[Air-L] Call for Papers: Digital Technology, Lockdown and the Post-Pandemic University

[Mark Carrigan]

*Organised by Mark Carrigan, Ibrar Bhatt and Jeremy Knox. Please note this
is a different conference to the one I circulated a couple of weeks ago. *

In only a few months, the world has been transformed beyond recognition by
Covid-19. As we face the prospect of many months, even years, until a
vaccine can be produced and distributed, it seems increasingly clear there
will be no return to normality. This online conference by the Society for
Research into Higher Education’s Digital University Network inquires into
the ‘new normal’ we face in higher education, as well as the role which
digital technology has and will play in bringing about it. With the
university campus still vacated by the vast majority of staff, there is
mounting uncertainty about what the next academic year will hold given that
the imperative of social distancing will reshape every aspect of academic
life.

It is clear that digital technology will be essential to teaching, research
and administration under these conditions but it is far less obvious what
this will look like in practice. Furthermore, this online pivot is being
undertaken at such speed and under such difficult conditions that strategic
considerations risk being subordinated to the imperative of keeping the
university operating at a distance. There is a substantial body of
expertise about the use of digital technologies for educational purposes
but our understanding of their embedding in the organisational structures
of the university is less well developed. For example platforms like Zoom
and Microsoft Teams have enabled operations of the university to continue
at a distance during the lockdown but there are urgent questions this
raises about surveillance, safety and security. This online conference aims
to bring together political, sociological and technological questions
 which speak to our uncertain moment and the many questions we confront
about how to move forward from here. This might include:

   - Possible models of socially distanced teaching and learning
   - The logistical challenges of rapidly pivoting to distance education
   - Academic labour in the digitally mediated university
   - The impact of the digital transition on student experience
   - Strategies and techniques for creating community in a socially
   distanced university
   - The short, medium and long term impact of social distancing on
   research culture

However these are only suggestions and we welcome contributions on any
theme related to digital technology, lockdown and the post-pandemic
university. If you would like to take part, please send a 300 word abstract
by June 30th to mark at markcarrigan.net with the title ‘*Digital Technology,
Lockdown and the Post-Pandemic University*’. We intend to confirm
acceptance by July 5th for an online event to take place on July 31st using
Zoom. It is our intention to produce a special issue of a journal building
from this event so please indicate in your original message if this is
something which you are interested in.

*I often work flexible hours that are outside the ‘traditional’
09.00-17.00, Monday to Friday only office hours. If this e-mail arrives
outside of your own preferred working pattern, please do not feel obligated
to respond until your office hours have resumed.*

Postdoctoral Research Associate
Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge
www.markcarrigan.net  | @soc_imagination
<http://www.twitter.com/soc_imagination/>
www.cpgjcam.net | @cpgjcam <http://www.twitter.com/cpgjcam/>

*The Isolation Pod: *A theoretical podcast about Covid-19
https://anchor.fm/theisolationpod