🚀 go-pugleaf

FYI - reply to addresses mentioned below.  Greece would be a nice place
to be in May. :-)

Don Richardson

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 8 Nov 1996 22:48:39 +0200 (EET)
From: GIS Conference (Corfu) <corfu@ru.math.aegean.gr>


Dear Colleague,

Please find hereafter the full text of the announcement and call for
papers/essays of the IFIP WG9.2 Working conference to be held in Corfu
(Greece ) in May 1997. Should you know other people eventually interested
in this conference feel free to communicate to them this information.
Your contribution as well as participation are welcome.

Dr. Vassilios Laopodis
Chairman of the organizing committee

PS Please look up the conference's Web page at
http://www.math.aegean.gr/english/esc/ecnew/ewc97.htm
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----- First announcement and call for papers and/or essays -----

----- International Federation for Information Processing (IFIP) -----

Working Group 9.2: Social Accountability of Computing
announces a Working Conference
to be held in Corfu (Greece), May 8-10, 1997

---- CULTURE AND DEMOCRACY REVISITED IN THE GLOBAL --
----------------------- INFORMATION SOCIETY --------------------------------

Sponsored and organized by IFIP WG9.2 (with the support of WG9.5)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 ----------------------
Co-organizer :---------   Greek Computer Society
Host-organizer:--------- Municipality of Corfu
 Joint-organizers:------- Hellenic Evaluation and Technology Assessment Society
-------------------------------University of Ioannina,  Ionian University,
 Kerkyraiki Protovoulia

PERSPECTIVE, THEME AND CONTRIBUTIONS

Working Group 9.2 (Social accountability) of the International Federation
for Information Processing (IFIP), with the support of WG9.5 (Social
Implications of Digital Media and Virtual Worlds), is organizing a Working
Conference in Corfu (Greece) on May 8-10, 1997. We invite practitioners and
researchers of like minds to join with us in developing a statement about
the future of culture and democracy in a global information society.

        Corfu is the place where the "Bangemann Report" was accepted by the
European Council summit meeting on June 24-25, 1994. Since that time
questions have emerged all around the world about the future of the
so-called global information society.

        How can we cope with the sustainability of society if we are unable
to understand and anticipate its cultural, social, political, economic and
technological developments? What happens to jobs and work-related skills
when we face the rapid integration of the different components of
information and communication technology (ICT) unaccompanied by vocational
retraining? What does it mean for everybody to have access to information
when its diffusion is shaped in a mono-cultural way? How can people remain
in control of their own development, if it is not deeply rooted in their
own culture? What is the significance of technological developments which
do not meet the human needs of society? How is democracy affected by the
declining power of political discourse resulting from the increasing power
of liberal market driving forces? Are there not specific threats to civil
rights from particular technologies and especially from the integration of
what were formerly separate technologies?

        These are the questions and, sometimes, anxieties which arise when
we reflect on the trends emerging from today's technological uncertain and
complex developments.

        The enclosed four pages clarify some of the challenges and are the
result of initial discussions within WG9.2. They focus on the main themes
of the Corfu Conference: global information society, culture, and
democracy. Contributors are expected to join with WG9.2 to go further in
defining the issues at stake and in proposing options, actions and
solutions.


POSSIBLE THEMES OF CONTRIBUTION

Global Information Society

-       Conceptual analysis: Global world, global village, time and space,
role of ICT in the process of globalization
-       National and regional policies, emerging global and international
policies, alliances
-       Economic, industrial and organizational developments, de-linkage
and de-localization
-       Economic growth and the dismantling of cultural and political obstacles?
-       Sustainable information society: What does it entail?
-       Scenarios to reach a sustainable information society
-       The information society: Utopia or chaos?

Cultural challenges

-       Ethical aspects
-       Information overflow, quality of information, meaning of
communication; the "new waves"
-       Post-modern perceptions and the information society
-       Universality vs. particularism, global vs. local: possible areas of
concern
-       Cultural analysis and assessment of content: cultural sensitivity;
multi-cultural developments; cultural minorities involvement; technology
transfer; self-help groups promotion; people's needs (news, bulletin
boards, multimedia, ...)
-       The FreeNets and digital cities as a locus of cultural re-appropriation
-       Virtual reality and cyberspace
-       Improving and ensuring computer literacy on-line and off-line,
digitalization of cultural heritage: Who controls it?
-       Generation gaps, gender issues
-       Role of metaphors and political rhetoric

