[SIGCIS-Members] Call For Papers - Interdisciplinary Essays on Science Fiction and Computers

[David Ferro]

David Ferro and Eric Swedin (both at Weber State University and members of
sigcis) are editing a volume for McFarland & Company with a working title of
"Canticle for the Machine: Interdisciplinary Essays on Science Fiction and
Computers."

In this volume we are bringing together voices from numerous disciplines,
such as literature studies, history, anthropology, sociology, psychology,
economics, science and technology studies, and the other humanities and
social science disciplines.  In addition, we are bringing together voices
from disciplines such as computer science, aeronautics, and physics, as well
as pioneers in the computer industry.  We are also looking to add the voices
of some science fiction authors.

The point of assembling these voices is to broadly explore the importance of
science fiction as a body of literature that has, through various means,
facilitated invention and discovery in computing.  We also recognize that
science fiction is not just stories and novels, but includes movies,
television series, and graphic novels.  Science fiction acts as a source of
inspiration for invention and participation.  It supplies metaphors and
analogies.  It facilitates communication within and outside a community of
practitioners.  It helps create world views and shape critical and
reflective thinking.  It plays a role in defining social relations and helps
to determine who is inside and outside of the community of the creators of
digital culture.  It assists in imagining the implications of computing on
society and ourselves, or, vice versa, the needs of a society that promotes
computer development.

Our intention is to gather those who are informed by experience and/or
academic study, but who will communicate clearly across disciplinary
boundaries.  We are approaching this email list as some here have expressed
an interest in science fiction and society.

Please contact us via the contact information listed below.   Currently we
are looking for 6,000 word entries; however, we welcome email inquiries
about possible essays of shorter length.  The schedule for contributing to
this work is as follows:

   ASAP: A response that you are interested.
   August 31, 2009: A 250 word abstract of the intended work
   November 30, 2009: Author First.
   February 28, 2010: Author Second.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

David L. Ferro, PhD (Science and Technology Studies, Virginia Tech)
Associate Professor of Computer Science at Weber State University
dferro at weber.edu

Eric G. Swedin, PhD (History of Science, Case Western Reserve)
Associate Professor of Information Systems and Technologies at Weber State
University
eswedin at weber.edu or eswedin at gmail.com

Physical address:
Weber State University
2401 University Circle
Weber State University
Ogden, Utah 84408

-- 
David Ferro, Associate Professor in Computer Science and Chair of Faculty
Senate, Weber State University, Ogden, Utah
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.sigcis.org/pipermail/members-sigcis.org/attachments/20090630/f566c180/attachment-0001.htm>