[ecrea] Call for papers: Special Issue on "Big Data - Big Power shifts"

Call for papers: Special issue on ‘Big data: big power shifts?’


Call for papers of the Internet Policy Review for a Special issue on
‘Big data: big power shifts?’

supported by the Vodafone Institute for Society and Communications


TOPIC & RELEVANCE

'Big data' has been a major issue in internet-related public debate for
several years now and it is yet unclear what impact big data has on
societies, politics and markets. We conceive ‘big data’ as constituted
by three components: the automatic generation of very large and diverse
data sets which are mainly the result of the digitisation of modern
societies, their processing by algorithms and their use for
decision-making and regulation, in the private or public sector. This
includes purposes such as profiling, monitoring, predictive analysis and
risk calculation.

Mayer-Schönberger & Cukier claim that big data is a “revolution that
will transform how we live, work, and think” (2014). But whereas
revolutions imply a profound shift in power relations, there is little
scientific evidence about whether and, if so, how big data affects power
relations.

We understand power as the production, in and through social relations,
of effects that shape the capacities of actors to determine their fate.
Power opens up or closes off options to act for parties involved and it
is multi-dimensional: it is influence over others, empowerment, the
capacity to act and to self-discipline.


SCOPE OF THE SPECIAL ISSUE

The aim of the special issue in the Internet Policy Review is to explore
the extent to which big data shapes society by influencing power
relations and, in return, how the development of big data-related
phenomena is itself shaped by power relations.

We welcome proposals that address power relations linked to big data
phenomena in various fields, as long as they bear a relevance to
European societies and highlight policy implications or make a reference
to regulatory debates. Papers can have both a more conceptual or a more
empirical focus. This call for papers is open to researchers from the
fields of policy studies, sociology, law, philosophy, data, information
and technology studies, economics and management and related fields.
Emerging scholars are particularly encouraged to submit a proposal.


FOCUS OF THE PAPERS

As stated above, scientific knowledge about which power relations shape
the “big data society” is still scarce. Yet much has been said about the
many promising and worrying aspects of a society built on predictive
analysis, machine learning and algorithmic regulation, and various
implicit and explicit hypotheses about the power effects of big data
have emerged in the academic and public debate.

  * Empowerment of users/citizens/patients: Will big data empower users,
    citizens and patients through applications and services (tailored
    services, e-participation, e-health)?
  * Power shifts and conflicts over power between actors:
      o Does big data alter the power relation between states and
        citizens (‘surveillance society’, ‘governing the poor’,
        manipulation of voters by individualised election campaigns)?
      o Do personalised marketing and the monitoring of staff affect the
        power relations between companies and users or employees?
      o Do new power relations between companies, political
        candidates/parties or states arise due to unequal access to big
        data applications?
      o Does big data influence the relative importance of scientific
        disciplines or professions (data analysts versus lawyers and
        economists)?
  * Different modes of decision-making and knowledge production: Are
    current norms and practices threatened by ‘algorithmic regulation’
    and the ‘end of theory’?
  * Power relations shaping big data: How do power relations shape the
    development of big data and the precise big data related practices,
    modes of production and application fields?
  * Narratives: How are big data related power relations addressed,
    problematized or, on the contrary, masked?
  * Regulation of big data: What regulations are relevant for big data
    related power relations? What alternative regulations are proposed?



BEST PAPER AWARD

In addition to the special issue the author/s selected for the best
paper award will be invited to speak at the closing lecture of the
HIIG-lecture series Big data: big power shifts? The lecture is set to be
held in Berlin in April 2016 in cooperation with the Vodafone Institute
for Society and Communications.

Special issue editors: Dr. Lena Ulbricht, WZB Berlin Social Science
Center ((lena.ulbricht /at/ wzb.eu) <mailto:(lena.ulbricht /at/ wzb.eu)>) and
Maximilian von Grafenstein LL.M., Alexander von Humboldt Institute for
Internet and Society ((max.grafenstein /at/ hiig.de)).


IMPORTANT DATES

20 October 2015: Deadline for expression of interest and abstract
submissions (500 word abstracts) via the form below (see under SUBMIT).

27 October 2015: Feedback on abstract submissions

14 December 2015: Deadline for full text submissions (max. 30,000
characters spaces included). The full text form will be provided on 27
October. All details on text submissions can be found under:
http://policyreview.info/authors

March 2016: Publication of the special issue


Submission form: http://policyreview.info/node/374










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