Titles and topics planned for the International School on Digital Transformation

Interdisciplinary research,
education and capacity building

30 Jun 2009

International School on Digital Transformation begins in Porto July 19th

The International School on Digital Transformation is almost here, beginning in Porto on July 19. Twenty distinguished researchers, teachers, activists, and entrepreneurs from around the world have submitted an array of noteworthy topics for discussion, addressing issues such as digital rights management and the open standards software movement, the emergence of telecenters and e-governance in East Africa, and privacy advocacy.

Titles include:
“Legal and Technical Control and Resistance on the Internet,” by Sunil Abraham of the Centre for Internet and Society in Bangalore. Abraham will examine how political and market influences have acted to stifle the growth of online Open Standards.
Rui Barros of INESC Porto will present “Technology Issues and Small Municipalities,” studying the politics of technology issues from a local perspective and looking at citizenship, democracy, and digital inclusion for civil servants and citizens.
“Facilitating Participation and Deliberation at the Urban Level,” by Fiorella De Cendio of the University of Milan, addresses the development of community and civic networks, drawing upon examples from Milan, smaller cities such as Vigevano, and in developing countries.
“The Useful Myth of the Obama Campaign” will be addressed by Micah Sifry, co-founder of the Personal Democracy Forum and editor of TechPresident.com. Sifry will discuss how despite common opinion, the Obama presidential campaign was actually an example of a top-down political campaign, and teaches important lessons about participatory politics.
Siva Vaidhyanathan of the University of Virginia will address “The Googlization of Everything,” looking at how this single company has shaped expressions of community, identity, and knowledge.

Over 50 students and the organizers of the program in Austin and Porto look forward to these and other exciting presentation and discussion sessions.