[Sigiii-l] CfP: Beyond Broadband Access: Data-Based Information Policy For a New, Administration

[M.J. Menou]

Call for Paper Proposals
Beyond Broadband Access: Data-Based Information Policy For a New
Administration

This is a Call for Proposals (Abstracts) for papers for a three day
by-invitation Experts Workshop on approaches to developing data-based
information policy. The deliverables are expected to be policy
recommendations, a book and a new research agenda. Abstracts are due by
April 15, 2009.

Scope and Overview

The stimulus bill just passed by the United States Congress and signed 
into law by President Obama allocates $7.2 billion to loan and grant 
programs for the deployment of broadband. Most recently the governments 
of Finland, Sweden, Switzerland, France and the United Kingdom have 
committed more spectrum to wireless broadband services, However, it is 
widely acknowledged that in order to fully realize the potential of 
broadband for the promotion of social progress, economic development and 
democracy, mere access is not enough. Technology, applications, 
education, awareness, skills, and content are among many factors that 
are to be taken into account. Understanding the interplay of all these 
factors is essential in order to take information policy to the next 
level. However, this demands both firm empirical and theoretical 
foundations.

This Workshop is intended to propose a strategy for developing such a
foundation ? a comprehensive, data-based approach for understanding 
policy consequences and improving policy outcomes through the 
utilization of meaningful empirical analyses, statistical methods, and 
the development of new conceptual frameworks. The Workshop will assemble 
a small group of highly skilled experts to seek breakthrough insights, 
which can be applied to current policy challenges.

Important policy decisions are being made worldwide about information
services that promote innovation, knowledge development, social equity 
and democratic values. These decisions can be improved if informed by 
empirical data that will assist decision makers in understanding the 
likely consequences of their policies.

Many numbers are thrown around in the global information policy 
discourse regarding matters such as ?e- readiness?, the ?digital 
divide?, and the ?information society?. What do these numbers actually 
mean? Are they the numbers that matter? Are they loaded for or against 
certain outcomes? Can the underlying methods and data be transformed 
into truly useful policy tools? Most of the existing approaches to 
measurements that affect information policy produce results which are 
descriptive and comparative (e.g., which nation has more Internet 
access), which are only useful up to a point. Clearly, what is needed 
are approaches which are explanatory and predictive, that help 
understand not only what has happened but also why, and to assist in 
making predictions about what will happen. This presents significant 
methodological challenges that must first be guided by theory,
and in this field, theory is remarkably lacking.

Description

The Workshop will bring together a group of about twenty experts on
information metrology from around the world. They will meet for three 
days in Washington, D.C., where, during morning and afternoon sessions, 
they will make presentations, share research, hear guest experts, 
discuss concrete approaches and new theories, identify problems and 
challenges, and develop conclusions and a future research agenda. Each 
participant will write and present an original paper to the group, which 
will then be the subject of questions and discussion, followed by a 
final Workshop summary session.
Participants will be selected based on their abstracts and their 
identified ability to make a significant contribution based on their 
expertise or experience.

Date and Location

DATE: September 22-24, 2009
PLACE: The New America Foundation
1899 L Street NW, Suite 400
Washington, DC 20036

Topics

Proposals should be based on current theoretical or empirical research, 
and may be from any disciplinary perspective. Subject areas of interest 
include, but are not limited to the following:

Theory: Specification of objectives; development of theoretical models;
identification of testable hypotheses; selection of appropriate
methodologies for analysis.

Data: Identification of key indicators; development of consistent data
standards; data collection and verification; data access.

Modeling: Development of empirical models; dealing with institutional
diversity and complexity; coping with dynamic technological change.
Multidimensional visual modeling of large bodies of data.

Application: Formulating answerable questions; Making predictions about
outcomes; Analyzing relevant data; Using outcomes to refine theory and
hypotheses.

Policy Development: Organization of statistical resources; conversion of
results of statistical analysis into policy guidance; incorporation of
results in shaping policy or legislation; political use of findings.

Submission Deadline

Submissions are due by April 15, 2009. Submissions should be made to
expwkshopDBIP2009 at psu.edu. Abstracts are not to exceed 500 words. 
Abstracts should be accompanied by a brief biographical description of 
the author(s)(no more than two pages). Decisions will be announced by 
May 29, 2009.

Accepted papers will be due on Sept. 1, 2009, and authors are
expected to present the accepted submissions.

Support Funds

Final funding plans are still being developed, but it is expected that 
some funding will be available to help offset the costs of attendance for
accepted papers, with a priority given to international participants.

Program Organizers
! Johannes Bauer, Ph.D., Professor, Telecommunication, Information 
Studies, and Media, Co-Director, Quello Center for Telecommunication 
Management & Law, MSU (https://www.msu.edu/~bauerj/)
! Sascha Meinrath, Research Director, Wireless Future Program, New 
America Foundation (http://www.newamerica.net/people/sascha_meinrath)
! Jorge R. Schement, Ph.D., Dean, School of Communication, Information 
and Library Science, RU 
(http://www.scils.rutgers.edu/directory/jschemen/index.html)
! Richard Taylor, J.D., Ed.D., Palmer Chair and Professor of
Telecommunications Studies, Co-Director, Institute for Information 
Policy (http://comm.psu.edu/people/rdt4)
! Bin Zhang, Ph.D., Professor, School of Economics and Management, 
Beijing, University of Posts and Telecommunications 
(http://www.intramis.net/?q=node/4)

For information or questions, contact: Richard Taylor at rdt4[at]psu.edu



-- 
=====================================================================
Dr. Michel J. Menou
Visiting Professor, SLAIS, University College London, U.K.
Consultant in ICT policies and Knowledge & Information Management
B.P. 15
F-49350 Les Rosiers sur Loire, France
Email: micheljmenou[at]gmail[dot]com
michel[dot]menou[at]orange[dot]fr
Phone: +33 (0)2 41511043
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/ciber/peoplemenou.php
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