perspectives;
Social Network Sites: data on adoption and use (worldwide);
Personal profiles and identity performances in digital networked media
(including comparative and cross-platform approaches);
New forms of sociability, on- and offline (including comparative and
cross-platform approaches);
Social Network Sites and New Media Literacy;
Social Media and privacy concerns;
People's different usage patterns (varying according to sex, age, individual
attitudes, platforms, etc.);
People's attitude towards specialized platforms; (business and recruiting
platforms, social media sharing sites, UGC environments, etc.);
Emerging trends.

Submission Procedure

Researchers and practitioners are invited to submit on or before May 30,
2010, a 2-3 page chapter proposal clearly explaining the mission and
concerns of his or her proposed chapter. Authors of accepted proposals will
be notified by June 30, 2010 about the status of their proposals and sent
chapter guidelines. Full chapters are expected to be submitted by October
30, 2010. All submitted chapters will be reviewed on a double-blind review
basis. Contributors may also be requested to serve as reviewers for this
project.

Publisher

This book is scheduled to be published by IGI Global (formerly Idea Group
Inc.), publisher of the “Information Science Reference” (formerly Idea Group
Reference), “Medical Information Science Reference” and “IGI Publishing”
imprints. For additional information regarding the publisher, please visit
www.igi-global.com. This publication is anticipated to be released in 2011.

*
*
*Important Dates*

Proposal Submission Deadline: May 30, 2010

Proposal Acceptance Notifications: June 30, 2010

Full chapter Submission: September 30, 2010

Review Results to Authors: December 15, 2010

Revised Chapter Submission: January 30, 2011

Final Acceptance Notifications: February 15, 2011

Submission of Final Chapters: February 28, 2011

Final Deadline: March 30, 2011


Inquiries and submissions can be forwarded electronically (Word document):

Dr. Francesca Comunello

Department of Communication and Social Sciences

University of Rome, La Sapienza

Tel. +39 06 49918374 Mobile +39 333 9567857

email: francesca.comunello at uniroma1.it