5CYBERCONF

Fifth International Conference on Cyberspace
June 6th to 9th, 1996. Madrid, Spain
Hosted by "Fundacion Arte y Tecnologia de Telefonica"

5CYBERCONF is an international conference that addresses the social, political, and cultural implications of cyberspace from a critical standpoint and encourages discussion between theoreticians and practitioners. Hosted for the first time in Europe, this fifth edition of CYBERCONF considers computer-human interface breakthroughs, our fascination and weariness with disobedient technology, the role of synthetic behaviour in virtual design, and the increasing importance of cross-cultural contributions to the electronic community.

In the 90s cyberspace has reached a critical mass. The tools to construct and navigate virtual worlds are becoming increasingly affordable, intuitive and widespread. The rise in bandwidth and dropping prices have provoked the exponential growth of the online population (or is it the other way around?). As the net becomes a mainstream hit, how has the transition from science fiction to reality changed cyberspace?

CONFERENCE FORMAT
5CYBERCONF is scheduled to start on Thursday afternoon, June 6th and take place over three and a half days. There will be 8 keynote speakers, 18 plenary sessions, special events, a videoconference link-up, and a banquet dinner on Sunday June 9th. All sessions are designed to foster discussion. Presentations will be in English and Spanish with simultaneous translation. The six themes are:

INTER-FACE LIFT

How are the boundaries of the computer-human interface disappearing? Is the "window onto the world" metaphor exhausted? Can we unframe our synthetic worlds? What can replace the cartesian grid as a reference for non-linear worlds?

CYBER SICK-AND-TIRED

Who is leaving cyberspace and why? What are the different forms of cyber-sickness? Is the body rejecting interfaces that ignore it? What are the old and new psychological disorders manifested in or caused by cyberspace? What are the different forms of cyber-tiredness? How can we counteract the disenchantment brought about by the unfulfilled promises of the cyber-hype industry? Who is buying the media's portrayal of cyberspace as dirty and dangerous? Who is winning the battles to control or dominate access?

TECHNOLOGY GOOD, PEOPLE BAD (Virtual Perversions)

When will the predicted death of "outmoded" dualisms finally happen? Is accepting our own cyborgness the only way to explore post-humanism, or are there other, as-yet-unimagined, ways? How do we create new languages to describe unprecedented experiences? How has the language of cyberspace changed since the first CYBERCONF?

DIGITAL THIRD WORLDS

Are there digital ethnic groups? How can ceremony and language be used in the retro-colonization of cyberspace? Can the international economic system be de-virtualized? What kinds of non-digital virtuality are there? What are the experiences of new online communities in countries where access is relatively recent, and how are their contributions changing the time and space of cyberspace? Who are the new marginals? The "Global Village" and other myths.

CRASH TECHNOLOGY

What is seductive about technology out-of-control? What would be the uses of a "personal dis-organizer"? What is technological correctness? How will our ethics be transformed by the ability to "undo" our virtual actions? Will artificial intelligence finally deliver an automaton that disobeys? What is cyber-pain? (and where to find it).

SYNTHETIC BEHAVIOUR (Recombinart)

Can cyberspace behaviour be "rendered" (as in designer-behaviour)? What constitutes interesting behaviour? Will synthetic behaviour change what we mean by normal behaviour? What is the virtual equivalent of the Undead? What proposals challenge the dead/alive binary (videogames, military simulators, etc.) as the primary paradigm of virtual interaction?

CALL FOR ABSTRACTS
To submit an abstract for the potential inclusion of your paper in the 5CYBERCONF program, please follow these format guidelines:

Title of the paper
Author(s)
Institutional affiliation, if any
Chosen 5CYBERCONF theme (from the list above)
Abstract, 500 words maximum
Brief biography, 100 words maximum
Audiovisual equipment requirements
Contact information (email preferred)

There are two ways to submit: 1) Email 5cyberconf@ceai.telefonica.es
with the subject "5CYBERCONF Submission" or 2) mail both a printed copy
and a PC or MAC diskette to the address given below.

The selection will be done by an international and a local committee made up of academics, theorists, artists, and technicians in the field. Submission of an abstract indicates the submitter's intention and capability to write and present the corresponding, full length paper, if chosen. Papers will be alloted a half hour for presentation and may be in English or Spanish. Please be advised that the selection committees will not consider abstracts that are not formatted as stated above nor papers that have been previously published.

