Digital Economy USRG

The co-production of knowledge: social media, STS and…

Avatar photoMarch 17, 2012
by Lisa Harris

ICS symposium at the University of York, 18-20 July 2012

Jane Vincent from the University of Surrey’s Digital World Research Centre and I will be presenting our paper “Social shaping, social customers and the social web: the blurring of online and offline worlds” at this event.

The ubiquitous social and cultural adoption of social media, such as Twitter, Wikipedia, YouTube and Facebook can be seen to present a significant example of scientific and technological innovation in many contemporary societies. While some studies of social media and, more specifically, Web 2.0 platforms built around user-generated content, have made reference to the importance of the field of science and technology studies (STS) for understanding their development and diffusion, scholars working within this academic framework have yet to fully turn their focus on this area. This three-day symposium is intended to explore the intersection between STS and social media inquiry, with a specific focus on how Web 2.0 is both generative and challenging of different forms of knowledge (co-)production and the authority it commands.

Speakers Include:

•    Geof Bowker, University of California, Irvine
•    Leah Lievrouw, UCLA
•    Adrian MacKenzie, Cesagen, University of Lancaster
•    Rob Procter, e-Research Centre, University of Manchester
•    Robin Williams, ISSTI, Edinburgh
•    Sally Wyatt, e-Humanities Programme, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences

This three-day symposium is intended to explore the intersection between these two areas of inquiry, with a specific focus on how Web 2.0 is both generative and challenging of different forms of knowledge production and the authority it commands. Questions related to co-production, citizen science, the power of data algorithms and metrics to shape or bypass human agency, and the possibility of participatory forms of surveillance are just some of the issues that are raised.

This conference is intended to bring together leading scholars in the fields of STS, communication and social media analysis, and the history and philosophy of science to critically explore these issues.

Further details here or email sarah.shrive-morrison@york.ac.uk

Categories: Other Events. Tags: ICS symposium and University of York.