Network Politics: Objects, Subjects and New Political Affects
October 22-23, Ryerson University, Toronto, Canada > > >A Symposium co-sponsored by the AHRC funded "New Configurations of >Network Politics" project at Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge UK, >and the Infoscape Centre for the Study of Social Media, Ryerson >University, Canada > > >In the network age, the question of political agency is becoming >increasingly troublesome, with a pressing need to reflect upon how >collective distributed networks as well as non-human actants >re-define the field of the political. > >This symposium will investigate what counts as a political object or >subject , and how such objects/subjects circulate and are controlled >in the context of developing critical approaches to networked politics. > >The symposium seeks to build upon object-oriented philosophy, which >has shifted the language of coding and programming into the domain >of 'tool-being'. In so doing a correlate possibility of a 'web' of >subject-oriented objects emerges, opened up by hyper-personalized >web services and control techniques that shape and recombine >pseudo-subjects from the bio-political detritus of data-mining >software and algorithmic protocols. In the face of such new >assemblages, what sites, actants, and tactics potentially reinvent >new political affects? > >The symposium welcomes interventions on related questions and topics >that answer or complicate the notion of the 'objects' and 'subjects' >of network politics. The symposium seeks paper proposals that touch >upon the following set of themes: > >- Theories and case studies of object/subject-oriented politics > >- Networking of political artifacts: politicizing "participatory culture" > >- New epistemologies for networked politics > >- Politics 2.0: personalization, customization and surveillance > >- Activist platforms and recursive publics > >The event takes place October 22 & 23, 2010 at Ryerson University, >Toronto and is co-hosted by the Infoscape Centre for the Study of >Social Media and the AHRC funded project New Configurations of >Network Politics at Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge UK. > >Deadlines: > >Paper proposals (400 words): due 2 August, 2010 >Acceptances: August 15, 2010 > >Please email proposals to Network Politics Project - > (contact /at/ networkpolitics.org) or directly >contact (jussi.parikka /at/ anglia.ac.uk) and/or (joss.hands /at/ anglia.ac.uk) >. For other inquiries about the event please contact (gelmer /at/ ryerson.ca) > >Symposium programming commmittee: Jussi Parikka (Anglia Ruskin U.), >Joss Hands (Anglia Ruskin U.), Greg Elmer (Ryerson University), >Ganaele Langlois (U. of Ontario Institute of Technology), and >Alessandra Renzi (Ryerson University) > > > > >EMERGING EXCELLENCE: In the Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) 2008, >more than 30% of our submissions were rated as 'Internationally >Excellent' or 'World-leading'. >Among the academic disciplines now rated 'World-leading' are Allied >Health Professions Art English Language Geography & Environmental >Studies; History; Music; Psychology; and Social Work & Social Policy >& Administration. > >Visit www.anglia.ac.uk/rae for more information.