All papers will be published in a bilingual edition of the proceedings, which will be available in late 1996.

DEADLINES

Deadline for reception of abstracts: February 15, 1996
Notification of selection for presentation: March 15, 1996
Deadline for registration: May 1, 1996

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

The registration fee will be waived for those presenting a paper in 5CYBERCONF. In addition, a limited number of grants are available to those presenters who demonstrate financial need. These grants cover the costs of travel, accommodation, and a per diem.

FEES & REGISTRATION

The registration fee for attending 5CYBERCONF is US$200 (US$100 for students). For detailed information on how to register and information on travel and accommodation, please contact Susie Ramsay at 5cyberconf@ceai.telefonica.es or at the address given below. Please note that registration is on a first-come, first serve basis and attendance is limited to 140. Late registration will be available as space permits and at an extra charge.

LOCATION

5CYBERCONF will take place in the comfortable, modern auditorium of the Art and Technology Foundation situated in the heart of Madrid. The historic building that houses the Foundation is within walking distance of sites of interest such as the Plaza Mayor, la Puerta del Sol, and the Prado Museum. Madrid has a lively street life and is famous for its tapa bars, Flamenco scene, sidewalk cafes, and all night festivities. June is usually warm, sunny, and dry.

CONFIRMED KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

Carolina Cruz Neira (Spain)
Manuel de Landa (Mexico-USA)
Antoni Muntadas (Spain-USA)
Avital Ronell (USA)
Allucquere Rosanne Stone (USA)
Florian Roetzer (Germany)

SPECIAL EVENTS TO BE CONFIRMED

Performance by Guillermo Gomez-Pena.
Private screening of David Cronenberg's new film "Crash" based on the J.G. Ballard novel.

The list of keynote speakers and special events is preliminary; more to be added. Please visit our Web site for more information and updates on 5Cyberconf.

5CYBERCONF ORGANIZERS

Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, Chair
Susie Ramsay, Coordinator
Allucquere Rosanne Stone, Goddess of Cyberspace

5CYBERCONF PRODUCTION
Fundacion Arte y Tecnologia de Telefonica
Candido Velazquez-Gaztelu, Chair
Roberto Velazquez Martin, Manager
L. Ishi-Kawa, Curator and Assistant Manager

INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE

Alex Adriaansens, V2 (Netherlands)
Roy Ascott, CAIIA (UK)
Annick Bureaud, Art-El, ASTN (France)
Andrea Di Castro, CNA (Mexico)
Lorne Falk, Independent (USA)
Monika Fleischmann, GMD (Germany)
Eduardo Kac, U. of Kentucky (Brazil)
Derrick de Kerckhove, McLuhan Institute (Canada)
Machiko Kusahara, GCL, NTT (Japan)
J. Seijdel & G. Strengholt, Mediamatic (Netherlands)
Roger Malina, Leonardo, ISAST (USA)
Marcos Novak, U. of Texas (USA)
Allucquere Rosanne Stone, U. of Texas (USA)
Jeffrey Shaw, ZKM (Australia)
Gerfried Stocker, Ars Electronica (Austria)
Christine Tamblyn, Florida International U. (USA)

LOCAL COMMITTEE

Montxo Algora, Art Futura
Carlota Alvarez Basso, Reina Sofia Museum
Xavier Berenguer, U. Pompeu Fabra
Daniel Canogar, Independent
Fernando Castro, Instituto de Estetica y Teoria de las Artes
Estrella de Diego, U. Complutense
Javier Echeverria, U. del Pais Vasco
Pedro Garhel, Espacio "P"
Antonio Golderos, Telefonica I+D
Francisco Jarauta, U. de Murcia
Jose Jimenez, Instituto de Estetica y Teoria de las Artes
Emilio Lopez-Galiacho, Arquimedia
Jose Antonio Mayo, Realidad Virtual S. L.
Karin Ohlenschlaeger, Proyectos Culturales
Maria Pallier, Independent

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:

5CYBERCONF Fundacion Arte y Tecnologia Gran Via, 28. 2 planta 28013 Madrid, Espana Tel. 34-1-542-9380 Fax. 34-1-521-0041 Email 5cyberconf@ceai.telefonica.es http://www.telefonica.es/fat/

Kairos 1.1 (Spring 1996): News