How do you find out you haven't been paying much attention to your blog of late?

You find that your comment junk box holds 8999 trash comments. Ouch...it has been a long couple of years hasn't it.

Posted by prolurkr at 01:23 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Do you Twitter?

I'm trying to ease my way back into my old web presence...now that the semester is over. So if you Twitter, check out my updates and let me add to you to my list...oh and I have to actually know who you are before I will add you. LOL Call me shallow that way.

Twitter id - LoisS

Posted by prolurkr at 05:49 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Ok for the second time - and this time for real - I can say I am done with classes

Well the amazing has happened ...not just amazing as much as it often felt like the impossible could never happen. I passed Intermediate Statistics with the required minimum of a B-. I have to give the credit to three people - Dr. Peng, who is a gifted teacher; Li-Ting, our TA for helping me see more than a few things I was missing for the trees; and my friend Tim, for his patience in explaining complex ideas and always finding the laughter in it all.

I have great respect for those who can think in statistics, which is why I hangout with several of them. But that said, it's not my gig, so now I can leave it to all of you for whom the statistical way is the best way.

Posted by prolurkr at 09:57 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

Thrifty shopping for your next travel excursion

While reading the May 2008 edition of ShopSmart, I found a list of travel sites that I thought I would share.  Now if you are like me, you want to travel like an international celebrity...not the paparazzi of a celeb, just the quality of service they get...but want to do it on a sub-coach budget.  If so then some of these sites might help.

• travelzoo - for last-minute deals and discounted prices on airfares, resorts, vacation packages, and cruises.
• farecast - for historical airline fares.  Plus predictions on current and future fare rates.
• seatguru - a site that might be this tall gals new best friend.  Check them out to find out which seats on what aircraft give you the legroom you need.  By checking out their listing I found out that Jet Blue's Airbus A320 has more space per seat then some airlines' first-class seats.  My kinda place!
• tripadvisor - for recent guests reviews of hotels, inns, local restaurants, attractions, and activities.
• johnnyjet - is an encyclopedia of travel sites.  You want the answer, they can probably link you to it from their site.
• magellans - a personal favorite for years.  Need a luggage tag that sets your black suitcase apart from the hundreds of other black suitcases on your flight?  Magellan's had it.  Want a travel pillow like that guy two rows ahead of you on your last transatlantic flight was using?  Magellan's has it!  Want one of those nifty folding luggage scales so you don't get hit by the ever changing airline policies on weights?  Magellan's has it.

Posted by prolurkr at 10:44 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

CFP - Visible Memories Conference

Visible Memories Conference
Syracuse University
Oct. 2-4, 2008

Call for Papers

Conference Theme: The Visible Memories Conference at Syracuse University invites papers for competitive selection. The conference will explore the intersections between visual culture and memory studies with particular focus on the ways in which memories are manifested and experienced in visible, material, or spatial form.

Examples of especially relevant and desirable research topics include: local sites of memory; memorials and archives; environmentalism and representations of nature; regional, national, or global tourism; photography or cinema; digital media; and art installations. We also welcome other research topics in similarly innovative areas.
The Visible Memories Conference is presented by the Visual Arts and Cultures Cluster of The Central New York Humanities Corridor, made possible by a grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. The Corridor is a large-scale partnership with Syracuse University, Cornell University, and the University of Rochester that connects scholarship in five other cluster areas: philosophy, linguistics, religions and cultures, musicology/music history, and humanities at the interface of science/technology.

Conference Format: The conference will feature an innovative combination of events designed to facilitate conversation not only between a variety of researchers concerned with the study of visual culture and memory but also between academics and distinguished professionals in art and design, film production, and institutional archiving.

Featured events will include:

· A keynote lecture by conceptual artist Ernesto Pujol.