Democratic challenges

-       Dichotomies: developing and developed nations, women/men,
young/old, computer literates/illiterates, rich/poor, able/disabled,
minorities/majorities, technophobia/technophilia
-       Structures of democracy: access without limits, public service
provision (democratic safeguard), participation of citizens in decision
making (direct democracy: electronic polling and voting), freedom of
expression and opinion, fundamental individual and civil rights and
liberties
-       Universal service for all citizens: deepening the gaps?
(information haves and have nots; new "North-South"), fast and affordable
access regardless of geography, public access to official information,
access for all schools, hospitals and community institutions, equal access
for people with disabilities
-       Government roles, protection of the non-profit sector, obligations
of information service providers
-       Regulatory frameworks: preserve and promote national (and minority)
cultures, prevent the establishment of monopolistic positions restricting
pluralism and free flow of information, broadcasting rules, media
concentration rules (the "gatekeeper" phenomenon)
-       Monitoring of the information infrastructures, regulatory
framework, (self?)-regulation of the cyberspace
-       Legal developments: privacy, liberties, computer crime,
liabilities, property rights
-       "Bill of rights for electronic citizens"


A WORKING CONFERENCE

The Corfu Conference is a working conference. By this we mean that papers
will present insights and outline issues from which participants will
derive options, alternatives, solutions and actions. The outcome of the
Conference will be in the form of recommendations targeting decision
makers, computer scientists and professionals, consumers and users'
associations, etc. These recommendations will be included by the editors in
the Proceedings of the Conference.


PAPERS AND/OR ESSAYS

Most of the contributions are expected to be in the form of papers (maximum
10-12 A4 pages, i.e. 4,000 to 5,000 words) which will be refereed according
to the usual scientific standards.

        Students are invited to contribute in the form of essays. Essays
are papers  which are judged on perception and vision rather than on the
rigour which is expected of a full academic paper. The purpose of these
students contributions is to create a dialogue on new visions of what new
generations need from us with respect to democracy and culture in the
global information society. The essays will be no longer than 2,500 words
as the longest contribution. Accepted essays will be included in the
programme of the conference and the three (3) best essayists will get
financial support to attend the conference.


SUBMISSION OF ABSTRACTS, PAPERS and/or ESSAYS

Abstracts : Please forward by return of mail (before September 8, 1996)
your provisional title and an abstract of 12-15 lines both by e-mail and a
hardcopy by surface mail. Authors should not expect any notification of
acceptance of abstracts but proceed to the preparation of their
papers/essays.

Full papers and essays: should be submitted before November 30, 1996,  both
by e-mail and a hardcopy by surface mail.

Final acceptance will be notified to the authors by the end of January 1997.

All abstracts, papers and/or essays should be submitted by e-mail and a
hardcopy by surface mail to the address below. Submission by fax can be
accepted in special circumstances only.
All documents will include : first and last name, postal address, e-mail
address, phone and fax numbers of the author(s), together with the name and
address of your institution, where appropriate.

E-mail address :  jberleur@info.fundp.ac.be
Mail address :  Prof. Jacques BERLEUR
        Chairman of the Programme Committee
        Institut d'Informatique, University of Namur
        Rue Grandgagnage, 21
        B-5000 NAMUR, BELGIUM
        Phone: +32 81 72-4976 (Secr.: -4964), Fax : +32 81 72 4967


DEADLINES

Submission of abstracts: September 8, 1996
Submission of papers and essays: November 30, 1996
Acceptance notification: January 31, 1997


CONFERENCE ORGANIZATION

Programme Committee

Chairman : Jacques Berleur (University of Namur, B)
Colin Beardon (University of Plymouth, UK), representing WG9.5,
Geoff Busby (GEC Computer Services Ltd, UK),
Jan Holvast (Holvast & Partner, Privacy Adviesen Onderzoeksbureau, NL),
Leif Bloch Rasmussen (Copenhagen Business School, DK),
Marc van Lieshout (University of Nijmegen, NL), and
Diane Whitehouse (London Business School, UK and CDN)

Organizing Committee

Chairman : Vassilios Laopodis (European Commission, GR)
Marie Gevers (University of Namur, B),
Christine Leitner (Ministry for Economic Affairs, Vienna, A),
Lone Malmborg (DK), representing WG9.5,
Christopher Zielinski (Authors Licencing and Collecting Society, UK)

Host Country representatives
Socratis Katsikas: National (Greece) Coordinator (University of the Aegean,
Samos, and Greek Computer Society, Athens  GR)
Philippos Drakontaeidis (Hellenic Evaluation and Technology Assessment
Society, Athens, GR)
Dimitris Fotiadis (University of Ioannina, GR)
Vassilis Chryssikopoulos (Ionian University, GR)
Anna Karnezi (Municipality of Corfu Development Company, ANEDK, GR)
Antonis Giallelis (Kerkyraiki Protovoulia, GR)


