[ecrea] CFP: International Digital Divide Conference

PARTNERSHIP FOR PROGRESS ON THE DIGITAL DIVIDE

2015 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE

Creating Connections, Building Bridges: Advancing the

Digital Divide Research, Policy, and Practice Agenda

21-22 October 2015

Arizona State University SkySong

Scottsdale (Phoenix), Arizona USA

http://www.ppdd.org/conferences/ppdd2015/

In 1995, based on U.S. Census data collected in 1994, the newly created
U.S. National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA)
prepared and released the landmark report “Falling Through the Net: A
Survey of the ‘Have Nots’ in Rural and Urban America”. As a result, the
inequalities of online access began to be discussed as the “Digital
Divide” was recognized as a key challenge in countries around the world.

Twenty-one years after that identification of the digital divide through
social scientific research, the gaps persist and in many cases grow.
According to the latest available data from the International
Telecommunication Union, in all but 21 out of 228 countries around the
world, and even in the vast majority of developed countries, at least
20% of the population does not benefit from even minimal access to the
Internet at home. Even within the top 50 countries in Internet access,
18 countries, ranging from Bahrain to New Zealand to the United States,
have 20-30% of their households offline and in 11 countries, including
Spain, Italy, Croatia, and Russia, 30-38% of their populations have no
Internet access at home. And, that trend continues with even some
developed and wealthy countries with Very High Human Development
according to the United Nations having around half their households
without Internet access (e.g., Greece with 44%, Saudi Arabia with 46%,
and Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory, with 51% offline).

While the digital divide has always impacted groups across a wide range
of ages, now, given the number of years the digital divide has already
persisted and its likely continuation into the future, these experiences
of inequality will affect individuals across their entire life course.
More than two decades of research, policy, and practice have taught us
that the digital divide is about gaps in access and connectivity; the
skills and digital literacy needed to interpret, understand, and
navigate information presented online; effective use by individuals and
communities; the impact of socio-economic factors on user behavior; the
role of motivation, attitudes, and interests; differences in patterns of
usage; the ways in which people use the Internet to create content; and
the resulting socio-economic and cultural effects. But, more than that,
when fully assessed and understood, it is evident that the digital
divide has now taken its place alongside other long-standing, persistent
issues of social equity and social justice.

The interdisciplinary Partnership for Progress on the Digital Divide
(PPDD) 2015 International Conference brings together researchers,
policymakers, and practitioners to strategize actions and catalyze
solutions to this pressing societal concern. PPDD 2015 provides an
extended, in-depth opportunity to consider the current state and future
possibilities for research, policy, and practice that informs issues
related to the digital divide around the world. Further, the Conference
works to identify new areas of necessary, productive research focus to
foster greater understanding and enlighten policy and practice going
forward so that all global citizens can participate fully in the
digital, networked age. As a major outcome of PPDD 2015, we plan to
produce an edited volume of the top papers as well as special issues of
journals on specific themes within the digital divide area.

Hosted by the Arizona State University (ASU) School of Public Affairs,
PPDD 2015 will be held at ASU’s high-tech SkySong in the Scottsdale area
of Phoenix, Arizona, USA with complimentary transport to/from discounted
hotel room blocks in pleasurable Old Town Scottsdale, a 5-10 minute
drive from SkySong.

Involving scholars, policymakers and practitioners at all stages of
their careers, sessions at PPDD 2015 will include reports of research
from any discipline and any theoretical and methodological approach that
contributes to exploring the issues surrounding the digital divide as
well as discussions of policy and practice work, experiences, ideas,
challenges, and opportunities. In addition, there will be plenaries,
including an opening plenary luncheon on 21 October, and a keynote
luncheon on 22 October.

The final session of PPDD 2015 is a highly interactive, lively
brainstorming and collaborative thinking dialogue among all presenters
and other attendees to create partnerships and inspire new ideas for
digital divide research, policy, and practice. All participants in PPDD
2015 will have the opportunity to provide in advance position papers for
this session that will be made available prior to the Conference and
permanently archived via an e-book on the PPDD website.

If you would like to present and discuss your work during PPDD 2015 and
have it included in the online PPDD 2015 Conference Proceedings and/or
if you would like to provide a Position Paper for inclusion in the PPDD
2015 E-Book, please see the Call for Participation
(http://www.ppdd.org/conferences/ppdd2015/cfp/) for instructions on how
to submit your work for consideration.