· Plenary speakers:

Cara Finnegan (Speech Communication, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)
Andrea Hammer (Landscape Architecture, Cornell University)
George Legrady (Media Arts and Technology and Art, University of California at Santa Barbara)
Julia Meltzer (media artist)
Phaedra Pezzullo (Communication and Culture, Indiana University)
Gregory Sholette (Art and Art History, Queens College)
David Thorne (media artist)
Patricia Zimmermann (Cinema and Photography, Ithaca College).

· Competitive panel sessions.

· Research workshops and roundtables.

· A gallery reception and film/video screenings.

Submission Guidelines: Submit a paper abstract electronically (500 word maximum). Include a separate cover page with paper title; author name and affiliation; and contact information. Submissions should be addressed to Dr. Anne T. Demo (atdemo_at_syr.edu).

Abstracts will be reviewed by the conference planning committee. Deadline for abstract submission is May 1, 2008. Acceptance notification will be sent by June 1, 2008.

Conference History: Syracuse University has been heavily involved in the study of public memory and visual culture for the past seven years. The university has previously hosted two major interdisciplinary conferences devoted to the themes of “Framing Public Memory” (2001) and “Contesting Public Memories” (2005). These events have attracted national and international scholars from such disciplines as Anthropology, Rhetorical Studies, Philosophy, Writing, Geography, and Art. As a result of these efforts, the Syracuse University “Public Memory Project” has become a hub for collaboration among scholars from over a dozen departments and has hosted numerous individual scholars while supporting specific memory-related projects within the Syracuse community.

Travel and Accommodations: Syracuse University is located in the heart of Central New York, close to many major metropolitan areas (2.5 hours from Buffalo; 4 from Philadelphia; 4.1 from New York City; 5 from Boston; 5.4
from Pittsburgh). Conference participants may travel conveniently to Syracuse, NY, through Syracuse Hancock International Airport.

The conference will be held at the Renaissance Syracuse Hotel (315-479-7000). Other high-quality accommodations nearby include the Sheraton Syracuse (315-475-3000) and the Genesee Grande Hotel (315-476-4212).

See our conference website for further details.

Additional questions about the Visible Memories Conference may be addressed to:

Dr. Anne T. Demo
Phone: 315-443-1032
E-mail: atdemo_at_syr.edu

Communication and Rhetorical Studies
100 Sims Hall, Building V
Syracuse University
Syracuse, New York 13244

Posted by prolurkr at 05:38 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

CFP - mSOCIETY 2008/EURO mGOV 2008

MOBILE LIFE EVENTS
--- exploring the influence of mobile technologies on life ---

-- mSOCIETY 2008 -- The 1st International Conference on Mobile Society
-- EURO mGOV 2008 -- The 3rd European Conference on Mobile Government

15 -19 September 2008, Sheraton Voyager, Antalya, Turkey
www.mgovernment.org/events/ mlife@mgovernment.org
-----------------
Mobile technologies are having a great impact on how we live our lives. These influences range from personal relations to interaction in society, and from the transformation of the public sector to the dynamics of economic development.

mLife conference and exhibitions are prime events for all organizations and professionals who would like to monitor, take part in and shape the development of the social aspects of the mobile revolution. They provide opportunities to businesses, public sector organizations and researchers to explore the frontiers of the social mobile revolution and be informed in order to reach their goals.

-----
EURO mGOV 2008 - The 3rd European Conference on Mobile Government
15-16 September 2008, Sheraton Voyager, Antalya, Turkey
-----

Mobile Government involves revolutionary approaches to the modernization of public sector via the utilization of networked mobile technologies in local or central government organizations. It aims to enhance public sector business by creating new opportunities to provide services to society. mGovernment is now a recognized field of
practice and research, and constitutes the next evolutionary step of progress in eGovernment.

The EURO mGOV 2008 aims to be a platform for presenting, exchanging and disseminating the newest developments, ideas, applications and services in the field of mGovernment among three essential constituents: public and private sector professionals and the researchers.

-----
mSOCIETY 2008 The 1st International Conference on Mobile Society
18-19 September 2008, Sheraton Voyager, Antalya, Turkey
-----

Mobile Society refers to the emerging trends of the collective-life on earth driven by the technology of networked mobile phones and other mobile devices. These technologies and its fast and wide adoption is influencing the way we live in the society, we run businesses and the way we are as an individual.

