[ICTs-and-Society] CfP TIS: CFP: Monetization of User-Generated Content - Marx revisited

[Christian Fuchs]

Dear colleagues,

I have been asked by the journal The Information Society to circulate 
this call.

Best wishes, Christian

***

THE INFORMATION SOCIETY (TIS)
CFP: Monetization of User-Generated Content — Marx revisited

Forum Editors:
Jennifer Proffitt, School of Communication, Florida State University
Hamid Ekbia, School of Library and Information Science, Indiana 
University, Bloomington
Stephen McDowell, School of Communication, Florida State University

Two TIS articles, Fuchs (2010) and Arvidsson & Colleoni (2012), which 
develops a critique of the former, have generated considerable debate, 
including a response from Fuchs (2012), regarding fundamental questions 
about the core processes of value creation and social and economic 
organization in contemporary societies. To further this conversation, we 
invite 4000- 5000 word Perspective essays, which are published at the 
discretion of the guest editors / editor, and should address one or more 
of the following questions the Fuchs and Arvidsson & Colleoni debate 
problematizes:
* Is the production of user-generated content a form of labor? Or, 
should it be re-thought as an affective investment? Or something else?
* Do the theory and concepts that are part of a labor theory of value 
limit our understanding of user-generated content? Should we choose a 
different point of departure for our theoretical endeavors?
* Is the Marxist notion of commodity an appropriate analytic for 
understanding appropriation of value in the case of user-generated 
content? Or, should it be de-centered from such an analysis?
* Is the notion of “labor time” relevant to the production of 
user-generated content?
* How can Marxist and historical-critical perspectives engage with the 
new organization of information economies and information societies?
* Is it appropriate to extend Dallas Smythe’s notion of “audience work,” 
which he developed in 1970s when broadcasting was the dominant mode, to 
the Internet world? What are the problematics of extending “old” 
theories to “new” technologies?
The Perspective essays should have layers of thought that take the 
thinking beyond Fuchs and Arvidsson & Colleoni. Approximately half of 
the essay should be devoted to a reflection on / critique of these 
writings and the ensuing debate, and the remaining half should extend / 
add to the theoretical foundations of the debate.

Interested authors are invited to email an abstract (no longer than 500 
words) to Jennifer Proffitt (email: jproffitt at fsu.edu) by March 1, 2013. 
Authors of selected abstracts will be invited to submit their 
Perspective essays by July 1, 2013.

For pdf copies of Fuchs (2010) and Arvidsson & Colleoni (2012), please 
send an email to hsawhney at indiana.edu

Sources
Arvidsson, A., and E. Colleoni. 2012. Value in informational capitalism 
and on the Internet. The Information Society 28(3): 135-150.
Fuchs, C. 2010. Labor in informational capitalism and on the Internet. 
The Information Society 26(3): 179 -196.
Fuchs, C. 2012. With or without Marx? With or without capitalism? A 
rejoinder to Adam Arvidsson and Eleanor Colleoni. tripleC 10(2): 633-645.