[Sighfis-l] new SIG

[Thomas J. Froehlich]

SIG/HFIS has never been exclusionary or narrow in focus conceptually or 
philosophically.  The interests of the SIG are typically the interests of 
the officers at the moment, who in my epxerience have always been open to 
any subject matter (and liasons with other SIGs) for their meetings and 
panels.  When I was more active in the SIG some time ago, we had many 
panels on conceptual and philosophical approaches.  The word 'foundations' 
has quite a lot of latitude, including critical theory.  What I fear is 
that if you do manage to get enough people to create the SIG, there may be 
heavy activity for the first year or so and then it will rapidly 
dissipate.  It would make more sense to me if you were to take an 
initiative in SIG-HFIS developing a series of panels, session or 
contributed papers, on critical theory (or other approaches).   If the 
response is sustained for a period of years, it may then be appropriate to 
start a new SIG.  In the meantime, it would cultivate new dimensions to 
SIG-HFIS.

Like Birger Hjorland I am also opposed to the proliferation of SIGs.  I can 
hardly cope with the ones of which I am currently a member.