[Air-L] [AoIR HQ] CFP Association of Internet Researchers (AoIR) Flashpoint Symposium)

[AoIR Association Coordinator]

*Association of Internet Researchers (AoIR) Flashpoint symposium*:

Imagining and Co-creating Methods for Internet Research

11-12 August, Malmö University

Malmö, Sweden



In collaboration with *Malmö Research Centre for Imagining and Co-Creating
Futures*, AoIR invites participants to its annual Flashpoint symposium.



For those interested in participating in the symposium, the deadline to
submit an abstract of up to *300 words is March 30, 2026.*



Confirmed keynote plenary speakers are

   - prof. Annette Markham, Utrecht University, Netherlands
   - prof. Susana Tosca, University of Southern Denmark, Denmark
   - prof. Kat Jungnickel, Goldsmiths University of London, UK
   - prof. Sarah T. Roberts, UCLA, USA



As technologies evolve, our relationship to the technological world
changes, and so should our methods of studying the world around us. The
methods we use to conduct research matter in understanding what can be
studied, how the studies reflect the world, and how the groups we are
studying (with) relate to academia. Internet research faces challenges in
recruitment, data quality, practicality, and ethics, leading to questions
about sampling bias, data truthfulness, and other issues that require
creative solutions. We need to question and challenge many of the dominant
approaches and find ways to reimagine methods that fit contemporary
research challenges. Research methods need to evolve with the world,
respect its diversity and be open to inventive ways to involve research
participants in knowledge co-creation.



Creative research methods can be methods that draw on creative
self-expressions of research participants or researchers, including visual,
text, sound, and materials. They may also involve creative use of
technologies as part of the research process and outcome – apps, mash-ups,
data visualisations, APIs, etc. In addition, creative methods can encompass
transformative approaches, including participatory, speculative, artistic,
worldbuilding, decolonising, activist and community-based research
approaches that are designed to reduce the power imbalances and include
diverse voices in academic research. Mixed and hybrid methods that
challenge researchers to question the paradigmatic assumptions of their
work may also be understood as creative research practices.



In the spirit of challenging established academic traditions, the symposium
invites scholars interested in method-related discussions to join us in
imagining and co-creating methods for a new era of internet research.



We invite individual abstracts for papers, performances, spoken word pieces
or artistic creations that highlight creative research methods or focus on
the process of creating new methods. Please submit an abstract no longer
than 300 words, five keywords and a short bio (including contact details)
by March 25, 2026.



The symposium will charge a fee of 500 SEK (~47 EUR/~56 USD/~41 GBP) that
will cover lunches and coffee, and AoIR will also sponsor dinner for
symposium participants. If you do not want to share any work but would
still like to be part of the symposium, you can also sign up as a
participant after March 15. PhD students and early-career scholars are
particularly welcome, and AoIR will provide some fee waivers for the
early-career scholars (available at a later stage when registration opens).



Submit your contribution to the symposium: Imagining and Co-creating
Methods for Internet Research AoIR Flashpoint Symposium at Malmö – Fill out
form <https://forms.office.com/e/yzLEg9T0fb> (
https://forms.office.com/e/yzLEg9T0fb)



*Important dates:*

Deadline for abstract submission: March 30, 2026

Registration opens March 15, 2026

Notification of acceptance: mid-April, 2026

Deadline for registrations June 15, 2026

Symposium in Malmö 11-12 August, 2026



More information about Malmö Research Centre for Imagining and Co-Creating
Futures:
https://mau.se/en/research/research-centres/imagining-and-co-creating-futures/



The Symposium organiser is prof. Pille Pruulmann-Vengerfeldt

(contact: pille.pruulmann.vengerfeldt at mau.se), The scientific committee
includes Prof. Andra Siibak and prof. Julia Velkova.


---


Best,
Emerson *(she/her)*
AoIR Communications and Membership Coordinator
ac at aoir.org

*Looking for Michelle? *After nine years, Michelle has officially stepped
down from her position at AOIR. I'm Emerson, and I'll be stepping in to
continue her work. As I'm sure anyone familiar with Michelle knows, I have
big shoes to fill, and I appreciate your patience as I get up to speed!