Web 2.0 Studies // Critical Internet Theory with Geert Lovink

Research Methodologies Workshop
December 15th and 16th, 2008
School of Culture and Communication
University of Melbourne

The School of Culture and Communication at the University of Melbourne is seeking applications from researchers who wish to take part in a two day methodologies workshop with Professor Geert Lovink (Director, Institute of Network Culture, Amsterdam). Participation is free but places are limited and will be restricted to participants who are engaged in research relating to the theme of Web 2.0 studies and
critical Internet theory. Participants will be chosen based on a competitive application process and priority will be give to postgraduates and early career researchers. The workshop will include a discussion of the work of Geert Lovink and presentations from successful applicants.

Workshop Theme

This two-day intensive workshop will focus on critical methodologies for studying Web 2.0. In relation to the contemporary Internet, there is an obvious need to move beyond cultural studies approaches to fandom, where active consumption is simply recast as participatory culture without any assessment of the economic and technological forces driving user-generated content. Rather than relying on the Jenkins-style models of convergence and the notion of collective intelligence, this workshop will encourage participants to consider the alternative possibilities and theoretical problems facing a materialist understanding of network culture.

For instance, to what extent can software studies move from engineering issues and technologically-focused specifications to outline a broader analytics of power? What sort of creative concepts are available for understanding the everyday practices of blogging? How can organized networks transform their dependence on free labor to reach greater economic sustainability?

While the theme is framed in part by Geert Lovink's ongoing theoretical work, this workshop also allows for the opportunity to discuss some of the more general difficulties facing Internet research, including questions of scale, speed and temporality, theories of technology, debates around networked politics and modes of
collaboration.

Some key topics:

- organized networks
- theories of blogging
- recent web 2.0 literature (Bruns, Zittrain, Shirky)
- software studies and protocol (Fuller, Galloway)
- distributed aesthetics
- free labor and collaboration

The ARC Cultural Research Network has agreed to fund 3 stipends of up to $750 to support travel and accommodation costs of participants from outside Melbourne.

How to Apply: Applications are due by Friday Nov 21, 2008.
Applications must include a 250-word summary of your research topic,
highlighting links to the theme and a one-page curriculum vitae.

Applications and further information should be sent to Michael Dieter
at mdieter {AT} unimelb.edu.au

Geert Lovink, founding director of the Institute of Network Cultures(INC), is a Dutch-Australian media theorist and critic. He holds a PhD from the University of Melbourne and in 2003 was based at the Centre for Critical and Cultural Studies, University of Queensland. In 2004, Lovink was appointed as Research Professor at the Hogeschool van Amsterdam and Associate Professor at University of Amsterdam. He is
the founder of Internet projects such as nettime and fibreculture. His recent book titles are Dark Fiber (2002), Uncanny Networks (2002) and My First Recession (2003). In 2005-06 he was a fellow at the Wissenschaftskolleg Berlin Institute for Advanced Study where he finished his third volume on critical Internet culture, Zero Comments
(2007).

Geert's weblog: www.networkcultures.org/geert