The Co-Production of Knowledge: Social Media, STS and ...

Introduction

The ubiquitous social and cultural adoption of social media, such as Twitter, Wikipedia, YouTube and Facebook can be seen to present a significant example of scientific and technological innovation in many contemporary societies. While some studies of social media and, more specifically, Web 2.0 platforms built around user-generated content, have made reference to the importance of the field of science and technology studies (STS) for understanding their development and diffusion, scholars working within this academic framework have yet to fully turn their focus on this area.

This three-day symposium is intended to explore the intersection between STS and social media inquiry, with a specific focus on how Web 2.0 is both generative and challenging of different forms of knowledge (co-)production and the authority it commands.

This three-day symposium is intended to explore the intersection between these two areas of inquiry, with a specific focus on how Web 2.0 is both generative and challenging of different forms of knowledge production and the authority it commands. Questions related to co-production, citizen science, the power of data algorithms and metrics to shape or bypass human agency, and the possibility of participatory forms of surveillance are just some of the issues that are raised.

This conference is intended to bring together leading scholars in the fields of STS, communication and social media analysis, and the history and philosophy of science to critically explore these issues.

Call for papers

Papers are invited that explore these broad questions around a number of possible
themes, including:

• The boundaries and future of social media as a medium of knowledge creation,
  dissemination, and regulation
• The co-‐production of knowledge via Web 2.0 platforms knowledge, expertise and disruptive/disrupted authority
• Capturing social media: the commercial/political exploitation by or empowering of Web 2.0
• Ownership, dissemination and use of scientific knowledge
• E‐governance and the regulation of knowledge within social media
• National practices and global opportunities
  Novel forms of knowledge creation through group processes, archiving, digitization etc.
• Public and visible science
• Scientific controversies online

ICS Conference call for papers (PDF , 111kb)