Call for Chapters

A book edited by Dr. Rodrigo Firmino, Dr. Fabio Duarte and Dr. Clovis Ultramari
Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná (PUCPR) , Curitiba, Brazil

INTRODUCTION
The world is completely urban. This phenomenon is only possible once space is intertwined with information and communication technologies (ICTs), which challenge the scale of space, the boundaries of political and economic territories, and how social groups appropriate parts of the world to turn them into their places.

New ubiquitous and mobile technological urban infrastructures, essentially supported by ICTs, are the basis of these challenges to the understanding and appropriation of space, territories and places. At the core of this book, there is the wish to complement other studies and publications currently emerging that address the dilemmas associated with physical and electronic urban spaces where the notions of space, territory and places are at the edge of their conceptual definition and on the way they are experienced, but specifically focusing on surveillance studies, mobile and locative media, and global networks.

OBJECTIVE OF THE BOOK
This book intends to investigate how this shift to a completely urban global world woven together by ubiquitous and mobile ICTs changes the ontological meaning of space, and how the use of these technologies challenges the social and political construction of territories and the cultural appropriation of places.

Our approach to this conceptual debate will focus on ICTs and new urban infrastructures. Three types of technologies represent the core of the discussions presented in the book, both through theoretical approaches and analytical descriptions of case studies: surveillance artifacts; mobile and locative media; and the global networks of signs, values and ideologies.

TOPICS
ICTs have a quick obsolescence. Nevertheless, their social and historical construction and implications to our way of life change the concepts and experiences of urban spaces. In this sense, to focus on the influence of an emerging global urban infrastructure based on ICTs could enlighten and bring some ideas about the paradigmatic challenges upon space, the boundaries of political and economic territories, and how social groups appropriate parts of the world to turn them into their places. Important: Please note that there will be a reference-chapter for each of the three parts of the book (please see below), written by scholars renowned by their expertise in the three main themes. Authors are asked to consider these papers as the foundations for each part. We are currently in the process of receiving these three commissioned reference articles, which will be available before notification of acceptance. Meanwhile, we ask authors to consider the preliminary references listed bellow, which are previous publications by the three invited scholars. We welcome contributions that can seat nicely in the variety of issues which form the three main parts below. Contributors are invited to submit proposals for chapters that approach mainly one of the subjects below, indicating the part of the book it would preferably fit in.

Part I – Surveillance: the intention here is to discuss the technological and social implications of such instruments that permeate our daily life, and which permit, for those who control it, a hypothetical total control of the space.

– Preliminary reference:
LYON, D. (2004). “Surveillance Technologies: Trends and Social Implications” in Barrie Stevens (ed.) The Security Economy, Paris, OECD. Available at: http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/14/17/16692437.pdf.

Part II – Mobile and Locative Media: chapters here are expected to discuss the technological and social implications of such instruments that give us the freedom of spatial mobility and the possibility of creating and recreating places.

– Preliminary reference:
LEMOS, A. (2008). Mobile Communication and new sense of places: a critique of spatialization in cyberculture. Galáxia (PUCSP), v. 16, pp. 91-108. Available at: http://www.andrelemos.info/artigos/mobilecommunication_galaxia.pdf.

Part III – Global Networks: the focus here is global networks of signs, values and ideologies, which break down the social and political boundaries of territories. The challenge in this part is to discuss both the roles of the global flows of information, social and cultural values, and the infrastructures which have been built as a global technological network.

– Preliminary reference:
TAYLOR, P. (2008). World Cities in Globalization. GaWC Research Bulletin 263. 28th April 2008. Available at: http://www.lboro.ac.uk/gawc/rb/rb263.html.

SUBMISSION PROCEDURE
Researchers are invited to submit on or before July 15, 2009, a 2-3 page chapter proposal clearly explaining the mission and concerns of his or her proposed chapter. Authors of accepted proposals will be notified by July 30, 2009 about the status of their proposals and sent chapter guidelines. Full chapters are expected to be submitted by September 15, 2009. All submitted chapters will be reviewed on a double-blind review basis. Contributors may also be requested to serve as reviewers for this project.

PUBLISHER
This book is scheduled to be published by IGI Global (formerly Idea Group Inc.), publisher of the “Information Science Reference” (formerly Idea Group Reference), “Medical Information Science Reference” and “IGI Publishing” imprints. For additional information regarding the publisher, please visit www.igi-global.com. This publication is anticipated to be released in 2010.

IMPORTANT DATES
July 15, 2009: Proposal Submission Deadline
July 30th, 2009: Notification of Acceptance
September 15, 2009: Full Chapter Submission
January 15, 2010: Review Results Returned
March 15, 2010: Final Chapter Submission

Inquiries and submissions can be forwarded electronically (Word document) or by mail to:

Dr. Rodrigo Firmino
Postgraduate Program in Urban Management – www.pucpr.br/ppgtu
Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná (PUCPR) – www.pucpr.br
E-mail: rodrigo.firmino@pucpr.br