Center For Information Policy Research

 

Thinking Critically:
Alternative Perspectives and Methods in Information Studies

 

May 15-17, 2008, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA

Sponsored by the Center for Information Policy Research, the School of Information Studies, and the UW-Milwaukee Libraries, UW-Milwaukee

 

Location: UWM Library Conference Center, 4th Floor

 

Registration:

Fee: $150/$75 (students); (conference speakers will receive a 50% discount of the conference fee)


Online Registration

 

Draft Schedule

 

This conference will explore critical theories as grounded in and by alternative methodological perspectives and issues in intercultural information studies. Information studies as a field has become more disciplinarily, culturally, and methodologically diverse.  This conference is intended to help advance the extension of traditional inquiry in this field into the important exploration of, and linkages to, such theoretical perspectives and approaches as feminism, disability studies, post-structuralism, queer studies, post-colonialism, post-modernism, semiotics, critical race theory, hermeneutics, and others, as we face technological, legal, cultural, and global transformations. This conference seeks to bring together scholars from multiple disciplines, who engage in the discussion of “information” and “information studies” from alternative and critical perspectives, with a goal to promote social awareness, provide insight into inequities, and lead to progressive change in our information research and practices.

 

We will present work from leading scholars in information ethics and critical information studies followed by break out sessions based on open space methodology. In open space methodology, participants generate topics of interest based on keynote addresses and their own expertise. A part of the conference program is devoted to in-depth group discussions of those topics logically organized to contribute to the overall theme. Outcomes of those group discussions will be presented to the plenary and eventually form part of the conference recommendations on how to promote critical theory engagement and further research in LIS.

 

Getting to Milwaukee:

 

The General Mitchell International Airport is approximately 20 minutes from the conference hotel.

 

Conference Hotel:

The Astor Hotel (Refer to CIPR when making reservations for appropriate rates; reservations must be made by March 1, 2008 to ensure conference rates)

Directions to UWM:

http://www4.uwm.edu/visitors/map_directions_tours.cfm .

 

Registration:

Fee: $150/$75 (students); (conference speakers will receive a 50% discount of the conference fee)


Online Registration

 

 

 

Keynote Speakers:

Dr. Rafael Capurro, “Hermeneutics in the Information Age,” Founder and Director, International Center of Information Ethics, Senior Information Ethics Fellow 2007-08, Center for Information Policy Research, School of Information Studies, UW-Milwaukee (Dr. Capurro's talk will be held Saturday, May 17, at 7:00 pm at the historic Charles Allis Art Museum)

Dr. Hope A. Olson, “Transgressive Deconstructions: Feminist and Postcolonial Trespasses on Post-Structural Methodology,” Associate Dean and Professor, School of Information Studies, UW-Milwaukee

Dr. Fernando Elichirigoity,  “Living in the Age of Globally Distributed Algorithms,” Associate Professor, Graduate School of Library and Information Science, University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana

Dr. Toni Samek, “Action Research and Activism: Sustainable Library Interactions at the Grassroot,” Associate Professor & Graduate Coordinator School of Library & Information Studies, Faculty of Education, University of Alberta, Information Ethics Fellow, 2006-07, Center for Information Policy Research, School of Information Studies, UW-Milwaukee