[Air-L] FW: [ciresearchers] Call for papers: JoCI The First Mile of Broadband Connectivity in Communities

[michael gurstein]

-----Original Message-----
From: ciresearchers-owner at vancouvercommunity.net
[mailto:ciresearchers-owner at vancouvercommunity.net] On Behalf Of Susan
O'Donnell
Sent: Monday, March 05, 2012 5:01 PM
To: ciresearchers at vancouvercommunity.net
Subject: [ciresearchers] Call for papers: JoCI The First Mile of Broadband
Connectivity in Communities
Dear community informatics colleagues:

Attached and below is the CfP for the upcoming special issue of JoCI: The
First Mile of Broadband Connectivity in Communities. 

For this special issue, we are looking for community stories, vision
statements and research articles related to "First Mile" activities in
communities, particularly rural and remote communities, around the world.
Traditionally, the "last mile" of broadband refers to the final leg of
connectivity from the telecommunications provider to the home. The First
Mile concept turns that around - it refers to policies and practices that
support communities to invest in, own and build their local broadband
infrastructure and to shape and use it to meet community needs. The First
Mile is an alternative to the traditional corporate, institutional, and
urban-centered telecommunications approaches.
Please get in touch with me or one of the other journal co-authors if you
have any questions or ideas for contributions.

Thanks,
Susan


-- 
Dr. Susan O'Donnell, Researcher and Adjunct Professor
Department of Sociology, University of New Brunswick
PO Box 1122, Fredericton, NB, Canada E3B 5C2
susanodo at unb.ca
Office: 506-444-0374
Cell: 506-238-7572
http://videocom.firstnation.ca
http://firstmile.ca 
Call for papers - Journal of Community Informatics (JoCI) Special Issue:
The First Mile of Broadband Connectivity in Communities
http://firstmile.ca
Please distribute this call for papers to your colleagues. 
 
Articles will be published in English and French. 
The Journal of Community Informatics (http://ci-journal.net) is concerned
with research on the uses and appropriations of information and
communication technologies (ICT) that enable communities to "improve their
processes, achieve their objectives and overcome the 'digital divides' that
exist both within and between communities." Since its first issues, in 2004,
the journal has built an excellent reputation among academics, professionals
and policy-makers involved in ICT initiatives aiming at the empowerment of
citizens and communities. 
 
The Journal of Community Informatics is preparing a special issue on the
"First Mile" of broadband connectivity in communities, scheduled for
publication in 2013. We invite contributions from community members,
researchers, graduate students, government policy makers, policy analysts,
activists, practitioners, community developers, project and program leaders
and staff, technology developers and technicians. 
 
Traditionally, the "last mile" of broadband refers to the final leg of
connectivity from the telecommunications provider to the home. The First
Mile concept turns that around - it refers to policies and practices that
support communities to invest in, own and build their local broadband
infrastructure and to shape and use it to meet community needs. The First
Mile is an alternative to the traditional corporate, institutional, and
urban-centered telecommunications approaches. 
 
In Canada, the First Mile project is documenting cases of First Nations
communities connected to broadband in ways that support sustainable,
locally-driven services and activities (http://firstmile.ca). 
 
We would like to share Canadian First Mile-related research and stories with
the international community and learn from First Mile, parallel and
associated experiences internationally. This JoCI Special Issue will accept
contributions in either English or French and will publish articles in
either or both languages. The deadline for abstracts is May 31, 2012. 
 
What we are looking for:
Contributions exploring the First Mile of broadband connectivity and
parallel or associated experiences in Canada and internationally.
Contributions based on accepted abstracts can be:
Original research (maximum 4,000 words)
Vision statements, theoretical position papers (maximum 4,000 words)
Case studies / community stories (500 to 1,500 words) 
 
Contributions can focus on these and related topics:
Case studies of First Mile initiatives or parallel / associated experiences
in communities
Theories about First Mile initiatives and related experiences in communities
Community alternatives to corporate telecommunications services
Policy frameworks and public funding programs structured to support
community-owned construction and operation of broadband infrastructure
How communities are applying principles of OCAP (ownership, control, access
and possession) to the data flowing on their local networks
Experiences of strategic partnerships that sustain these community
initiatives
Community ownership and delivery of community services using broadband
Community economic development using broadband networks
The economic business case to sustain the operation and maintenance of the
community network and the applications
The supports, partners, infrastructure and local capacity necessary to
sustain First Mile operations
Public / government procurement policies and programs for services that
support the First Mile telecom network
Challenges and opportunities for community-owned local broadband networks
Community-based approaches for researching First Mile initiatives 
 
Timelines:
Anytime: Email any of the guest editors with questions
May 31, 2012: Deadline for abstracts - abstracts must include author(s) and
affiliation(s) and an outline of the contribution (maximum 200 words). Email
abstracts to Susan O'Donnell (susanodo at unb.ca)
June 30: Decisions to authors
September 30: Deadline for authors to submit completed contributions
October-November 2012: Peer-review
November: Decisions, requests for revisions sent to authors
January 2013: Authors submit final versions for publication
January-February 2013: Translation of articles into French / English
April 2013: JoCI Special Issue published online 
 
Guest co-editors:
Susan O'Donnell (susanodo at unb.ca) - University of New Brunswick (www.unb.ca)
Brian Beaton (brian.beaton at knet.ca) & Brian Walmark (brian.walmark at knet.ca)
- Keewaytinook Okimakanak (www.knet.ca)
Tim Whiteduck (TWhiteduck at cepn-fnec.com) - First Nations Education Council
(www.cepn-fnec.com)
Kevin Burton - (admin at firstnationhelp.com) - Atlantic Canada's First Nation
Help Desk (www.firstnationhelp.com)
Rob McMahon (rma29 at sfu.ca) & Richard Smith (smith at sfu.ca) - Simon Fraser
University (www.sfu.ca)
Michael Gurstein (gurstein at gmail.com) - Centre for Community Informatics
Research, Development and Training (www.communityinformatics.net)
William McIver, Jr. (Bill.McIver at nrc.gc.ca) - National Research Council
(www.nrc.ca) & University of New Brunswick (www.unb.ca 
 
Deadline for abstracts: May 31, 2012
Email abstracts to: Susan O'Donnell susanodo at unb.ca