IFIP WG9.2 Working Conference Secretariat
Greek Computer Society
Mavromihali 16, GR-10680 Athens
Tel : +30-1-36.45.274,  Fax : +30-1-36.45.154
e-mail :corfu@ru.aegean.gr

The conference is being held under the auspices of the Mayor of Corfu
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 ------------------------------------

----- IFIP-WG9.2 Working Conference -----
----- Corfu, Greece, May 8-10, 1997 -----

----- CULTURE AND DEMOCRACY REVISITED IN THE GLOBAL INFORMATION SOCIETY -----

---- Summary of a WG9.2 Position Paper---------------------------------
---- Jacques Berleur, Programme Committee Chairman

Information Society and Globalization

The background to many of today's questions is dominated by what is now
called "the process of globalization of economy and society". This
phenomenon has to be distinguished from the traditional processes of
internationalization and multinationalization of businesses, since it
includes finance, markets and strategies, technology and its related
research and development, lifestyles and consumption patterns - with their
consequences for culture, regulatory capabilities and governance, as well
as political unification of the world (1). "Globalization refers to the
multiplicity of linkages and interconnections between the states and
societies which make up the present world system" (2). This development is
more than an economic or technological process. It gives freedom to capital
and labor to move across political boundaries, anywhere in the world. It
identifies a "global world" by playing on intrinsic cultural variables of
identity, namely space and time. The so-called "global world" is most
probably not the whole world, but the metaphor has its importance in terms
of culture. Delocalization is not recent, it has roots in the past; but
what is new, even in the developed countries, is the "de-linkage" of the
poorest regions and countries, from the networked and interconnected ones.
What also emerges is the penetration of more and more "merchandised
culture" where culture is identified with "cultural goods and services" and
no longer with the content through which peoples control their own identity
and history.

        "Globalization" is ambivalent. Global world, global village sounds
nice in terms of linking people together, and allowing them to overcome
distance as well as time. But if competitiveness is the guiding principle
called to govern visions, strategies and actions, we are assured that some
of today's trends will be accentuated in the future. The scenario of the
"global world" is the scenario of "winners": expanding monetary speculative
movements, growing poverty of some of the world's population, de-linking
between rich countries and the rest of the world (the "triadic alliance"),
criminality, drugs, despoliation of common resources, radicalization of
fundamentalisms of different kinds, etc. There is no doubt that this
scenario of the "global world" will lead to a vision which looks more like
"chaos" than "utopia".

        There is no doubt that information and communication technology has
played its part and contributed to this process of globalization: it has
made possible such developments as the globalization of financial markets,
videoconferencing, telework, telemarketing and teleshopping, just to
mention some of them. The Internet could be considered an emblematic symbol
of this "unified" world where - it is claimed - everyone has access to any
information which they need.


Culture

Two words appear frequently when we discuss the future of our societies in
a "global information society": culture and democracy.

        The discussion about the so-called "White Book" of the European
Commission on "Employment, Growth and Competitiveness" shows that public
policies on ICT networks have to anticipate substantial qualitative
societal changes (3). This is a must if they are to bring the necessary
externalities for a real development of a new "information society".

        Empirical evidence shows that the link between growth and
employment is all but obvious, and that new insights have to be provided so
that we focus not only on economic activity and income policies, but also
on social factors such as social integration and personal identity. "Growth
of the service economy as a component of the information society needs to
be related to the political and cultural systems which stand for social
cohesion. It is clear that the view prevailing in the media and in the
official administrations that cultural and political obstacles must be
removed to allow economic growth, needs to be reassessed both for the
post-industrial countries and for the developing countries" (4).

        From another point of view, no one can forget the clear warning
given us by Neil Postman. The problem in the "First World" today is no
longer information scarcity, but information chaos, information without
meaning, information without control mechanisms. Postman says: "The world
we live in is very nearly incomprehensible to most of us. There is almost
no fact, whether actual or imagined, that will surprise us for very long,
since we have no comprehensive and consistent picture of the world that
would make the fact appear as an unacceptable contradiction. We believe,
because there is no reason not to believe" (5). While former generations of
scientists tended toward positivism, the coming generation of highly
specialized experts is, in its conception of the world, tending toward
irrationalism and superstition.

        What are the intellectual and moral responsibilities of computer
scientists and ICT practitioners in making information understandable and
comprehensible? Formal mechanisms of information control were traditionally
supplied by school and university. The university gave expression to its
idea of what constitutes legitimate knowledge and morality. Today, the
traditional control mechanisms are breaking down. What should we restore as
information control mechanisms, and how? Without real understanding and
knowledge, there is no possible control of the development of technology.
And that is culture, that is the way we shape our own destiny and make it
understandable and practicable through all the institutions, rituals,
means, etc., by which we regulate our violence.

