Online Deliberation

Twenty-one years since the first DIAC Symposium!


Tools for Participation:

Collaboration, Deliberation, and Decision Support


Directions and Implications of Advanced Computing Symposium

Conference on Online Deliberation

(DIAC-2008/OD2008)


Sponsored by Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility

and UC Berkeley School of Information


Partners: National Coalition for Dialogue & Deliberation (NCDD)


University of California, Berkeley

June 26 - 29, 2008

http://www.publicsphereproject.org/events/diac08/



At the dawn of the 21st century humankind faces challenges of

profound proportions. The ability of people around the world to

discuss, work, make decisions, and take action collaboratively is one

of the most important capabilities for addressing these challenges.


Researchers, scholars, activists, advocates, artists, educators,

technologists, designers, students, policy-makers, entrepreneurs,

journalists and citizens are rising to these challenges in many ways,

including, devising new communication technologies that build on the

opportunities afforded by the Internet and other new (as well as old)

media. The interactions between technological and social systems are

of special and central importance in this area.


DIAC-08 combines CPSR's 11th DIAC symposium with the third Conference

on Online Deliberation. The joint conference is intended to provide a

platform and a forum for highlighting socio-technological

opportunities, challenges, and pitfalls in the area of community and

civic action. Technology enhanced community action ranges from

informal communities of practice to democratic governance of formal

organizations to large social movements.


We are especially interested in technology development that is

already being tested or fielded. We are also interested in

theoretical and other intellectual work that helps build

understanding and support for future efforts. In addition to

exploring social technology, we must at the same time understand and

advance the social context of technology, including its design,

access, use, policy and evaluation, as well as intellectual

frameworks and perspectives that inform technological as well as

social innovation including requirements, case studies, critique and

self-reflection, and infrastructures for future work.


Our areas of focus include but are not limited to: deliberative and

collaborative systems, e-democracy and e-participation, mobilization

and organization, negotiation, consultation, sustainability,

community support systems, open source models, human rights,

ecological awareness, conflict resolution, justice, transparency

systems, media and civic journalism, media literacy, power research,

citizen science, economic development and opportunity, peace and

reconciliation, infrastructure development, policy, education,

community networks, research and development for civil society,

social software, virtual communities and civic intelligence.


We are currently interested in the following types of submissions:

research paper and exploratory paper presentations (both of which

will be peer reviewed), technology demonstrations, workshops and

poster sessions. We are currently seeking co-sponsors who can help

provide various types of assistance. We are also seeking donations

and other support (including volunteer labor) to help make this event

successful.


The DIAC symposia have resulted in six book publications (in addition

to the proceedings). Although we don't have specific plans at this

time, we are hoping to publish our seventh book based on this event.


Guidelines for papers and other submissions


All submissions must be made via the conference submission system on

the DIAC-08 web site. Submissions should be written in English and

foreign speakers are encouraged to have their submissions reviewed

for language prior to submission. Submissions should be formatted for

"US Letter" size using 11 point Times-Roman font. Research papers

should be a maximum of 10 pages. Accepted research papers should be

revised according to reviewer comments and resubmitted by the

deadline. Workshop proposals (two pages) should include motivation,

objectives, expected outcomes, intended audience, process (including

specific description of how people will be engaged during the

workshop). Taking a cue from PDC 2008, we are also interested in

exploratory papers (4 pages), that reflect novel concepts,

works-in-progress, reflections, manifestos or other ideas and issues

that aren't currently suitable for a research paper.


Important Dates


January 1, 2007 Submission system available

January 15, 2007 Early registration begins

February 15, 2008 Research paper submissions due

March 15, 2008 Demonstration, workshop proposals due

April 1, 2008 Notices of research paper acceptances

April 15, 2008 Poster proposals due

May 1, 2008 Late registration begins

May 15, 2008 Completed research papers due

June 26 - June 29, 2008 DIAC-2008/OD2008


Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility


CPSR is a public-interest alliance of people concerned about the

impact of information and communications technology on society. By

sponsoring international, national, and local projects and events,

CPSR serves as a catalyst for in-depth discussion and effective

action in key areas.


UC Berkeley School of Information


Providing the world with innovative information solutions and

leadership, the UC Berkeley School of Information conducts research,

provides policy counsel, and trains information professionals in five

areas of concentration including information design and architecture,

information assurance, social studies of information, human-computer

interaction, and information economics and policy.


Conference Chair

Douglas Schuler


Program Chairs

Todd Davies, Jerome Feldman, and Douglas Schuler


Related Conferences


We also recommend the Participatory Design Conference which will be

held in Bloomington, Indiana, USA. September 30, 2008 - October 4,

2008. See http://www.pdc2008.org/. The theme of this 10th PDC is

"Experiences and Challenges" and it is an excellent opportunity to

reassess the achievements of the PD movement and to consider its

future.