[Air-L] Carl J. Couch Internet Research Award 2014

[Mark D. Johns]

CALL FOR AWARD APPLICATIONS

Carl J. Couch Internet Research Award 2014

Sponsored by the Carl Couch Center for Social and Internet Research
http://www.cccsir.com/

The Carl Couch Center issues an international call for
student-authored papers to be considered for Carl J. Couch Internet
Research Award. The Couch Center welcomes both theoretical and
empirical papers that apply symbolic interactionist approaches to
internet studies.

According to basic symbolic interactionist premises, what we
understand as self, identity, relationship, and cultural formations
are constructed dialogically and interactively.  While the works of
George H. Mead, Georg Simmel, Erving Goffman and other leading
symbolic interactionists have been integral to the study of social
interaction, Carl Couch was among the first from this tradition to
suggest the importance of engaging in the study of mediated
interaction. It is critical that symbolic interactionists move boldly
forward, beyond Couch's initial suggestion, to study what has become
for many a dominant form of communication in their everyday life.

Whether we research identities, emotion, memory, family, work, career,
presentations of self, deception, love, loss or other areas, the
impact of mediated communication is felt by those interacting within
it.  As internet-related media continue to influence our everyday
interactions--not only with other people but also with technologies,
devices, algorithms, platform parameters, and so forth--it becomes
crucial for symbolic interactionists to attend to the role of these
mediating factors in the interaction process.

We encourage any paper that uses a symbolic interactionist approach in
internet studies. We also encourage papers that explore the interface
between deliberate social interaction and structured (or automated)
interactions sponsored or enacted by various technological features,
exploring not only how identities, relations, and social formations
are negotiated through social interactions, but also how these
interactions are mediated further through the use or capacities of
various technologies.

Papers will be evaluated based on the quality of (1) mastery of
symbolic interactionist approaches and concepts, (2) originality, (3)
organization, (4) presentation, and (5) advancement of knowledge.
Those contemplating entering should note that an interactionist
approach demands thoughtful analysis, and not mere description, of
social interactions. Evaluation will be administered by a Review
Committee of four:

Mark D. Johns, Luther College, Decorah, Iowa
Jennifer Dunn, Texas Tech University, Lubbock
Annette Markham, Umeå University, Sweden
Camille Johnson-Yale, Lake Forest College, Illinois

Competition is open to graduate or undergraduate students of all
disciplines. Works that are published or accepted for publication are
not eligible for award consideration. Entries should be in English and
not exceed 30 pages (approximately 7500 words) in length, including
references and appendices. Limit of one entry per student per year.
The top paper will receive Couch Award to be presented at the 2014
meeting of the Association of Internet Researchers (aoir.org) in
Bangkok, Thailand. The top paper will be awarded a certificate and a
cash prize of $300 US and the author will be invited to present their
work at a session of the AoIR conference, October 22-25, 2014 in
Bangkok.

Candidates should send a copy of their paper, with a 100-word
abstract, electronically to Mark Johns at mjohns at luther.edu
Application deadline is May 15, 2014. Notification of award will be
sent by June 15.

Those with questions or comments about Couch Award application, please contact:

Mark D. Johns
Communication Studies
Luther College, Decorah, Iowa
Phone: 563-387-1347
E-mail: mjohns at luther.edu