The First International Conference on Mobile Society (mSociety 2008) aims to be a platform for the presentation, exchange and dissemination of the latest developments, ideas, applications and services involving all aspects of practice and research in mSociety.
----------------------------------------

The mLife events organization invites you to join the networks and forums for creating, exchanging and disseminating business, social and psychological perspectives on mobile technologies and how they influence our life on earth.

Further Information on participation and content please visit www.mgovernment.org/events/ or email us mlife@mgovernment.org

Posted by prolurkr at 12:08 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

A new software toy to archive research text and materials

In this week's online wanderings I ran across the Center for History and New Media. In looking over their site I found some very interesting freeware in Scribe.

Scribe is a free cross-platform note-taking program designed especially with historians in mind. Think of it as the next step in the evolution of traditional 3x5 note cards. Scribe allows you to manage your research notes, quotes, thoughts, contacts, published and archival sources, digital images, outlines, timelines, and glossary entries. You can create, organize, index, search, link, and cross-reference your note and source cards. You can assemble, print, and export bibliographies, copy formatted references to clipboard, and import sources from online catalogs. You can store entire articles, add extended comments on each card in a separate field, and find and highlight a particular word within a note or article. Scribe's uses range from an undergraduate history research seminar to a major archival research project.

Main Features

* Create very long notes (up to 64,000 characters)
* Store published and archival sources (up to 22 types of sources)
* Create, print, and export bibliographies
* Copy footnote and parenthetical references to clipboard in Chicago or MLA format
* Import sources from online catalogs (one at a time only)
* Index note and source cards using a large number of keywords
* Store contact information and notes on authors
* Add extended comments on each card in a separate field
* Search notes and sources by author, title, keyword, note, comments, and other fields
* Perform word search: find and highlight a specific word in the note
* Link sources to notes
* Link sources and notes to images
* Create cross-reference links between cards
* Create an outline and link it to cards
* Create a timeline and link it to cards
* Create a glossary for your project
* Import from bibliographic managers and online databases
* Export to RIS and Zotero RDF

While Scribe was originally designed for historians, I don't see a disciplinary limit to it's use. So far I like it for linking to my archived email discussions and the like. We shall see how it holds up as I test it over time.

They have other freeware as well, check out their Tools page.

Posted by prolurkr at 11:29 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

CFP - THE GOOD LIFE IN A TECHNOLOGICAL AGE

THE GOOD LIFE IN A TECHNOLOGICAL AGE
Multidisciplinary Workshop at the University of Twente, The Netherlands June 12-14, 2008

Organized by Philip Brey (chair), Adam Briggle, Ed Spence, Johnny Soraker Department of Philosophy, University of Twente and 3TU.Centre for Ethics and Technology, the Netherlands.

Maximum number of participants: 32

This workshop will consider the implications of contemporary technology for the quality of life, and will examine approaches from philosophy and social and behavioural science for studying the quality of life in a technological age. Since the industrial revolution, modern technology has seriously impacted day-to-day life and has engendered changing ideals of the good life. In recent years, new technologies in the information, medical, industrial, and other sectors have further impacted everyday life. In this workshop, different disciplinary perspectives, from philosophy, psychology, economics and other fields, will be employed to interpret and evaluate contemporary relations between technology and the quality of life.