        New deals require new regulation. People may be upset with present
politics, new market trends in the hands of a "happy few". Culture remains
the way to find new political and economic regulations, according to the
genius of nations and particular people.

        What is intriguing, in our present age, is the paradoxical claim
for both universal and particular, global and local. Maybe claims are in
different mouths. Nevertheless, there is a need for reconciliation between
what seem to be extremes. Diversity of cultures is advocated as the only
means for personal re-appropriation of what has been "stolen" by external
driving forces. "The danger of radical breaks in societies, which keep the
traditional ignorance against technological development, including the
polarized position of complete rejection or uncritical acceptance, lies in
severe damages to global cultural diversities: worldwide acting
information, communication and media technologies tend to unify the
cultural perceptions, leaving little room for regional or national accents
and historically grown peculiarities. Sustainable cultural development
needs an open debate, and this means before all, it needs sufficient time -
time for thought, understanding the challenges, and evaluation, and time
for planning, action and correction" (6).

        Respect for cultural diversities and differences, need for more
precise visions of the future, preservation of culture, information
overflow and capacity of interpretation according to different human
perception patterns are necessary to preserve us from the ambivalence of
globalization. There is no control out of an understanding space.


Democracy

When speaking of information society from a "political" point of view, many
people stress different dichotomies: developing and developed nations,
women/men, young/old, computer literates/illiterates, rich/poor,
able/disabled, minorities/majorities, technophobia/technophilia, etc.
Others act to "empower people". FreeNets and other Digital Cities are
presented as democratic tools for public participation in the building up
of the information society and for meeting public needs. Discussions about
universal access" to information infrastructure are going on all around the
world. Personal participation in the civil society is diminishing. Are
civil rights not threatened by the integration of formerly separate
technologies? Democracy is at stake when contemplating information society
development.

        Merging of big businesses all around the world, such as between
Time Warner and Turner or the two "Baby Bells", Bell Atlantic and Nymex, or
English BT and Italian Mediaset, one of the Berlusconi's holdings, etc., is
also felt as domination by a few when not a threat against any possible
State regulation.

        Reactions to the US National Information Infrastructure (NII)
Agenda for Action, as well as to the G7 Global Information Infrastructure
(GII) Project or to the European Bangemann Report highlight the issues at
stake in terms of governments' roles, participation of the citizen,
protection of non-profit sectors, etc.

        The lack of consensus on the way economics and politics are handled
and envisaged reveals opposing visions and ethics and requires more close
relationships, and a kind of conviviality in order to re-create spaces for
democratic discussion. The post cold-war period has revealed, if not
created, a state of affairs where democracy is on trial (7). "Devolution"
is in the air. The social fabric has been torn to pieces and has to be
woven again by recreating social spaces and social solidarities, in order
to restore a common language and build up consensual decision. History
shows that the weakening of the middle-class - what could be translated in
firms in terms of an impoverishment of intermediate positions, especially
due to ICT diffusion - results in a totalitarian regime. The development of
a nation is due to the strength of its social fabric, its related
institutions and the presence of a well trained middle-class. Fracturing
communities and exaggerating self-realization is an anti-democratic process
which will most probably lead to the explosion - a chaos?- of societies.

        "Democracy in Cyberspace" would at least maintain and develop some
specific roles for governments, as it has been stressed recently in one of
the Britain's responses to the information superhighway. Let us mention
these proposals: create a coordinated focal point for debate and action;
position the information superhighway strategy at the center of
socio-economic policies to ensure it is allocated sufficient priorities and
resources; establish effective processes to develop and enact national and
international legislation that takes account of the new capabilities of
interlinked applications and the speed of technological innovation; ensure
government has the authority and resources to assert and monitor the
protection of public interests in applications and developments; find
suitable mechanisms to support non-profit "public interests" applications;
seek novel and effective means of encouraging social and organizational
innovation in the use of the new ICTs; drive innovative applications by
using networks to offer a greater range of direct electronic service
delivery (ESD) of public service; and develop appropriate policies for
supervising new media regimes, avoiding the growth of multimedia and
transnational monopolies (8).


Conclusion

There are many challenges which lie ahead in the development of a global
information society. Culture and democracy are two areas which may be under
particular threat. It is the proposed role of IFIP-WG9.2 and colleagues to
analyze and define the relationships underlying information, globalization,
culture and democracy, and to provide to the information society's major
decision makers possible options for future solutions and actions.

