[Nettime-bold] Patterns for Participation, Action, and Change

[Geert Lovink <geert@xs4all.nl>]

Date: Mon, 5 Nov 2001 13:40:09 -0800 (PST)
From: Doug Schuler <douglas@scn.org>
Subject: Patterns for Participation, Action, and Change

          SHAPING THE NETWORK SOCIETY 
          Patterns for Participation, Action, and Change 

DIAC-02 Symposium; Seattle, Washington  USA.  May 16-19, 2002
http://www.cpsr.org/conferences/diac02

Researchers, community workers, social activists, educators and students,
journalists, artists, policy-makers, and citizens are all concerned about
the shape that the new information and communication infrastructure will
take.

     Will it meet the needs of all people?
     Will it help people address current and future issues?
     Will it promote democracy, social justice, sustainability? 
     Will the appropriate research be conducted?
     Will equitable policies be enacted? 

The Shaping the Network Society symposium -- sponsored by the Public
Sphere Project of Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility and the
National Communication Association Task Force on the Digital Divide --
will provide a forum and a platform for these critical issues. And through
the exploration of "patterns" we hope that this symposium will help spur
the evolution of an information and communication infrastructure that
truly meets today's urgent needs.

Please join us in Seattle in May 2002 for this exceptional event!

To promote bridge-building between theory and practice, across economic,
cultural, geographical, and disciplinary chasms, we are soliciting
"patterns," instead of abstracts, and accepted patterns will be developed
into full papers for this symposium.

Based on the insights of Christopher Alexander and his colleagues, a
"pattern" is a careful description of a solution or suggestion for
remedying an identified problem in a given context that can be used to
help develop and harness communication and information technology in ways
that affirm human values.

The information contained in patterns is similar to that in traditional
abstracts or papers, but it is arranged in a common structure in order to
inspire scholars and practitioners to think about their work in terms of
social implications and actual social engagement and to build networks
that include research, practice, and advocacy.  The most important outcome
may be allowing people to see their patterns in a large yet coherent
network of patterns, a "pattern language."

  + Patterns are SOLUTIONS to PROBLEMS in a given CONTEXT
  + Patterns can be observable actions, empirical findings, 
      hypotheses, theories, or "best practices" 
  + Patterns exist at all levels; they can be "global" as well as 
      "local;" theoretical as well as practical. 
  + Patterns are the springboard for discussion, research, and 
      activism 

Patterns can be submitted for consideration for presentation at the
symposium and/or published on the web site as a contribution to the
evolving pattern language. (The submitted patterns will be made public in
early 2002.)  Patterns accepted for presentation will be developed into
full papers and will appear in the Conference Proceedings. The best papers
will be selected for an edited book.  A pattern language book / web site
is also planned.

We believe that the "pattern" orientation will be useful and inspiring for
all participants. If you're tempted to submit a pattern (or multiple
patterns!) we encourage you to do so. Although this approach may require
slightly different thinking we believe that it will be worth the extra
effort.  Remember: you can submit patterns whether or not you come to the
symposium.

Complete details on pattern submission, including example patterns, are
available at the web site: http://www.cpsr.org/conferences/diac02/.

The preferred way to submit patterns is through the pattern intake site
(http://www.cpsr.org/conferences/diac02/pattern.cgi). If you cannot access
the site, please send your pattern(s) as email text (no attachments) to
docrod99@hotmail.com. If you lack email access, you may submit your
pattern(s) via surface mail to be received by December 1, 2001 to: Rod
Carveth, School of Mass Communications, Texas Tech University, P.O. Box
43082, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA.

Please see the patterns page for more explanation about patterns
(including examples) and the author's advice page to assist potential
contributors.

Important Dates 

   August 1, 2001   Patterns can be entered via web page 
November 15, 2001   Web registration available 
 December 1, 2001   Patterns due for conference consideration 
 January 15, 2002   Feedback to conference pattern submitters 
                      (accept/reject decision) 
   March 15, 2002   Full papers (based on accepted patterns) due 
   April 15, 2002   Last day to submit pattern abstracts for database 
                      inclusion only 
May 16 - 19, 2002   Shaping the Network Society Symposium; Seattle, 
                      Washington US 

Program Committee

Abdul Alkalimet (US), Alain Ambrosi (Canada), Ann Bishop (US), Kwasi
Boakye-Akyeampong (Ghana), Rod Carveth (US), Andrew Clement (Canada),
Fiorella de Cindio (Italy), Peter Day (UK), Susana Finquelievich
(Argentina), Mike Gurstein (Canada), Harry Hochheiser (US), Toru Ishida
(Japan), Susan Kretchmer (US), Brian Loader (UK), Geert Lovink
(Netherlands, Australia), Richard Lowenberg (US), Peter Mambrey (Germany),
Peter Miller (US), Kenneth Pigg (US), Scott Robinson (Mexico), Partha
Pratim Sarker (Bangladesh), Doug Schuler (US), David Silver (US), Sergei
Stafeev (Russia), Erik Stolterman (Sweden) and Peter Van den Besselaar
(Netherlands).

Other invaluable assistance 

Christopher Alexander (inspiration and advice), Steve Berczuk (patterns),
Susan Kretchmer and Rod Carveth (NCA Task Force on the Digital Divide
liaisons), Noriko Okazaki (graphics), Robin Oppenheimer (advisor),
Lorraine Pozzi (communications), Scott Rose (web technology). Nancy White
(advisor).

For more information please contact symposium coordinator 
Doug Schuler, douglas@scn.org.

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