CONFIRMED SPEAKERS:
Philip Brey, Department of Philosophy, University of Twente, Netherlands
Luigino Bruni, Department of Economics, University of Milan-Bicocca, Italy
Charles Ess, Interdisciplinary studies, Drury University, USA
Jeroen van den Hoven, Department of Philosophy, Delft University of Technology, Netherlands
Anton Tupa, Department of Philosophy, University of Florida, USA
Ruut Veenhoven, Department of Social Sciences, Erasmus University Rotterdam
Peter-Paul Verbeek, Department of Philosophy, University of Twente, Netherlands

More invited speakers will be announced on http://ceptes.nl/glita

TOPICS INCLUDE:

? Philosophical and empirical methods for studying the good life and quality of life in a technological culture
? Implications of modern technology for the quality of life
? Hedonist, desire-satisfactionist and objective list accounts of contemporary life
? Quality of life, consumer culture and consumer technologies
? Quality of life, political philosophies and technology policy
? Quality of life, sustainability and the environment
? Quality of life and information technology
? Quality of life and biomedical technology
? New technologies and changing ideals of the good life
? Welfare economics and technology
? Happiness studies and technology

We are looking for contributions that employ conceptions of the quality of life or well-being that go beyond traditional social-economical quality-of-life indices, and that consider either the subjective preferences and psychological states of persons (as in psychology and welfare economics) or particular normative ideals of the good life (as developed in philosophy).

SUBMISSION OF EXTENDED ABSTRACTS:
Authors should submit an electronic version of an extended abstract (1000-1500 words). The abstract should be in doc, rtf or pdf format and be submitted by email to glita@gw.utwente.nl before March 10, 2008.

WORKSHOP FORMAT:
Each participant will give a short presentation followed by discussion. For invited papers a commentator will be assigned. There will be a plenary discussion at the end of the workshop.

PUBLICATION:
We are currently considering reputable publishers for a book consisting of the best papers from the workshop. Full papers for inclusion in the book should be submitted before November 1, and will be peer-reviewed.

IMPORTANT DATES:
March 10 Extended abstract submission deadline
March 21 Notification of acceptance
June 12-14 Workshop
November 1 Submission of full paper (optional)

PRACTICAL INFORMATION:
There is no registration fee for the workshop, but participants cover their own expenses for travel and accommodation (inexpensive accommodation will be available). More information about transportation and local accommodation can be found on our Website: http://ceptes.nl/glita. If you have any questions regarding the
workshop, please direct them to glita@gw.utwente.nl.

Posted by prolurkr at 11:11 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

CFP - Web_site Histories: Theories, Methods, Analysis

Web_site Histories: Theories, Methods, Analysis

One-day conference, October 14th 2008. The main purpose of Web_site Histories is to place the new and emerging field of Web History on the research agenda and to map the field of historical website studies.

Organizer: The Centre for Internet Research, University of Aarhus, Denmark.

The conference is associated the AoIR 9.0 conference Rethinking Communities, Rethinking Place in Copenhagen.

Confirmed keynote speakers:
Kirsten Foot, Associate Professor, University of Washington
Steven Schneider, Professor, State University of New York

Title: Object-Oriented Web Historiography.

Abstract: Foot & Schneider will present a keynote address that focuses on their proposal of an ?object-oriented? approach to researching and writing Web history. They will consider the various meanings of object entailed within the notion of object-oriented Web historiography in order to advance both the theoretical foundation and methodological rigor of developmental analyses of Web artifacts in their hyperlinked contexts. Developmental analyses of any aspect of the Web, whether engaged in contemporaneously or retrospectively, entail dynamics within and between the (co)producers of Web artifacts, production practices and techniques, and Web artifacts themselves. These dynamics make it difficult but very important for scholars to identify and situate their object(s) of analysis historically and theoretically. See extended description at http://www.cfi.au.dk/en/events/conferences/wsh08/keynote.

Kirsten Foot and Steven Schneider are the authors of Web Campaigning (MIT Press 2006) as well as a number of articles about Web Sphere Analysis.

A panel will round off the conference by discussing the future directions of studies of Web History. Besides Kirsten Foot and Steven Schneider panel participant will be Niels Brügger, Associate Professor, the Centre for Internet Research, University of Aarhus.