NOTES
(1)     The Group of Lisbon, Limits to Competition, Gulbenkian Foundation,
Lisbon 1993.
(2)     Anthony G. McGREW, Paul LEWIS et al., Globalisation and the Nation
States, Polity Press, Cambridge, 1992, p. 22.
(3)     Commission of the European Communities, "Employment, Growth and
Competitiveness", Brussels, December 5th, 1993, COM(93), 700 final.
Published as a book: Jacques DELORS, Pour entrer dans le XXIeme siecle.
"Emploi-Croissance et Competitivite". Le Livre blanc de la Commission des
Communautes Europeennes), Paris, Michel Lafon - Ramsay, 1994.
(4)     Gonzales d'ALCANTARA, "Information Overflow - Problem Solving
Methodology", in: Information Processing '94, vol. III, Linkage and
Developing Countries, Karen DUNCAN and Karl KRUEGER, Eds., Proceedings of
the IFIP 13th World Computer Congress, Hamburg, Germany, 28 August - 2
September, 1994, North-Holland 1994, IFIP Transactions A-53, p. 206.
(5)     Neil POSTMAN, Technopoly: The Surrender of Culture to Technology,
New York: Knopf, 1992.
(6)     Wolfgang COY, "Cultural Stability and Technological Change: The
Case of Information, Communication and Media Technology", in: Information
Processing '94, vol. III, op. cit., p. 217.
(7)     Jean Bethke ELSHTAIN, Democracy on Trial, New York: Basic-Books, 1995
(8)     The Information Superhighway: Britain's Response, A Forum
Discussion, by W. DUTTON, J. BLUMLER, N. GARNHAM, R. MANSELL, J. CORNFORD
and M. PELTU, Paper Nr. 29, Programme on Information and Communication
Technologies, Economic and Social Research Council, Brunel University, UK,
December 1994.
==========================================================================
*** IFIP WG 9.2 Working Conference ***
*** 8-10 May 1997, Corfu, Greece ***
*** Corfu Hilton Hotel ***

REGISTRATION FORM

Please fill one form per person (i.e. accompanying persons should also
fill in one such form) and send it by fax to the Conference Secretariat
(Fax no. +30 1 3645 154).  For hotel arrangements please contact
directly the Corfu Hilton Hotel (Phone no. +30 661 36540, fax no. +30
661 36551).


1.***Participant's details
Surname ..................  Name ..........  Institution ..............
Address (street, city, zip code, country) ...............................
Participant status (attendee or accompanying person) ..................
Telephone ...............  Fax .............  e-mail ..................


2.***Registration fee
*************************Early (before 31 March)**Late (after 31 March)
Normal*******************75.000 drs (300 US$)*****100.000 drs (400 US$)
Student (limited places) 50.000 drs (200 US$)******75.000 drs (300 US$)
*********************************************Fee to be paid ....... US$

Notes :
-Proof of studentship must be submitted together with the registration.
-All non Greek participants must pay in US currency (US$).


3.***Hotel Reservation
Check-in date .......... Check out .......... No. of nights ..........

a)**Conference venue : Corfu Hilton Hotel (*****), 4.5 km from Corfu
City.
Special rate : Hotel room, half board, lake view (supplement for sea
view : 2.500 drs/10 US$)
Single/Day***************23.000 drs/94 US$
Double/Day/Person********14.000 drs/56 US$, shared with (name) ..........

********TOTAL .......... (room rate) x ........ (no. of days) = ....US$

*Note: for participants and accompanying persons staying in the
conference venue (Corfu Hilton Hotel), participation in Conference gala
is offered at no additional cost, and the same room rates are offered
for pre and pro- stays.

b)**I will book in another hotel of my choice.

c)**I will stay in another hotel of my choice but I will participate in
the Conference gala.
****Cost 60 US$ per person**************************............... US$

********************Total to be paid .............................. US$
********************Advance payment (30%).......................... US$


4.**Excursions (details to follow)
Several possibilities will be proposed for excursions on the island
e.g.
***North island tour (full day)*********8.500 drs/34 US$
***Achillion/Paleokastritsa (half day)**6.000 drs/24 US$


5.**Payment method
a)**Charge my credit card (tick one) :
American Express .....**Diners ...**Mastercard ...**Visa ...
Credit card no. ..................  Signature .........................
Date .............................  Credit card expire date ...........
*Important note : Please note that due to currency rate fluctuations
the final amount to be charged to your credit card may be slightly
different to the one indicated above.

b)**Money transfer to bank account
Bank name : Ergobank ****Account no. : 01/92073-00000/50
Beneficiary : Greek Computer Society
Indication : "Corfu '97 IFIP Conference"

===========================================================================