Second digital cultures workshop: Social Media Publics June 3, 2009

It is clear that the boundaries between the 'public' and the 'private' are becoming increasingly blurred within and amongst sites of home and work.

Indeed, in the wake of reality television shows, national identity card schemes, increased social media usage and the like, publicity appears to be the order of the day. This workshop from the University's Informatics Research Institute seeks papers that discuss the issues raised for those living in environments where there is seemingly little room for privacy.

As was the case last year, the workshop will be multi-disciplinary in nature, broad in the approaches participants take and issues they cover. If your work is about any aspect of digital culture, this is the workshop for you!

The following are thus only indicative of potential topics that could be raised: -

* How do people domesticate social media in their attempts to maintain a balance in publicity and privacy? Do they? Why do they, or don't they?
* What matters are raised by increased access to data about individuals and organizations?
* What does the blurring of boundaries between public and private mean for our knowledge and experiences of gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity and disability
* How are ICT mediated spaces created and maintained at home, work and those spaces in between? For example, how are 'geek gamers' finding spaces to play now the only console in the house can be in the living room?
* How are ICT policies shaping public and private spaces throughout societies around the world?
* What privacy issues are presented by media convergence?
* What role are mobile and ubiquitous computing technologies playing in public and private spaces?
* How is the increased commodification of social media affecting our privacy?

Following from the first workshop we continue to see this workshop having three purposes.

First, we seek to give voice and structure to existing new media, ICT and technology related research which may not readily sit within conventionally accepted areas.

Second, we wish to draw in research on new forms of digital technology, ICT, computing, organizing and social interactions.

Third, we want to continue discussions regarding potential futures for ICT related research which combine research as related to the evolving forms and functions of work organizations and the changing boundaries and relations between these organizations and their social milieus.

We seek abstracts (of up to 600 words) that focus upon some aspect of digital culture. We hope to have a special issue of a journal associated with the workshop as was the case last year (a special issue of the Journal of Information, Communication, Ethics and Society is to be published early in 2009).

Official Website: http://www.salford.ac.uk/events/details/910