MEA2019: Media Ethics: Human Ecology in a Connected World University of Toronto Toronto, Canada, June 27-30, 2019

The Media Ecology Association invites paper and panel proposals for presentation at its 20^th Annual Convention, taking place on 27-30 June 2019 in Toronto.
We welcome submissions that encompass the broad array of disciplines focusing on the study of media as environments, technology and techniques, modes of information, and symbolic codes of communication that constitute media ecology.
We also invite submissions exploring this year’s theme “Media Ethics. Human Ecology in a Connected World”.

In our current hyper-connected era, information and communication technologies are increasingly forming the infrastructure of a new digital human ecosystem which is larger and quicker to evolve than any prior. 
This continually transforming and evolving planetary habitat connects all of humanity into, what Marshall McLuhan’s prescient mind termed, a “Global Village”. 

Technology and new media’s impact on this ecosystem has a profound effect on every aspect of the human ethos – self-expression, education, values, beliefs, needs, livelihood, enjoyment – and society at large.
Over the past few years, these emerging technologies and unforeseen digital media practices have also given rise to ethical issues, political and societal questions of critical importance to our evolving future.

The countless unintended implications – current or potential – of today’s rapid technological developments have largely come from socio-technical systems and emerging digital, robotic, artificially intelligent, or biomedical technologies. These advances have led to an unprecedented need for new ethical perspectives and frameworks to underpin the building blocks of our new digital ecosystem.

Submission Guidelines

Authors are invited to submit their paper and panel proposals by JAN 15, 2019 (extended deadline) using exclusively EasyChair.

Please include title of proposed paper or panel, abstract of about 500 words outlining, as relevant, how paper or panel will fit with the convention theme, five keywords, for each author their name, title, position, name affiliated institution, and a short biographical statement (40-50 words each). In addition details for the corresponding author should be provided. All submissions will be reviewed by the Program Committee (see Convention website for details).

NB: The submission of a paper and panel proposal must be on the understanding that if the proposal is accepted at least one author will register for and attend the conference. The costs of attending the conference including registration fees, travel, accommodation and other expenses, are the responsibility of the presenter or their institutions.

Registration information will be available at the Convention website (www.mediaethics.ca). In order to be included in the final program, the deadline for authors’ registration is April 1, 2019.

List of Topics

General areas of interest related to this year’s theme include, but are not limited to, the following topics:

• Artificial intelligence and machine learning
• Internet of things
• Robotics and automation
• Bioengineering
• Virtual/augmented reality
• Data ethics, privacy, surveillance, cyber security, and data protection
• Big data and cloud computing
• Social media algorithms
• Internet policy
• Misinformation on social media
• Propaganda, censorship, and free speech
• Net Neutrality, openness, digital inclusion, and diversity
• Media integrity in journalism, advertising, public relations
• Digital citizenship, social and political engagement
• Entertainment media, digital and media arts
• Digital literacy and media pedagogy
• Civil discourse, human dignity, and individual expression in the media ecosystem
• Wellbeing sustainability and prosperity in the media environment
• Innovative interpretations and new ethical perspectives emanating from the Media Ecology intellectual tradition

Publication

Authors who wish their papers to be considered for the Top Paper or Top Student Paper award must indicate this on their submission(s) and upload completed manuscript into EasyChair by May 1, 2019.
Manuscripts, in English APA style, should be 4,000-6,000 words (approximately 15 to 25 double-spaced pages), including a cover page (or e-submission page), a 150 word abstract, academic or professional affiliation, and contact information.
The top papers will be published in Explorations in Media Ecology journal.

Venue

The convention will run from Thursday June 27 to Sunday June 30 at the University of St. Michael’s College Campus. A pre-convention event will take place on Wednesday June 26; opening ceremony: Thursday June 27 9:00 AM; gala dinner: Saturday June 29. Conveniently situated at the eastern end of the University of Toronto’s campus, St Michael’s buildings include a fully equipped theatre, library, meeting rooms, formal and informal lounges, a tiered council chamber and large assembly hall.
Convention attendees will be provided with a variety of quality accommodation options at the best prices and amenities, from on-campus residences, off-campus residences, to downtown hotels. On campus beverages and coffee breaks will be provided during the course of the day. Special events can be organized in conjunction with city’s cultural institutions.

Contact

Conference Chair: Paolo Granata, University of Toronto.
Please send email correspondence to: info@mediaethics.ca