2022 > Dialogues in Data Power

Dialogues in Data Power

4th International Data Power Conference, June 22nd – June 24th 2022

Online and in person in three locations: the University of Sheffield, Carleton University and the University of Bremen

A three-day in person and online international conference organized by Data Power teams at The University of Sheffield in the UK, Carleton University in Canada and the University of Bremen in Germany.

Abstract Deadline: 15th January 2022

Conference Dates: 22nd to 24th of June 2022

Venues: It will be possible to participate in the conference online or in person. Conference activities will be hosted for one day in each of these locations:

  • Department of Sociological Studies and Information School in Sheffield, UK
  • School of Journalism and Communication in Ottawa, Canada
  • Centre for Media, Communication and Information Research (ZeMKI) and
  • Institute for Information Management (ifib) in Bremen, Germany.

Call for abstracts:

The Data Power Conference hosts critical reflections on data’s power and the social, political, economic and cultural consequences of data’s increasing presence in our lives, workplaces, and societies. The most recent conference in 2019 focused on the specific theme of global in/security. The 4th Data Power Conference, in June 2022, returns to some of the fundamental questions that underpinned the founding of the conference. It is conceived as a series of dialogues, dialogues about over-arching concerns and with disciplines and stakeholders working with and on data. In particular, the conference will reflect on:

  • How can stakeholders be engaged in critical conversations about data power?
  • What constitute rigorous methods when it comes to researching data power?
  • To what extent does critical data power research need to focus on specific instances of data power in action? What contributions can more generalised critiques make to our field?

To facilitate dialogues across disciplines and with stakeholders, we welcome papers from interdisciplinary teams including disciplines incorporating aspects of data science, and papers which incorporate non-academic collaborators from a range of sectors.

As always, the Data Power Conference remains concerned with in/equalities, discrimination, questions of justice, rights and freedoms, and agency and resistance. We welcome papers that engage with these matters.

There will be a keynote speaker on each of the three conference days, details to be confirmed.

Information on abstracts & papers

  • Whilst we welcome papers and session proposals of all kinds, please note that this conference focuses on critical questions about data’s power and also papers that are critical and/or reflective with regards to the social and cultural consequences of the rise of data’s power.
  • A 250-300 word abstract is required.
  • The deadline for abstracts is 15th January 2022.
  • Information about how to submit an abstract will be available soon.

Information on conference organisation

  • It will be possible to participate fully remotely in the conference, but it will also be possible to participate in-person in one of the three locations in which the conference has already taken place – Sheffield/UK, Ottawa/Canada and Bremen/Germany – as these will each host a local session on one of the conference days.
  • The conference will seek to be accessible across time zones, with sessions 9am to 12pm CET and 6pm to 9pm CET on each of the three days.
  • There will be a modest conference fee to cover running costs, with reductions for students and people participating online.

Data Power Conference Management Team

Jo Bates, University of Sheffield

Monika Halkort, Lebanese American University

Juliane Jarke, University of Bremen

Helen Kennedy, University of Sheffield

Tracey Lauriault, Carleton University

Data Power Conference Committee

Ysabel Gerrard, University of Sheffield

Andreas Hepp, University of Bremen

Leif Kramp, University of Bremen

Merlyna Lim, Carleton University