[Air-L] CFP: Global Internet Governance Annual Symposium

[Nanette Levinson]

Apologies for any cross-postings.
Please consider submitting an extended abstract for our annual symposium. More details are available below.
https://www.giga-net.org/cfp-giganet-annual-symposium-2021/<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.giga-net.org/cfp-giganet-annual-symposium-2021/__;!!IaT_gp1N!jPs4LjL0vFvIlZTAluvNjvoVjPRYs4bngAj3JUnuO9gSoL898l5Kvf335yIc0I_yEA$>
GigaNet Annual Symposium 2021 (Katowice, Poland)

GigaNet – the Global Internet Governance Academic Network – is now accepting extended abstracts for papers to be presented at its annual symposium. As of now, GigaNet 2021 is planned to be held alongside the United Nations Internet Governance Forum (IGF) in a hybrid format in Katowice, Poland, but may turn into a fully virtual conference depending on the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Papers on any Internet/digital governance-related topic are welcome. Multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches are encouraged. There will be the possibility of a focused subset of accepted papers to be fast-tracked for publication in a relevant journal. Last year, a collection of papers presented at the conference were invited for a special issue<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/telecommunications-policy/vol/45/issue/6__;!!IaT_gp1N!jPs4LjL0vFvIlZTAluvNjvoVjPRYs4bngAj3JUnuO9gSoL898l5Kvf335yKr0kkNwA$> of Telecommunications Policy.

Welcome topics for this year’s symposium include, but are not limited to:

Internet Governance as a field of study

  *   Narratives, myths and frictions in the construction of the Internet governance field
  *   Internet governance cultures and power dynamics
  *   Theoretical innovations and new methods applicable to Internet governance research

The evolution of Internet governance, institutions, and norms in the areas of:

  *   Internet standards and protocols
  *   Internet infrastructure
  *   Platform governance
  *   Cybersecurity
  *   Governance of data streams
  *   Digital rights online

Future-oriented Internet research agenda

  *   Emerging topics in Internet governance (e.g. environment)
  *   Digital sovereignty
  *   Interdisciplinary perspectives on the governance of new technologies (Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence, virtual currencies), etc.

Internet Governance in time of pandemics

  *   New challenges and opportunities of digitalization
  *   Health governance & COVID-tracing apps
  *   Freedoms, rights and limitations
  *   Internet governance and emergency preparedness

GigaNet is oriented around the presentation of research papers. The proposed extended abstract should be 800-1000 words long (excluding bibliography) and must describe:

1.   Research question(s),

2.   Data used,

3.   Methodology, and

4.   Main (expected) findings of the paper,

5. Contributions to literature and/or ongoing policy debates.

Theoretical papers need not specify the data used but must have a clear research question and statement of the specific theories used and literature in which the analysis is situated.

The extended abstract must be uploaded to the Easychair website<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://easychair.org/my/conference?conf=giganet2021__;!!IaT_gp1N!jPs4LjL0vFvIlZTAluvNjvoVjPRYs4bngAj3JUnuO9gSoL898l5Kvf335yJSLMmqDA$> by 10 June 2021, 23.59h (in the submitter’s timezone).

Reviews of individual abstracts will be double blinded. Please do not include names or any other personally identifiable information on the uploaded file or in the text of the submission itself on the EasyChair platform. (The platform records the author name(s) and contact  information: the program committee chair will be able to see that information.) Full papers should only be submitted upon invitation, following the selection of abstracts.

GigaNet encourages emerging scholars and researchers working with diverse methodologies to submit their work to the symposium. Proposals should be submitted in English. Participation in the GigaNet symposium is free of charge.

 Important dates:

Extended abstracts submission: 10 June

Notification to authors of acceptances/rejections: 15 July

Accepted authors confirm attendance: 25 July

Full papers due: 15 October

GigaNet Symposium: early December (tentatively planned for 6 December)


We look forward to receiving your submissions.



Nanette S. Levinson

Faculty Co-Director, Internet Governance Lab

Academic Director, SIS/Sciences-Po Exchange Program

School of International Service

American University

Washington, DC 20016-8071

202-885-1480​