Call for Papers
The three-day international workshop aims to explore the practices and activities of citizens, workers and consumers - from individual to collective actors, including organisations - with Generative AI technologies and applications. Focusing on the interactions, perceptions and imaginaries that these actors develop with and about Generative AI technologies and applications, the international workshop will provide a space for critical reflection on the implications of these emerging technologies for politics and societies, the opportunities and challenges they bring, and the transformation they might bring to our understanding of the role of citizens in societies, the making of democracy, the circulation of information, and the future of work and consumption.
More specifically, while we are open to different proposals, we are looking for papers that explore the use of Generative AI in and its social and political implications for:
- Grassroots politics and protest, including social movement mobilisation, civil society activities and the day-to-day political work of political organisers
- Political communication, including political party campaigning during and beyond electoral periods, and organisation, including the day-to-day work of political party members and leaders
- News production and consumption, journalistic professions and investigative journalism projects
- The domain of work, including workers' practices, from ghost workers to medical practice to creative professionals, and organisational processes, such as algorithmic management.
- Labour markets, including workers' skills and tasks, productivity, augmentation and substitution, job quality, and innovation in the public and private sectors.
- The domain of consumption, from consumers' imaginaries, relationalities and meanings to the infrastructures and platforms that enable consumption activities.
The international workshop embraces methodological pluralism, so papers based on different types of research designs and methods are welcome. Proposals can include papers that present findings based on robust empirical research, or papers that present work in progress and new frameworks for interpreting and analysing Generative AI in relation to politics and societies.
Workshop format
The workshop aims to bring together junior and senior researchers working on Generative AI in politics and societies in different research areas anchored in the broader disciplines of sociology and political science. It will feature a small number of selected paper presenters (max. 15) who will present and discuss their work in ad-hoc panels on specific topics.
The workshop will be hosted by the Department of Political and Social Sciences of the University of Bologna. It will be an attendance only event and no hybrid option will be available.
How to participate
Interested participants should send 500-word extended abstracts to ai_sps@live.unibo.it by 20 September 2024.
Extended abstracts should include the following information
- Empirical papers: the research question/objectives, research design and methods, and preliminary/expected findings.
- Theoretical papers: the theoretical framework and contribution to the literature.
Accepted participants will be asked to register by 10 October. Accepted papers must be at least 5000 words in length, references included, and may be work in progress.
There are no fees for the workshop and paper presenters will be offered lunch and a social dinner.
Key dates to remember
- 20 September: Abstract submission deadline
- 30 September: Notification of accepted papers
- 10 October: Deadline for registration
- 1 December: Submission of accepted paper drafts
- 11-13 December: Workshop at the University of Bologna