Fwd: [ACS] Cfp - New Media, Global Activism and Politics

[Alon Lischinsky]

(with apologies for cross-posting)

Convergence
The International Journal of Research into New Media Technologies

Call for Papers
Special issue on:  New Media, Global Activism and Politics
Vol. 20, no. 3 (August 2014)

Guest editors:  Carolyn Guertin (University of North Texas at Dallas)
and Angi Buettner (Victoria University of Wellington)

Deadline for refereed research articles:  30 August 2013

Indignados. Arab Spring. #Occupy. The 99%. Idle No More. #Upsettler.
GlobalNoise. Strike Debt. These are just some of the new terms to
emerge from the global mass protests of the last two years. They are
part of a sea change as political engagement, citizen journalism and
tactical media evolve as tools of protest and communication. These
terms mark only one small part of a much larger shift in media
production and distribution that is the rise of user-generated content
or social media. Within digital culture, the creative act has become a
form of activism carried out through the repurposing of pre-existing
materials and media for political change—and it is a practice that has
swayed policy, overturned governments and politicized subcultures and
peoples on a global scale.

In the 19th century, the crowd emerged as a new social force. It was a
force, it was argued, that shook the foundations of society and led
individuals to commit irrational acts. In the 21st century, we have
seen the power of crowds re-emerge as an ostensibly smarter and more
nimble cultural force empowered by mobile technologies, crowdsourcing
methodologies and networked systems.  How has activism changed as a
result of new technologies? How are new media enlisted to assist in
the planning and enactment of socio-political change? How are
governments and political candidates using social media? How has
social media altered policies, elections and the democratic process?

Topics might include:

-        Hacktivism
-        Wikileaks
-        Arab Spring
-        #occupy
-        Indignados
-        Idle No More
-        #upsettlers
-        Global Noise
-        Crowdsourcing
-        Lobbying
-        Flashmobs, smart mobs or network armies
-        Riot simulation or protest modeling
-        Microblogging as a form of protest
-        Protest apps, including geolocative ones
-        Eco-activism
-        Activism in education
-        Gaming and new media activism
-        New media and the environment
-        Politics and new media
-        Activist or protest art
-        Appropriation, subvertising, culture jamming or memes
-        Slacktivism
-        Clicktivism
-        Cyberfeminism
-        DIY culture
-        Global protest networks
-        Participatory culture
-        eDemocracy
-        Government sponsored social media
-        Public media initiatives
-        Elections and social media

Queries may be directed to the guest editors, Carolyn Guertin at
carolyn.guertin at gmail.com or Angi Buettner at Angi.Buettner at vuw.ac.nz.

Convergence is published by Sage and all contributors must consult the
guide to manuscript submission at:
http://www.uk.sagepub.com/journalsProdDesc.nav?prodId=Journal201774#tabview=manuscriptSubmission
for details of house style.
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