[Air-L] Research Symposium: Digital Capital and Political System. Shaping Inequalities in a Technological Age

[Massimo Ragnedda]

Research Symposium: Digital Capital and Political System Shaping
Inequalities in a Technological Age

*Submission Deadline: 20 January 2025*

Hosted by the University of Sharjah (UAE) and organized by the IAMCR
Digital Divide Working Group.

This symposium will explore the emerging and evolving forms of digital
inequalities and their intricate connections with social inequalities. As
digital technologies increasingly shape our world, they reflect and amplify
existing economic, social, and political divides within and across nations.
The event will bring together scholars and practitioners to examine these
dynamics, offering a platform for in-depth discussions on the complex
nature of digital inequalities in today’s society.

Symposium Details:
Date and Venue: *University of Sharjah (UAE), the 17th of April 2025.*
Attendance and catering are complimentary.
Keynote: Dr.
<https://www.linkedin.com/in/ACoAAABncMYBfoVDutVT9p7jtvV-CurG7_as_oc>Jeremy
Schulz, Senior Researcher, ISSI, UC Berkeley (USA).

Publication Opportunities: Participants will have the opportunity to
contribute to one of the two special issues proposed:

a) Emerging Forms of Digital Inequalities. The Role of Digital Capital in
Shaping Access, Power, and Opportunities in the Digital Era. This Special
Issue will be edited by
<https://www.linkedin.com/in/ACoAAAOIhDUBm2jw1Iy6XJuGI3n6TC97irzMo3E>Massimo
Ragnedda, Anna Gladkova and
<https://www.linkedin.com/in/ACoAAAWsOMUBbmjA32Sj5E55AIiX0gtsuD9S8JQ>Maria
Laura Ruiu and submitted to the World of Media.

b) Artificial Intelligence, Digital Inequalities, and Political Power:
Navigating Access, Governance, and Representation. This special issue is
edited by
<https://www.linkedin.com/in/ACoAAAPF2xkBieLOGtICx_XxY3ghBpABzoKW89Q>Jason
Gainous,
<https://www.linkedin.com/in/ACoAAAOIhDUBm2jw1Iy6XJuGI3n6TC97irzMo3E>Massimo
Ragnedda and
<https://www.linkedin.com/in/ACoAAAWsOMUBbmjA32Sj5E55AIiX0gtsuD9S8JQ>Maria
Laura Ruiu and submitted to the Journal of Information Technology &
Politics.

Both special issues will undergo a rigorous double-blind peer review
process.

*Key Focus Areas:*

   - *The evolving nature of Digital Capital.* This theme will delve into
   the concept of digital capital, examining how digital resources and skills
   are unevenly distributed and how they influence social mobility, economic
   opportunities, and access to power. We encourage papers that explore the
   role of digital capital in perpetuating or challenging social inequalities.
   - *Beyond Access: Emerging Digital Divides and Their Implications for
   Social Justice.* This area will address the emerging digital divides
   that go beyond access to technology, including disparities in digital
   literacy, quality of digital engagement, and the unequal benefits of
   digital participation. Submissions are invited to critically analyze these
   new forms of digital inequalities and their implications for social justice.
   - *Intersection of AI, digital inequalities, and political power.* This
   focus area will explore the intersection of digital technologies and
   political life, such as the impact of algorithms on democracy, digital
   surveillance, and the role of social media in shaping political discourse.
   Papers should investigate how digital technologies are influencing
   political power dynamics and what this means for the future of democratic
   governance.



Submission Guidelines:
Abstracts: Abstracts should be no more than 500 words.
*Submission Deadline: 20 January 2025*
Submission Email: mragnedda(at)sharjah.ac.ae <mragnedda at sharjah.ac.ae>

Infor mragnedda(at)sharjah.ac.ae or
https://mragnedda.wordpress.com/2024/10/17/research-symposium-digital-capital-and-political-power-shaping-inequalities-in-a-technological-age/

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