Archive for November 2009

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{Disarmed} [ecrea] ICTs-and-Society. A new Transdiscipline?

Wed Nov 25 23:25:54 GMT 2009





Call for Papers ? Special Issue of tripleC = (http://www.triple-c.at):
ICTs-and-Society. A new Transdiscipline?
<3D.htm>htt= p://www.triple-c.at/index.php/tripleC/announcement/view/6


Guest Editors: Celina Raffl and Joseph Brenner
For inquiries about potential papers please contact Celina Raffl = ((celina.raffl /at/ sbg.ac.at)).

Deadline for full paper submission:
February 28th, 2010.



Further Information:

Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) have changed our lives = significantly over the last few decades, and they will continue to do = so. ICTs influence the way we live, work, and organize. These changes we = are facing as societies (and as individuals) bear positive and negative = side effects that concern academia as well, since science and research = serve a function in and for society.


What kind of academic field do we need to meet the challenges of the = information age?

Many different research approaches have emerged over the last decades = that aim at explaining, shaping, and forecasting social change related = to an increasing penetration, miniaturization, and convergence of = ICTs.

tripleC suggests the designation of this research area as = ICTs-and-Society to indicate its broad perspective. The term ICTs itself = is broad enough to capture Internet, Web, Web 2.0, Social Media, Social = Networks, new mobile technologies, ambient technologies, etc. Society = too, can refer to society at large, or to certain aspects, of society, = such as economy, ecology, politics, culture, etc., and includes both = individuals and organizations.

However this research area is defined, and from which disciplinary = background it is viewed, there are several shared problems, since = ICTs-and-Society is not (yet?) an established discipline. = ?Disciplines share central themes, shared terminology with = (assumed) common definitions, a canon of literature considered = essential. There are agreed-on methodologies, theoretical structures, = and evaluative criteria to assess research [...]? (Baym 2005, 230). = Internet or ICT-research therefore is more like an organization with a = core problem. For Shrum (2005, 274) it is an ?indiscipline? = where ?[e]veryone is welcome, no matter what your perspective, no = matter whom you cite, no matter what method you choose for your = research.? Researchers such as Hunsinger (2005), Fuchs (2008), = Hofkirchner et al (2007), suggest that ICTs-and-Society research should = be considered as a transdiscipline.

Transdisciplinarity and Transdisciplines
There is still no common understanding of the term transdisciplinarity, = especially regarding theoretical foundations, methodologies used, or = evaluation criteria. Many scholars agree that transdisciplinary research = transgresses not only disciplinary boundaries, but those of academia in = general and thus should include stakeholders in the research process. = Nevertheless, all acceptations of transdisciplinarity include the = concept of integrative research concept based on cooperation, with = greater or lesser emphasis on theory vs. the pragmatics of = problem-solving. The fact that ?ICTs-and-Society? involves the = disciplines of information and computer science, economics, sociology = and political science, psychology and philosophy and perhaps more = suggests that ICTs-and-Society is a transdisciplinary field of research = par excellence.


The Special Issue of tripleC
In this special issue of tripleC we are seeking answers to the following = questions in the areas of ICTs-and Society and ICTs-and-Society as a = transdiscipline:
- Is ICTs-and-Society a research field? If not, should it be?
- What is current practice and methodology?
- What are the main questions and challenges?
- Which topics does it cover?
- What kind of models of ICTs, Society and Transdisciplines are most = appropriate?
- How can ICTs-and-Society be located in the academic landscape?
- What kinds of interdisciplinary and/or transdisciplinary theory, = empirical research, epistemology, and ethics are needed for ICTs and = Society?

These questions are not intended to be exclusive, but as suggestions of = topics of general interest. Their answers could lead to a new = understanding of the field as such. It will allow for an assessment of = its future perspectives as well as concerns of how it should emerge. It = will help to answer the question of its possible impact on future = programs, on education of students and early stage researchers.