If you would like to just attend PPDD 2015 to explore the issues and
grow your knowledge and network of connections, please know that you are
very welcome and valued in the PPDD Conference Community.

Please join PPDD and an unprecedented broad multi-disciplinary coalition
of co-sponsoring organizations from academic and practitioner
communities to share your insights and expertise. Together, we will
enrich the dialogue, connect research, policy and practice, and advance
the agenda on the digital divide.

Please contact conference [at] ppdd [dot] org with any questions.

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CALL FOR PARTICIPATION

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If you would like to 1) present and discuss your work during PPDD 2015
and have it included in the online PPDD 2015 Conference Proceedings
and/or if you would like to 2) provide a Position Paper for inclusion in
the PPDD 2015 E-Book, we look forward with enthusiasm to your
contribution and ask that you please follow the instructions provided
athttp://www.ppdd.org/conferences/ppdd2015/cfp/ to submit your work.

1) Deadline to Submit Your Work for Consideration for Presentation: 20
August 2015 11:59 p.m. Hawaii Time

Notification of Acceptance: 27 August 2015

If you have visa or other time-sensitive concerns, please submit your
work as quickly as possible as directed below and email conference [at]
ppdd [dot] org to request an expedited review so you can receive
notification shortly after submission.

Submissions that follow the instructions provided at
http://www.ppdd.org/conferences/ppdd2015/cfp/ are welcome from
researchers, policymakers, and practitioners at all stages of their
careers, from any theoretical and methodological approach, and across
multiple disciplines engaged in work that informs issues related to the
digital divide, including but not limited to:

– gaps in access and connectivity

– digital inclusion

– digital exclusion

– digital (dis)engagement

– challenges and opportunities

– social and cultural aspects of the divide

– the skills and digital/information literacy needed to interpret,
understand, and navigate information presented online

- effective use by individuals and communities

– the impact of socioeconomic factors on user behavior

– the role of motivation, attitudes, and interests

– differences in patterns of usage

– characteristics and conceptualizations of non-users

– the ways in which people use the Internet to create content

– different forms of capital and power relationships

– the impact of new and evolving technologies

– the mobile divide

– the interplay of influence with mobile technologies

– socioeconomic and cultural effects

– social equity, social and economic justice, and democracy

– the ethics of digital inequality

– community informatics

– social informatics

– social planning

– international development

– indigenous populations

– education

– ICTs and well-being

– health

– disability and accessibility

– politics, digital government, digital citizenship, smart
cities/citizens/government, civic engagement, adoption issues, and
(in)equality

– global citizenship

– policy and its impacts, including information/telecommunications
policy, net neutrality, and open access

– public access initiatives

– practitioner-oriented topics considering aspects of design,
management, implementation, assessment, and collaboration

– the application of research to communities, practice, and public and
private sector initiatives

2) Deadline to Submit a Position Paper for the PPDD 2015 Conference
E-Book: 7 September 2015 11:59 p.m. Hawaii Time

All PPDD 2015 attendees may submit a position paper and all submissions
that follow the guidelines provided at
www.ppdd.org/conferences/ppdd2015/cfp/
<http://www.ppdd.org/conferences/ppdd2015/cfp/> will be included in the
PPDD 2015 Conference E-Book.

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HOTELS, VENUE, AND POST-CONFERENCE ACTIVITIES

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On the PPDD 2015 Hotels, Venue, and Post-Conference Activities page
(http://www.ppdd.org/conferences/ppdd2015/hotelsvenue/), you will find
full details about our hotels, SkySong, and the Scottsdale area as well
as post-conference information if you are also attending AoIR IR16
and/or would like to take advantage of exciting opportunities to see
digital divide work in action in the Gila River American Indian
Community and experience the natural wonders of the American Southwest
on a study tour to Sedona and the Grand Canyon, both of which require
registration by 31 August.

We have secured extremely low room rates at two quality hotels with
great amenities. You are strongly encouraged to make your reservations
at these hotels through the links provided below because other area
hotels have much higher rates with fewer amenities and only guests
staying at these two hotels within the PPDD 2015 room block will be
provided with complimentary daily roundtrip transportation to/from
SkySong (i.e., if you do not reserve your room through the links below,
you will be responsible for your own daily transportation to/from SkySong).

