Biodigital lives

Call for papers and presentations:

Biodigital lives: making, consuming and archiving the lives of technoscience: 14 July 2009, 9am - 5.30, Educational Development Building (EDB), University of Sussex, UK,

Hosted by the Centre for the Economic and Social Aspects of Genomics (CESAGen), the Centre for Material Digital Culture and the Centre for Life History and Life Writing Research,

Convened by Dr Kate O'Riordan and Dr Adrian Mackenzie, other confirmed participants include Dr Caroline Bassett, Anna Dumitriu, Dr Joan Haran, Dr Adam Hedgecoe, Dr Margaretta Jolly, Professor Maureen McNeil, Dr Sharif Mowlabocus, Dr Jussi Parikka, Ms Lizzie Thynne, Mr Kirk Woolford,

The aim of this one-day workshop is to examine issues and questions about digital and biodigital life, lives and identities framed by biosciences, contemporary media and biopolitical cultures. From the lives of scientists to the technologisation of life, 'Biodigital lives' will analyse biotechnological and bioinformatic forms and practices of identifying, archiving and storying the living. It will discuss diverse forms of new/digital mediation and informatics as they pertain to the lives of people, plants, animals, microbes, viruses and ecosystems entangled in global media, biopolitical institutions and bioeconomies.

Topics might include:

How digital/life history and genetic genealogies intersect

Biomediation and biotechnological media in reading and writing lives

Biodigital memory, narration and identity (e.g. Memory and archive, genetics and life story, digital life practices)

Genomic databases and biobanks as biographical resources

Techniques of writing, reading, editing and publishing the lives of species and populations

Life archives and life histories of humans and non-humans

Synthetic biology and bioinformatic communities from the perspective of biological literacy, design and participation

Genomes as digital/media artefacts - new media/biotech convergences and commercial genealogies

Genetics and genomics as/in life narratives and popular culture

Aesthetic encounters in biodigital life in sci-art, film, games, software, art etc

Genealogies and critical potentials of bioart/digital media art intersections

The workshop aims to make visible, and interrogate, the very different kinds of info-bio mediation, hybridisation and divergence that are taking place, to work through some of the specificities and connections across diverse fields of contemporary digital life making and storying. The workshop will be arranged around short presentations and will favour discussion and broad participation. Please send abstracts of 300 words and a short bio to Kate O'Riordan by April 20th 2009: k.oriordan@sussex.ac.uk

Key Dates:

Monday 20th April - deadline for all submissions

Monday 11th May - final confirmation and draft programme

Tuesday 26th May - final programme published

Wednesday 3rd June - final deadline for registration

Tuesday 14th July - EVENT

Please note that the Journal of Media Practice will be holding an event on Monday 13th July at the same venue and participants are encouraged to stay for both events.