[ecrea] CFP: Mobile Telephony in the Developing World, 24-25 May 2013, Jyväskylä, Finland

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     Call for Panels and Papers
     <http://mobiletelephony-developingworld.blogspot.fi/2012/09/call-for-panels-and-papers.html>

*Mobile Telephony in the Developing World*

We invite papers for a conference on mobile telephony in developing 
countries in the University of Jyväskylä <https://www.jyu.fi/en> in 
Finland on *May 24-25, 2013*. Our aim is to explore how the rapid spread 
of mobile telephony in developing countries is associated with 
development, new media, society and culture. Keynote speakers will be 
Jonathan Donner <http://jonathandonner.com/>, John Postill 
<http://johnpostill.com/> and Julie Soleil Archambault 
<http://www.africanstudies.ox.ac.uk/resources/staff_a-z_directory/staff-africa/jarchambault>. 
See: http://mobiletelephony-developingworld.blogspot.fi 
<http://mobiletelephony-developingworld.blogspot.fi/>

In just over a decade, mobile technology has provided users in Africa, 
Asia, and South America and Central America with the first extensive 
system of electronic communication. Mobile phone use draws from, and 
influences all spheres of everyday life in developing countries -- 
livelihoods, relationships, security and politics among others. As a 
cost-efficient and accessible media, mobile technology has increasingly 
been harnessed for combating poverty thorough a variety of applications 
which offer services in health care, agriculture, employment and education.

We welcome innovative scientific and policy-oriented papers which draw 
from empirical research in the humanities and social sciences on the use 
of mobile phones in everyday life. Possible topics include, but are not 
limited to, the use of mobile phones in relation to following themes: 
gender, health, m-banking, livelihoods, politics, economics, education, 
social relations and culture. How does mobile telephony bear upon gender 
relationships, economy, social relations and politics? What kind of 
innovative practices is mobile telephony offering to combat poverty and 
health problems? Have mobile phones offered new possibilities for 
economic activities and political participation? How has mobile 
communication affected social relationships and networks in developing 
countries? How has it addressed inequalities?

We aim to promote dialogue between research and policy making, so in 
addition to academic researchers, the conference is open to persons 
working or interested in policy and applications such as representatives 
of government and NGOs.

We invite proposals for panels and individual papers, to be submitted by 
no later than *November 30^th , 2012*. Each presentation will be 
allotted 20 minutes. The conference organizers cannot sponsor or fund 
presenters or delegates, who are expected to pay for their travel, food 
and stay during the conference. *There will be no registration fee for 
the conference*.

A 300-word abstract, full contact information for the author, and a 
biographical note (up to 75 words) on the author(s) should be submitted 
by no later than 30th November 2012. Full papers should not be submitted.

Authors of accepted abstracts will be notified in January 2013.

Please send your abstract as an e-mail attachment to the following 
address: (sirpa.l.tenhunen /at/ jyu.fi)

The conference is organized by the Finnish Academy funded project 
"Mobile technology, gender and development in Africa, India and 
Bangladesh <http://mobile.hum.jyu.fi/>" led by Prof. Laura Stark 
<https://www.jyu.fi/hum/laitokset/hie/en/staff/lstark>, Dept. of History 
and Ethnology <https://www.jyu.fi/hum/laitokset/hie/en>, University of 
Jyv <https://www.jyu.fi/en>äskylä <https://www.jyu.fi/en>.

*Conference website (including call for doctoral workshop 
<http://mobiletelephony-developingworld.blogspot.fi/p/doctoral-workshop.html>) at 
*http://mobiletelephony-developingworld.blogspot.fi*.*