Hilton Garden Inn Scottsdale Old Town

Single or Double: $119USD/night (plus tax) including complimentary
continental breakfast, Internet access, parking, and more

Please make your reservation at
http://hiltongardeninn.hilton.com/en/gi/groups/personalized/S/SCTGIGI-PPDD-20151017/index.jhtml?WT.mc_id=POG

Reservation Deadline: This special discounted room rate will be
available until 21 September or when the group block is sold-out,
whichever comes first.

Holiday Inn Express & Suites Scottsdale Old Town

Single or Double: $109USD/night (plus tax)

Triple: $119USD/night (plus tax)

Quad: $129USD/night (plus tax)

All rates include complimentary hot breakfast buffet, Manager’s
Reception Tuesday-Saturday with beer, wine, soda and light snacks,
Internet access, parking, and more.

Please make your reservation at
http://www.hiexpress.com/redirect?path=hd&brandCode=ex&localeCode=en&regionCode=1&hotelCode=PHXSR&_PMID=99801505&GPC=PPD

Reservation Deadline: These special discounted room rates will be
available until 14 September or when the group block is sold-out,
whichever comes first.

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REGISTRATION

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The PPDD 2015 Conference registration fee is $99USD and includes full
access to the Conference as well as lunch on 21 and 22 October plus the
Conference reception and banquet dinner after the Conference programming
on 21 October.

Please note that all presenters must register by 10 September to ensure
their place in the PPDD 2015 Conference Program.

Please note the deadline to register for the post-Conference Gila River
Telecommunications Field Trip or Gila River Telecommunications and
Natural Wonders of the American Southwest Study Tour to Sedona and the
Grand Canyon is 31 August.

Please register at http://ppdd2015.brownpapertickets.com/

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YOUR PPDD 2015 CONFERENCE LEADERSHIP TEAM

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Conference Organizers

Susan B. Kretchmer, Partnership for Progress on the Digital Divide

Rod Carveth, Morgan State University and Partnership for Progress on the
Digital Divide

Conference Host

Arizona State University School of Public Affairs

Karen Mossberger, Director

Europe Sessions Organizer

Grant Blank, Oxford University and Oxford Internet Institute

Asia, the Pacific, the Middle East, and Africa Sessions Organizer

Gerard Goggin, University of Sydney

Canada Sessions Organizer

Richard Smith, Simon Fraser University and Centre for Digital Media

United States Sessions Organizer

Susan B. Kretchmer, Partnership for Progress on the Digital Divide

Latin America and the Caribbean Sessions Organizer

Laura Robinson, Santa Clara University

Policymaker and Practitioner Liaison

Angela Siefer, National Digital Inclusion Alliance

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CO-SPONSORS

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American Anthropological Association Committee on the Anthropology of
Science, Technology, and Computing

American Political Science Association Information Technology and
Politics Section

American Public Health Association Health Informatics Information
Technology Section

Communication and Information Technologies Section of the American
Sociological Association

Community Informatics Research Network

International Association for Media and Communication Research

International Association for Media and Communication Research
Communication Policy and Technology Section

International Association for Media and Communication Research Digital
Divide Working Group

International Communication Association

International Communication Association Communication and Technology
Division

International Communication Association Communication Law and Policy
Division

International Communication Association Mass Communication Division

iSchools

National Communication Association

National Digital Inclusion Alliance

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PUBLISHING PARTNERS

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Information Technologies and International Development

Journal of Community Informatics

Online Journal of Public Health Informatics

Additional journals may be forthcoming

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SPONSORS

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The PPDD 2015 International Conference would not be possible without the
generosity of our Sponsors whose dedication to enriching the dialogue
and connecting research, policy, and practice leads the way in advancing
the agenda on the digital divide. Please join us in thanking them.

**Premier Sponsor and Conference Banquet Host**

Arizona State University School of Public Affairs <http://spa.asu.edu/>

**Premier Sponsor and Opening Plenary Luncheon Host**

USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism
<http://annenberg.usc.edu/>

**Platinum Sponsor**

Arizona State University School for the Future of Innovation in Society
<https://sfis.asu.edu/

Institute of Cultural Capital <http://iccliverpool.ac.uk/>

**Gold Sponsor**

Arizona State University American Indian Policy Institute

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