[ecrea] Call for Papers: Interface Critique – Developing a cultural science perspective of the human-machine interfaces

INTERFACE CRITIQUE – Developing a cultural science perspective of the 
human-machine interface

Call for Papers for an interdisciplinary symposium at the Institute for 
Theory and Practice of Communication at the Berlin University of Arts, 
November 7th - 8th 2014, Berlin, Germany.

GUIs, TUIs and NUIs: An „I“ in acronyms to describe human-machine 
interfaces has become as common as mysterious. The more it is taken for 
granted, the more it seems to escape our understanding. What does 
“interface” mean in the context of contemporary technical development? 
The trend towards unobstrusiveness is conspicuous: “Deep integration”, 
“actionable notifications” or “Shytech” - the visual aesthetic trends 
tend to hide mechanisms, functions and processes. How can we critically 
examine interfaces that increasingly disappear into the background?

The symposium tries to understand the phenomenon “interface” in its 
dynamic development in order to develop critical perspectives beyond 
culturally pessimistic reflexes. We are looking for papers dealing with 
topics such as inclusion and exclusion, subjectivation and 
desubjectivation, continuities and non-simultaneity. Considering that 
many interfaces are not only connected with each other, but also merge 
into one another, that they not only enable communication with 
technology, but also normalize it, it becomes evident: understanding
interfaces is an approach to understanding the world.

We suggest the following perspectives:

Panel 1 - Theories, Terms, Concepts

From an understanding of “interface” as a separating but also mediating 
device to more controversial explorations of the term, this panel wants 
to discover new ways of thinking about interfaces. The theoretical 
discourse on “interfaces” varies from space theory (Drucker) to theories 
of power (Galloway). In the tension between these interdisciplinary 
perspectives the interface appears as an oscillating nexus, whose 
dynamic and actuality provokes ever new definitions. Spatial, 
process-oriented or as an effect – in this panel we invite to discover 
new understandings of the term, to step into its shadow, fathom the 
unseen and question assumed fixations.

Panel 2 - Micro history

Focusing on the artefacts’ context and the details of actual practice, 
this panel draws relations between the historical protagonists and their 
surrounding world. The micro-historical approach offers an analysis of 
time periods within which the historical contexts are withdrawn from its 
e´criture automatique, from the institutional and technological logic, 
and thereby throws the “human factor” back into the macro-historical 
discourse. Think of investigations about selected individiuals 
(designers, developers, entrepreneurs) and their environment, about 
concrete strategic orientations and actions of certain companies, or 
even about specific updates, revisions oder extensions of services, apps 
or operating systems.

Panel 3 - Trends and Paradigms

Within this panel we want to discover the paradigms of interface design 
as subjects of cultural criticism and reflection. It deals with current 
and past trends, with historical developments of design paradigms and 
the interactions of utilization and development, appropriation and 
normalization. How adaptive, open and context-sensitive is and was the 
conception of interfaces? Who gives whom how much room for 
appropriation? Is it possible to think concepts such as Skeuomorphism, 
flat or material design as concepts of cultural history? What does it 
mean to conceive the interface as an apparatus?

Panel 4 - Talk and Narration of and through interfaces

Hard- and software converge to create new forms of communication that
we often live with before we can talk about them. We ask about the 
hermeneutics of interfaces, about the interpretation of their texts, 
signs and symbols. We are interested in narratives: those that enroll in 
interfaces and those that will – as parts of our culture – also be part 
of the writing of history. How do wording conventions (UIDL) and 
metaphors (such as stream, tweet, cloud etc.) become established? How 
and with which tonality do interfaces talk with users? Which zones, 
gaps, restrictions and accesses can be articulated? And what does this 
mean for our everyday construction of language and reality?

The symposium follows an interdisciplinary approach and addresses 
researchers of all disciplines who want to discuss their work in the 
context of cultural science. Explicitly invited (besides cultural 
scientists) are researchers of technical disciplines and designers. 
Papers can refer to the panels depicted above, but can also open up 
other perspectives. Proposals can be in English or German. Please send 
your abstract with a maximum of 300 words and a short biography to 
(proposals /at/ interfacecritique.net). Deadline is August 15th.

August 15th: Deadline for submissions

November 7th/8th: Conference in Berlin

Mail for Abstracts: (proposals /at/ interfacecritique.net)

Website: www.interfacecritique.net

CfP GERMAN VERSION: interfacecritique.net/call-for-paper/

Conference organizers:

Florian Hadler (Berlin University of Arts) – (flohadler /at/ udk-berlin.de)
Joachim Haupt (Berlin University of Arts) – (j.haupt /at/ udk-berlin.de)










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