The main purpose of Web_site Histories is to place the new and emerging field of Web History on the research agenda and to map the field of historical website studies. The focus on the Web can be seen as a specialization within the larger field of Internet History, but with another subset of questions and challenges. The underscore in
the title reflects the uncertainty and variability of the object of study are we talking about the Web in general, Web Spheres, individual websites, or web pages? The conference welcomes papers on any of these approaches or any other theme, topic or idea connected to the theories, methods or analysis of Web History. Theoretical approaches could be discussions of the object of study or reflections on doing historical research on this particular subject. Methodological approaches may include abstract or more specific considerations of the range of applicable methods, both old and new, to Web History. Finally, the analytical approach welcomes contributions exploring the practical hazards and possibilities of this special kind of empirical material, as well as papers on concrete empirical studies.

Papers are also welcome on a wide array of historically-grounded themes. The topics below are examples of the kinds of issues paper presenters are invited to address but are not intended to limit topics suitable for paper submissions:
· General as well as more specific histories of the development of the Web, focusing on, for instance, technology, graphic design, culture etc.
· The history of the Web as a subset of the history of the Internet, with emphasis on, for instance, the development of hardware, software and protocols
· The organizational architecture of the Web in a global, national, transnational or local perspective
· Defining moments and events on the Web, either in terms of how the Web was conceived and built, or in terms of how it is or was perceived and used
· Demographical, social, cultural, or other factors influencing Web use and uptake
· Political, economic, institutional or personal histories of the Web
· The growing popularity of social networking sites in a historical perspective
· Interactivity, genre and media discussions in relation to the Web
· The histories of expectations in pre-web time meeting the reality of the Web
· Source availability and validity ? the archiving of the Web
· The history of the Web in the larger framework of media history

Please send abstracts of no more than 300 words by April 15th 2008 (further instructions at (http://www.cfi.au.dk/en/wsh08). After a process of double-blind peer review, authors will be notified of accepted papers by May 15th. Full papers will be due by August 31st 2008. Please note that there is a maximum of 30 participants, and priority will be given to paper presenters. Paper presentations will consist of short presentations with opponents/discussants and roundtable-style discussions. Presenters are therefore also expected to act as opponents/discussants.

Participation in the conference is free, and coffee and lunch is included (yes, there is such a thing as a free lunch). Following the conference, papers will be considered for inclusion in an edited volume on Web Histories.

The conference takes place at the University of Aarhus, two days before the start of the AoIR 9.0 conference in Copenhagen (http://conferences.aoir.org). Aarhus is situated west of Copenhagen and is the second largest city in Denmark with a population of approximately 300,000. It is accessible by train or by air via the Aarhus or Billund airports. Read more about Aarhus and the university: http://www.au.dk/en/why and http://www.au.dk/en/aarhus.htm.

The Centre for Internet Research is located at the Institute of Information and Media Studies, and was established in September 2000 in order to promote research into the social and cultural implications and functions of the internet. Read more about the Centre: http://www.cfi.au.dk/en/about/profile

Conference website: http://www.cfi.au.dk/en/wsh08.

The conference is sponsored by:
· 'The Knowledge Society', a joint research priority area at the Faculty of Humanities, University of Aarhus,
· the Institute of Information and Media Studies, University of Aarhus
· the Centre for Internet Research, University of Aarhus.

About the organisers:
Niels Brügger (PhD, MA) is Associate Professor at the Institute of Information and Media Studies, University of Aarhus, and co-founder of the Centre for Internet Research. His primary research interests are website history, web archiving, and the internet and media theory, and he recently started the research project "The history of
www.dr.dk, 1996-2006" (read more at http://imv.au.dk/~nb).

Vidar Falkenberg (MSc) is a PhD fellow at the Institute of Information and Media Studies, University of Aarhus, and a member of the Centre for Internet Research. His research is on the development of online newspapers in Denmark (read more at http://www.internetaviser.dk).

Posted by prolurkr at 07:28 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Frontline - Growing Up Online

Last night I watched the Frontline special "Growing Up Online." I was pleasantly surprised, in that promotions for the special appeared to be the same old, same old..."kids are doing terrible things online so how are we going to regulate it?" But it was in fact, a quite balanced discussion.

