[ecrea] Developing Digital Diversity Conference

Developing Digital Diversity Conference
http://www.digitaldiversity.org.uk/

+++

Conference

The conference is scheduled to take place between 20 - 21st July 2006 at 
the ICA, London.

Conference Schedule

Day 1 Creative solutions

     The opening day will focus on initiatives that address issues of 
multiplicity in media use and access. Innovative projects may focus on a 
variety of related issues including:

     * Political - widening access and improving participation in 
everything digital is a cultural necessity for a more tolerant and 
inclusive society. Political activists state that the only way to become a 
participating citizen in democracy now is to be technologically literate.
     * Cultural - enrichment and experience - knowledge transfer of ideas. 
Cultural initiatives and projects that connect different community groups.
     * Social - the democratising influence of wider participation
     * Educational - widening participation - A HEFCE directive

Day 2 Focus on industry and future trends

     The second day will focus on speakers from key industry sectors 
dedicated to creating and promoting products within the digital media area. 
They will present panels that discuss trends on, amongst other things, the 
following topics:

     Trends within the current economic environment, interface design, 
product and content creation and development, publishing, marketing, 
promotion and distribution, profit incentive, expanding target user base.

To contribute to the discussions we would like to hear from anyone working 
in the digital media or creative industries, academics or project 
coordinators who have experience of relevant projects to share. For details 
on how to contribute please visit thecall for papers section.

Delegate costs

1 day attendence = £80

2 day attendence = £120

REGISTER NOW! to attend the conference.

Successful papers and contributions to the conference will be published in 
book format.

+++

The DDD conference comprises a mixture of keynote speeches, industry panels 
and the presentation of discussion and research papers alongside innovative 
future ideas. This inaugural two-day event provides the opportunity to 
develop and exchange ideas between worldwide leading practitioners, 
academics, industry leaders and future creative talent.
This conference will explore key issues on the theme of digital diversity. 
These themes will include issues of race, age and gender in relation to 
access, use and creation of digital media.

Papers and submissions will be invited that address one or more of these 
themes. The prompts are intended to be neither prescriptive nor comprehensive.

The Developing Digital Diversity conference is scheduled for Thurs 20th - 
Fri 21st of July 2006 at the ICA, London.

Themes

The DDD project aims to examine and address issues related to:

1) In pursuit of the matrix

This section probes the ownership and control of technological networks, 
hardware, software and peripherals.

     * Internet governance and funding
     * Who monitors industry giants and state censorship?
     * How effective were the discussions and projects initiated by the 
World Summit on the Infomation Society (WSIS)?
     * Will global regulation over the internet encourage democratic use?

2) Reinventing the wheel? - Expect the unexpected

This section asks how we can more effectively study and learn about social 
trends from older media forms and practice.

     * Can the theoretical and research qualities applied to established 
media forms also apply to newer media forms especially in relation to race, 
age and gender studies?
     * Can such a vast, complex and new area be understood by academic 
research in isolated disciplines?
     * How can we gather meaningful data on cultural change?
     * As digital technology has such rapid change rate, whose duty is it 
to archive the changes?

3) The Yin and Yang of creativity

This section explores gender based difference in creative and technological 
approach within industry, academic and creative fields.

     * Does technology shape creativity or does creativity shape technology?
     * How best can we encourage marginalised groups to become creatively 
involved with digital technology?
     * Should we be evolving strategies to avoid geeks and otakus 
controlling our technological future?

4) Is virtual life a richer life?

This section investigates pervasive digital community practices and their 
ability or not to promote rich, diverse virtual experiences.

     * What happens to our moral codes as we participate in virtual worlds?
     * Is the post-human body a reality? If so is it defined by race, 
gender and disability?
     * How blogs, moblogs, newsgroups etc increase our understanding of 
cultural practices and ethical diversity?
     * Accountability, the invisible author and responsibility for content

5) The fear factor

This section questions the neo-optimistic approach that promotes the 
technological utopia.

     * The debate around techno utopianism and its counter vision are now 
seen as too simplistic. How has the argument evolved?
     * Mind the gap - market forces drive the social and economic impact of 
technology rather than ethical issues
     * More communities should mean more democracy, so why is student 
demographic not diverse?
     * How to motivate under-represented groups to become involved, use and 
be empowered by creative technology?

6) Horizons of the future

This section analyses future trends in relation to employability, global 
markets, digital technology and solutions to ethical inequalities.

     * What impact can governments and industry have on reducing the 
digital divide? Will dismantling State structures of control provide a more 
level playing field?
     * Evolving strategies of inclusion for all under-represented groups?
     * Political and social recognition of commerce as a driver of innovation
     * What way forward for industry? Defining areas for collaboration with 
an exploration of open source and peer-2-peer.




-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Carpentier Nico (Phd)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
!!!!!!NEW!!!!!!!!
ECREA Communication Doctoral Summer School information at:
http://www.comsummerschool.org/ &
http://www.ecrea.eu/summer.html
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Vrije Universiteit Brussel - Free University of Brussels
Centre for Studies on Media and Culture (CeMeSO)
Pleinlaan 2 - B-1050 Brussels - Belgium
T: ++ 32 (0)2-629.24.14
F: ++ 32 (0)2-629.28.61
Office: 5B.401a
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Katholieke Universiteit Brussel - Catholic University of Brussels
Vrijheidslaan 17 - B-1081 Brussel - Belgium
T: ++ 32 (0)2-412.42.78
F: ++ 32 (0)2/412.42.00
Office: 4/0/18
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
European Communication Research and Education Association
Web: http://www.ecrea.eu
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
E-mail: (Nico.Carpentier /at/ vub.ac.be)
Web: http://homepages.vub.ac.be/~ncarpent/
-----------------------------------------------------------------------  


----------------
ECREA-Mailing list
----------------
!!!!!!NEW!!!!!!!!
ECREA Communication Doctoral Summer School information at:
http://www.comsummerschool.org/ &
http://www.ecrea.eu/summer.html
---
This mailing list is a free service from ECREA.
---
To unsubscribe, send an email message to (majordomo /at/ listserv.vub.ac.be)
with in the body of the message (NOT in the subject): unsubscribe ecrea
---
ECREA - European Communication Research and Education Association
Postal address: ECREA - P.O. Box 106, B-1210 Brussels 21, Belgium
Email: (ecrea /at/ ulb.ac.be)
URL: http://www.ecrea.eu
----------------