Fw: [Sigcrit-l] Re: Web page for SIG CRIT, etc.

[Ron Day]

I like it, but I'm not sure how the CrIT would be handled at the ASIST
level.  I think it would still end up "CRIT."

Several people have pointed out the problematicness of the term "critical
theory" to a broader, "critical" approach.  Coming from a background partly
in the humanities, I simply understood the term "critical theory" as an all
encompassing term for analyses that conceptually displace traditional
representational frameworks for subjects or objects, including, but not by
any means privileging the "critical theory" of the Frankfurt School.  In
LIS, however, I have found that "critical theory" is often taken in the
latter, narrower sense.  Michael Buckland has offered in several public
talks the notion that "critical" refers to foundational analyses, and in the
above sense, I would fully agree.

In the original statement of purpose for the group (written by myself and
Steve Paling in Fall 2002, reproduced below) the term "critical theory" was
placed within quotation marks to show that the term was not specific and
other, surrounding terms modified it to show that it was meant in a broad
sense.  In any case, the phrase "critical information theory" doesn't show
up--as I recall--anywhere on the ASIST pages--which is fine with me.  In
fact, the new listing http://www.asis.org/AboutASIS/asis-sigs.html#SIGCRIT
!) for SIG-CRIT takes "CRIT" to refer to "Critical Issues", which seems just
fine.

This isn't meant to end discussion about the acronym or about the statement
of purpose, but simply to give the historical background.

______________
SIG-CRIT investigates conceptual issues in information science and studies
using philosophical, historiographical, rhetorical, social, and cultural
approaches within a broad, interdisciplinary framework of "critical theory."
The purpose of this SIG is to bring together researchers in these areas, to
create connections between various research agendas and national traditions,
and to create an intellectually deeper and socially richer interdisciplinary
dialogue between information science and other fields in the social and
human sciences.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jon R Jablonski" <jonjab at uoregon.edu>
To: "Ron Day" <ronday at wayne.edu>
Cc: <sigcrit-l at asis.org>
Sent: Wednesday, November 19, 2003 7:34 PM
Subject: Re: Fw: [Sigcrit-l] Re: Web page for SIG CRIT, etc.


> >  Information Theory"? (We could just stay with "CRIT" as a somewhat
> >  mysterious acronym)?
>
> How about CrIT -- I always find that the mixing of upper- and lower- case
> adds to the mystique.
>
> I'm all for the syllabus repository.  Perhaps even a bibliography of
> seminal writings as well--from within LIS, but more importantly, from
> outside.  Something like a 'most often borrowed theories' page.
>
> -j
>
> Jon Jablonski                                                541-346-2871
> Reference Librarian                                    jonjab at uoregon.edu
> University of Oregon Science Library
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