Critical Cyberculture Studies: Mapping an Evolving
Discipline
Call for Papers
April 26-27, 2002
University of Maryland
The Cyberculture Working Group is soliciting proposals for its annual
conference," Critical Cyberculture Studies: Mapping an Evolving
Discipline." The conference will be held on April 26th and 27th, 2002 at
the University of Maryland.
The Cyberculture Working Group (CWG) seeks scholars from across the
disciplines to examine and discuss the future of Cyberculture
studies. The conference will feature an opening address from JOAN
KORENMAN, Director of the Center for Women and Information Technology
at
University of Maryland Baltimore County, and keynote speaker, DONNA
HARAWAY, professor in the program of History of Consciousness at the
University of California at Santa Cruz.
At last years conference, "Constructing Cyberculture(s): Performance,
Pedagogy, and Politics in Online Spaces," David Silvers opening address
reviewed the development of Cyberculture Studies, discussing the role
Cultural Studies scholars need to play in imagining, brainstorming, and
working toward a "Critical Cyberculture Studies." With this years
conference, CWG is interested in both the conceptualization and formation
of "Critical Cyberculture Studies" and its position within the possible
emergence of Cyberculture as an object of inquiry, field of study, or even
as a new discipline. Is it desirable for scholars working within
Cyberculture for this field to emerge as a discipline, and if so, how
should the discipline be conceptualized?
Within this discussion, many points of inquiry surface: How are discourses
of race, class, gender, ethnicity, and difference recontextualized in
cyberspace? What are the relationships between online communities,
virtual identities, online political advocacy, and "real subjects" in a
globally mediated society? Additional questions of interest might
include: How do we understand the visual nature of the Internet,
especially in relationship to art and artists using new media
technologies? What are the spatial effects and relations of
cyberspace? And, how is knowledge "grounded" in cultures that heavily
rely on the use of electronic communication?
Proposals for individual papers (15-20 minutes) and full panels (2-3
papers plus a commentator and chair) should include a one-page abstract
and a concise, one-page C.V. for each presenter. The deadline for
submissions is December 3, 2001.
Donald Snyder
2107b Holzapfel Hall
Department of American Studies
University of Maryland
College Park, MD 20742
USA
Or email proposal to dsnyder@otal.umd.edu
Co-sponsored by the Consortium on Race, Gender, and
Ethnicity