[CITASA] CFP - Mobile communication and social policy

[Jeffrey Boase]

Unbeknownst to me, this listserv does not accept attachments. Below is  
a text version of the CFP attachment that I sent earlier.

_________________________________
First Announcement and Call for Papers
Mobile communication and social policy
An international conference

October 9-11, 2009
Center for Mobile Communication Studies
Rutgers University
New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA


In the decade that has passed since the seminal workshop Perpetual  
Contact was held at
Rutgers University, the world of mobile communication has changed  
dramatically.  The
number of mobile phone users has skyrocketed from a few hundred  
million to more than
four billion, a growth rate easily surpassing any other technology.   
All aspects of social
life have been touched by mobile technology, and a host of tracking  
and immersive,
health, gaming and commercial applications have become available.  For  
its part, the
community of mobile communication scholars has blossomed from a  
handful of pioneers
to a large, vibrant intellectual community that spans the globe.   
Researchers have gained
deep insight into the cultural, symbolic and social-interactional  
aspects of mobile
communication as well as its relevance to commerce.  By contrast, far  
less is known about
the social policy implications of mobile technology; this is the case  
despite their obvious
importance to those who seek to understand human societies, not to  
mention those who
live in them.

To address this situation, a conference is being organized by the  
Center for Mobile
Communication Studies at Rutgers University on the topic of how mobile  
communication
influences social policy.  Broad in its conception, the conference  
aims to produce new
insights into the topic.  Subjects to be addressed will range from  
mobiles and social
programs (initiation through to evaluation) to how mobile technology  
is used in political
campaigns and to influence the social policy environment.  There will  
be both an open call
for papers and invited talks.  Presenters are being asked to combine  
empirical data (either
qualitative or quantitative) with important theoretical issues to  
address the mobile
communication-social policy nexus.

As with earlier conferences held by the Rutgers Center for Mobile  
Communication
Studies, this event will be both interdisciplinary in charter and  
international in character.
Conference proceedings will be available to attendees; selected papers  
will be published
in book form and in special issues of academic journals.

Additional details concerning conference and call for papers:
https://www.scils.rutgers.edu/conferences/mobile/

Prof. James E. Katz Email: mcsp2009 at gmail.com
Director, Center for Mobile Communication Studies
Rutgers University Department of Communication
New Brunswick, New Jersey 08901-1071   USA

The conference is supported by a grant from the Horowitz Foundation  
for Social Policy.