In summary, this special issue of tripleC calls for high quality = research papers from any theoretical, professional, or disciplinary = perspective that offer innovative analysis that promote and provoke = further debate about ICTs-and-Society as a subject of study.
tripleC ? Cognition, Communication, Co-operation:
Open Access Journal for a Global Sustainable Information Society

The tripleC Mission:
The mission of tripleC is to encourage uncommon sense, fresh = perspectives and unconventional ideas, and connect leading thinkers and = young scholars in inspiring reflections. Therefore we ask for papers = that go beyond traditional disciplinary boundaries.

tripleC (<3D.htm>http://www.triple-c.at) = promotes contributions in an emerging science of the information age = with a special interest in critical studies following the highest = standards of peer review. tripleC accepts theoretical as well as sound = empirical research, literature reviews, or practice examples.

Submissions must be formatted according to tripleC?s guidelines (<3D.htm>http://triplec.at/index.php/tripleC/about/submissions#authorGuidel= ines), make use of APA style, and use the style template (<3D.htm>http://triplec= .at/files/journals/1/template-0.dot). Papers should be submitted = online by making use of the electronic submission system (<3D.htm>http://triplec= .at/index.php/tripleC/user/register, http://triplec.at/inde= x.php/tripleC/login). When submitting to the electronic system, = please select ?Special issue on crisis & communication? as = the journal?s section.

Issue Co-Editors:
Celina Raffl ((celina.raffl /at/ sbg.ac.at)) and Joseph E. Brenner, Ph.D. = ((joe.brenner /at/ bluewin.ch))

Celina Raffl is research fellow and PhD student at the University of = Salzburg. Her research focus is on free and open source software (F/OSS) = (www.uti.at/raffl).

Joseph E. Brenner has a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from the University = of Wisconsin. He is member of the International Center for = Transdisciplinary Research (CIRET), Paris and has published a book and = articles dealing with and metaphysics and non-standard logic.

Deadline for full paper submission:
February 28th, 2010.

All papers will be reviewed by at least two independent reviewers. The = special issue will be published in autumn 2010.

Deadline for author notification:
June 30th, 2010.


tripleC ? Cognition, Communication, Co-operation: Open Access = Journal for a Global Sustainable Information Society (<3D.htm>http://www.triple-c.at) promotes = contributions within an emerging science of the information age with a = special interest in critical studies following the highest standards of = peer review.

Submissions must be formatted according to tripleC?s guidelines (<3D.htm>http://triple-c.at/index.php/tripleC/about/submissions#authorGuid= elines), make use of APA style, and use the style template (<3D.htm>http://triple= -c.at/files/journals/1/template-0.dot). Papers should be submitted = online by making use of the electronic submission system (<3D.htm>http://triple= -c.at/index.php/tripleC/user/register, http://triple-c.at/in= dex.php/tripleC/login). When sub-mitting to the electronic system, = please select ?Special issue: ICTs and Society ? A New = Transdiscipline? ? as the journal?s section.


References:
Baym, Nancy K. (2005). Introduction: Internet Research as It Isn't, = Could Be, and Should Be. The Information Society 21 (4): 229-232.

Fuchs, Christian (2008.) Introduction to the special issue on ?ICTs = and Society: PhD Students? Transdisciplinary Research = Projects?. tripleC 6 (2) (http:/www.triple-c.at): i ? = viii.

Hofkirchner, Wolfgang/Christian Fuchs/Celina Raffl/Matthias = Schafranek/Marisol Sandoval/Robert Bichler (2007). ICTs and Society = ? the Salzburg Approach. Towards a theory for, about and by means = of the information society. ICT&S Research Paper Number ICT&S = Center: Salzburg 3, URL <3D.htm>http://icts.sbg.ac.a= t/media/pdf/pdf1490.pdf.

Hunsinger, Jeremy (2005). Toward a Transdisciplinary Internet Research. = The Information Society 21 (4): 277-279.

Shrum, Wesley (2005). Internet Indiscipline: Two Approaches to Making a = Field. The Information Society 21 (4): 273-279.


_______________________________

Mag. Celina Raffl
ICT&S Center, Universit=E4t Salzburg

Center for Advanced Studies and Research in
Information and Communication Technologies and Society

Sigmund-Haffner Gasse 18
A - 5020 Salzburg

Tel.: +43/ 662/ 8044 - 4822
Mail: (Celina.Raffl /at/ sbg.ac.at)
Web: <3D.htm>http://www.icts.sbg.ac.at
_______________________________


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