The Global and Globalizing Dimensions of Mobile Communication: Developing or Developed?
International Communication Association Pre-conference Workshop
This pre-conference has the intention of examining the global
dimensions of mobile communication. Mobile communication (both via
traditional mobile telephony and via other wireless systems) is being
felt on a global basis. There are, for example, currently more mobile
telephones in the developing world than in the traditional
industrialized countries. Thus while mobile communication has become a
relatively normal part of daily life in industrialized countries, it is
also becoming increasingly common in the developing world.
This means that mobile communication is truly a global phenomenon.
The use of mobile communication in both developing and in the
industrialized countries has had dramatic impact on how we communicate
and how we access to basic information. Through use of mobile
communication we coordinate our everyday affairs; we used the technology
to enhance entrepreneurial opportunities and we have gained a way to
organize assistance when it is needed. In the industrialized world, many
countries have more subscriptions than they have population and in the
developing world, mobile communication is morphing into an efficient way
to organize remittances between guest workers and their families back
home.
The "first wave" of mobile communication research has included case
studies from dozens of countries around the world. However, there has
been a relative paucity of studies which use comparative methods, or try
to assess and describe local/regional phenomena in light of broader
international/universal themes. Because of this, we wish to welcome
abstracts that focus on issues such as:
- Global/universal patterns vs. local improvisation
- Mobile communication and social and/or economic development and change
- Mobile communication and globalization
- Comparative studies of mobile communication (use patterns, political economies, media and communication systems, etc)
- Cross-cultural approaches to mobile communication
- Easy and inexpensive network access and inexpensive/used mobile phones has meant that mobile communication has become the primary way in which many persons in the developing world first experience the use of telephony.
The
pre-conference is a joint effort by the University of Michigan, Temple
University & Telenor. It will be held at Le Centre Sheraton in
Montreal (the conference hotel for the general ICA meeting), starting
with a plenary session on Tues the 20th of May along with sessions on on
the 20th and the 21st.
Cost: ICA Members: $50.00 USD
ICA Student members: $20.00 USD
Non-member price: $75.00
(Includes refreshments, lunch and reception)
Organized by
Dr. Rich Ling, Telenor Research Richard-seyler.ling@telenor.com
Prof. Scott Campbell, University of Michigan swcamp@umich.edu
Prof. Concetta Steweart, Temple University Concetta.Stewart@temple.edu