Two academics were interviewed and quoted, click on the name to see their PBS interview page-

- C.J. Pascoe, a postdoctoral scholar with the University of California, Berkeley's Digital Youth Research project.
- danah boyd, a fellow at Harvard's Berkman Center for Internet & Society.

For those of you who study teens and who missed the program, or who can't access it on the tube, it is available for viewing online, just click "Growing Up Online."

Posted by prolurkr at 08:07 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

CFP - Social Science Research Council Dissertation Proposal Development Fellowships

In summer 2008, the Social Science Research Council will sponsor twelve (12) Dissertation Proposal Development Fellowships in the field of Critical Studies of Science and Technology Policy, with an emphasis on comparative and international topics. These fellowships will fund participating graduate students at US universities to pursue predissertation summer research and to attend two integrated workshops designed to prepare you to learn and explore research and dissertation proposal development strategies in STS and closely related fields.

Except in unique circumstances, applicants should be in their second or third year of PhD programs and must not yet have defended their dissertation prospectus prior to attending the workshops. The due date for applications is February 8, 2008, and applications must be filed through the SSRC application portal:

http://programs.ssrc.org/dpdf/

If you have any questions, they can be directed to one of us (regarding research topics and workshop plans) or the SSRC (regarding application procedures or technical help with online applications). We are also attaching a copy of the full announcement to this email.

This is a unique opportunity, and we very much hope that you will apply yourself or help us recruit an outstanding group of participants.

Posted by prolurkr at 07:14 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Reading for quals - Orlikowski and Yates, Yates and Orlikowski, etc.

I have now officially entered my Yates and Orlikowski period. LOL I have in front of me on my desk, several of their genre papers I have read for previous classes and papers, or in preparation for writing quals, and several more that bring their work up to the present day. Over the next few days, I will be reading them all and writing the genre section of my quals paper.

While Yates and Orlikowski will feature prominently in that section they are not the only authors/theorists that will be represented. Actually, earlier today, I tried to print out my Reference Manger list for the keyword "genre" and crashed my system...it seems that when you bring up the 200+ non-blog, and non-electronic citations I have in the program and try to print them along with all their notes and abstracts...well it's just more than XP and 4 gig of ram can handle. LOL Me thinks that not all of it will be ending up in the paper...gotta love overkill.

Oh well I'll keep you posted on my progress...genre theory here I come!

Posted by prolurkr at 08:13 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

A good book on writing

I seem to always be on the look out for good books on writing. It's probably my own insecurity looking for the key to unlock the easy way to write, when I know intellectually there is no easy way. When, as we all know oh too well, -

There's nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and open a vein. ~Walter Wellesley "Red" Smith [p. 7, No More Rejections: 50 Secrets to Writing A Manuscript That Sells, by Alice Orr, Writer's Digest, Cincinnati, 2004]

Well I've found a good book on writing that is giving me some of the encouragement I needed as I get back into the daily writing grove. Check out the link to Amazon above. While "The Writer's Book of Hope" says it focuses on fiction writing, I think most of what is said is applicable to any writing career...not just to those who make stuff up. LOL As though academics never cross into "fiction" writing...when we qualitative researchers often do through the use of composite characters or fictionalized narratives.

I recommend the book to anyone who is writing or wants to write in any genre...can't hurt to know how others wee the profession.

Posted by prolurkr at 08:00 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

CFP - Special issue of JCMC on Young People, Mediated Discourse and Communication Technologies

Call for papers: Special issue of JCMC
for more info: http://faculty.washington.edu/thurlow/jcmc.html

JOURNAL OF COMPUTER-MEDIATED COMMUNICATION
SPECIAL ISSUE ON
Young People, Mediated Discourse and Communication Technologies

CALL FOR PAPERS
Guest Editor:
Crispin Thurlow
University of Washington

IMPORTANT DATES
Abstracts due: July 1, 2008
Full papers due: November 1, 2008
Publication: April 2009

ISSUE FOCUS
After cybersex and e-commerce, perhaps the most widely discussed CMC-related issue is so called 'cyberkids' and the 'net generation'. Almost on a daily basis there are stories in the media addressing adult concerns about young people's involvement with new communication technologies like instant messaging, text messaging and social networking sites. These popular representations are often speculative, anecdotal and exaggerated. Young people are typically caught in a no-win situation: on the one hand, they are depicted as being somehow naturally predisposed and automatically 'wired' to new technologies; on the other hand, they are viewed as being enslaved to technology, as either arch-consumers or tragic victims.

