28 June – 1 July 2006: University of Tartu, Estonia
http://www.catacconference.org
Conference theme: Neither Global Village nor Homogenizing Commodification: Diverse Cultural, Ethnic, Gender and Economic Environments
The 1990s’ hopes for an “electronic global village” have largely been shunted aside by the Internet’s explosive diffusion. This diffusion was well described by Marx – all that is solid melts into air – and was predicted by postmodernists. The diffusion of CMC technologies quickly led to many and diverse internets. A single “Internet”, whose identity and characteristics might be examined as a single unity, has not materialised. An initially culturally and gender homogenous Internet came more and more to resemble an urban metropolis. Along the way, in the commercialization of the Internet and the Web, “cultural diversity” gets watered down and exchanges strong diversity for a homogenous interchangeability. Such diversity thereby becomes commodified and serves a global capitalism that tends to foster cultural homogenization.
Topics of particular interest include but are not limited to:
– Culture isn’t ‘culture’ anymore
– The Internet isn’t the ‘Internet’ anymore
– Gender, culture, empowerment and CMC
– CMC and cultural diversity
– Ethics and justice
– Free/Open technology and communication
– Internet research ethics
– Cultural diversity and e-learning
Deadline for Consideration:
Full papers (10-20 formatted pages) – 13 February 2006
Short papers (3-5 formatted pages) – 20 February 2006
Full details have been sent to the Cybersociology list or see conference website