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Call for participation: Framing Reality and How It Matters in a Shared World American Society for Cybernetics 2018 Conference August 15-19, Chicago Illinois Conference begins the night of August 15 and ends with an informal breakfast on August 19

Venue: University Center, 525 South State St, Chicago, Illinois Accommodations available on site for less than $100/person/night

Framing Reality and How It Matters in a Shared World We each frame how we look at the world in conjunction with our assumptions, tools, models, and narratives. These frames, in turn, affect what we perceive to be our available actions. The public and the media have started to become increasingly aware that these frames matter. When narratives are in conflict, the possibilities for cooperative action decrease. There is a circular relation between the narratives we tell to explain the world, those aspects of the world we choose to pay attention to, and the actions we see as viable next steps. These circular relations extend to the others we interact with — groups, communities, teams, organizations — making what we share and where we disagree vitally important.

All disciplines deal with similar issues, such as how methods and assumptions affect results, how results are used by society, how design and investigation are linked, and many others. In the academic world, disciplines are becoming more open to examining their ways (often hidden in plain view) of investigating the world and the perspectives which result. In the “real” world, framing and perspectives often take the form of narrowing the context being attended to, the opportunities for action which are perceived as available, and the stories told to explain actions taken. The impact of these constructed realities — individual and shared — is highlighted by the role technology now plays in our world. Our most prominent technologies are shaping how we go about creating and sharing narratives.

We invite researchers and practitioners from psychology, design, cognitive science, education, feminist studies, the arts and media and communications studies, science, technology and society studies, systems science, cybernetics and other fields to consider how their methods of inquiry and perspectives make a difference both within their disciplines and in the world at large. Publication opportunities will be available in several academic journals and an edited book.

Note to those new to ASC: We will have sessions each day devoted to hearing your perspectives and insights — how you frame the world can help inform all of us.

For further information please email Michael Lissack, ASC President, Michael.lissack@gmail.com or call 617-710-9565.

Abstracts due March 1, 2018

Registration and paper submittal instructions will be available by the end of January.

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