CMC and new media scholars know well that generalizations about technologically-mediated communicative practices are inherently problematic, conflating as they do important differences in the affordances and constraints of different technologies. By the same token, the homogenizing rhetoric of 'net generation' and 'cyberkids' conceals the diversity of young people's lives and their experiences with communication technology. Most popular discourse also overlooks those disadvantaged young people who cannot simply take the internet and more recent technologies for granted.

This special issue of JCMC seeks to answer a simple question: what are young people really doing with new communication technology? Papers are sought which examine children and teenager's mediated discourse - in other words, their actual language and communication practices. Papers should therefore be empirically grounded, situated and contextual (e.g. user- and use-specific). By no means exhaustive, papers might address the following types of research questions:

* how are young people reworking standard linguistic forms and practices?
* how do young people themselves talk about new technology and/or its role in their lives?
* how are new technologies seen to be supporting young people's interpersonal needs?
* how are young people using technologies for artistic, political and other creative purposes?
* how are new communication technologies connecting different groups of young people?

Papers reporting findings from diverse and under-represented social backgrounds are especially welcome.

GUIDELINES FOR SUBMISSION
Potential authors should submit a preliminary proposal of 500 to 750 words by June 1, 2008 to the guest editor Crispin Thurlow (thurlow @ u.washington.edu - please put "JCMC Special Issue" in the subject line). Proposals should include the central research question, the theoretical and/or empirical basis for the paper and preliminary findings, interpretations or insights. Those interested in submitting a proposal are also encouraged to contact the guest editor with their questions and ideas.

Authors whose proposals are accepted will be invited (by August 1, 2008) to submit for review a full paper of roughly 7,000-10,000 words by September 1, 2008. The JCMC is an interdisciplinary journal and so authors should plan for papers that will be accessible to non-specialists and try to make their paper relevant to this audience. Anticipated publication date for the issue is April 2009.

Final submissions should be emailed to the guest editor, Crispin Thurlow at thurlow @ u.washington.edu. Again, please put "JCMC Special Issue" in the subject line. The usual JCMC manuscript guidelines should be followed.

NOTE ABOUT "YOUNG PEOPLE"
There is no shortage of scholarly research on college-age people - a convenient and often captive audience! As a consequence, it sometimes feels as if we know more about this period of the lifespan than we do about any others (Thurlow, 2005). In an attempt to redress this imbalance and to give voice to a major new-media constituency, this special issue will give priority to papers which make the experiences of children and teenagers a central focus - in other words, young people under the age of twenty (to use an otherwise arbitrary cut-off point). Papers which focus on young, college-age adults are encouraged to situate their data/analysis with reference to the broader lifespan.

Posted by prolurkr at 12:52 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Countdown to quals

Well I'm finally in a place where I can admit that if I don't have quals finished and defended by the end of the summer, I will have to quit the program because I will be in far to deep a validation hole to ever get out of it in a timely manner. I put a quals countdown timer under the About section in the left sidebar...it should help keep me honest too.

So here I go...I have my very rough draft, my chair's notes, and my resent library research laid out on the desk so I can work on the paper. I will be carving out some writing time everyday, though the exact schedule won't be set until the end of this week...the holiday throws it all off so I will have to work through until next week to get a true baseline on my time.

Think me good thoughts and check in on me occasionally. I'm sure I will be talking about the work some in my posts. *S* But who ever can talk about everything here.

Posted by prolurkr at 12:31 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)