Metaverses of the Global South
About the conference
Over the last few years, the world has become rocked by a number of crises: COVID, the Russian attack on the Ukraine, increasing block building and continuing or even increasing financial inequality. At the same time, technology and its inventors and peddlers are expanding, with AI powered image and text generators and Metaverse infrastructure and content evoking equally fear and excitement in people coming to the fore. This conference will take these social changes as its base and will attempt to find answers, engaging sociological paradigms, art, management and economic proposals, technological and indigene studies and others. It takes seriously Ottino and May’s 2022 theory of The Nexus as a place where art, technology and commerce meet and can cross-fertilise each other, but will squarely shift attention from the usual suspects of the global north to the Global South, conceptually and practically. In order to do so, the conference will engage the UN’s 2015 Sustainable Developments Goals (SDGs) vis-à-vis digital media.
These Goals are No Poverty; Zero Hunger; Good Health and Well-being; Quality Education; Gender Equality; Clean Water and Sanitation; Affordable and Clean Energy; Decent Work and Economic Growth; Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure; Reduced Inequality; Sustainable Cities and Communities; Responsible Consumption and Production; Climate Action; Life Below Water; Life on Land; Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions; and Partnerships to Achieve the Goal.
Furthermore, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development has emphasized the importance of guaranteeing public access to information and safeguarding fundamental freedoms, in compliance with both domestic laws and global accords (United Nations, 2015). The media play a crucial role in safeguarding public access to information and upholding fundamental freedoms. In 2018, a Media Compact was introduced as a means to promote greater understanding and recognition of these goals, serving as an entry point for entrepreneurs and corporate executives keen on strengthening their dedication to advancing the Sustainable Development Goals. The utilization of independent and community media, along with social media, is imperative in implementing the ‘leave no one behind’ pledge of the (SDGs) by providing a platform for individuals who are frequently marginalized to express their opinions. Against this backdrop, it is crucial to guarantee the involvement of the media in critical processes related to policy formulation and the management of social and economic matters, as well as that of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), civil society organizations (CSOs), and the private sector. The primary objective of the conference is to deliberate on the critical way of enhancing the role of the media in achieving the SDGs at the local, regional, and global levels.
The future of Media 2023 is an upcoming international conference that focuses on the seventeen Sustainable Development Goals. The conference aims to facilitate the gathering of media professionals, policymakers, academics, and civil society representatives from various parts of the world.
In particular, the following issues will be addressed:
- How does digital technology impact on different strata of society, and especially so on its excluded minorities?
- How can such technology be conceptualised and applied in order to help social cohesion?
- What is the role businesses can play to support its application in achieving millennial goals?
- How to deal with image and text generators in the media and in education?
- What are the ramifications of virtual reality vis-à-vis non-virtual reality?
- How does the visual turn interact with virtuality (e.g. Deepfakes)?
- How can and should government consultation and legislation help to assuage the more negative implications of the digital world in general and the Metaverse in particular?
- How does the Metaverse impact on gender, race and class issues?
- How can/ should digital media interact with the SDGs?
The upcoming conference will encompass a range of activities, including keynote addresses, panel deliberations, exhibitions, film presentations, and interactive sessions. Additionally, attendees will have the chance to engage in networking and collaborative endeavors. The conference will encompass a variety of workshops and training sessions, designed to equip media professionals and policymakers with the requisite competencies and expertise to proficiently advocate for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and their media (re-)presentation. The proposed platform aims to facilitate knowledge exchange and collaboration among professionals engaged in the intersection of media and sustainable development goals (SDGs). It is anticipated that this conference will serve as a significant stride towards the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) via the media.
We therefore invite poster presentations, workshops, panels, talks and similar on any aspect of the above mentioned topics. Please send your proposals (no more than 200 words) and a 10 line biographical sketch to: futuresofmedia2024@spsu.ac.in. Deadline is 1 November 2023.
For all other information, please consult the conference’s website, https://futuresofmedia.com. It will be updated as further speakers are announced and additional information becomes available.
Essays based on the the presentations will be published in the Conference Proceedings, with the best of them considered for a special Issue of the Scopus-listed IAFOR Journal of Cultural Studies.
Sir Padampat Singhania University, Udaipur, India
12-13 January 2024
Sir Padampat Singhania University
Sir Padampat Singhania University (SPSU) in Udaipur, an initiative of JK Cement Ltd. -one of the largest in the cement industry was established 2007. The 100-acre campus offers a tranquil academic environment with modern amenities like smart classrooms and project labs. SPSU is dedicated to academic excellence and holistic student development, with programs featuring global certification courses and industry partnerships, including Xebia, NorthStar, ACCA, CMA, SAS, and many more. The university has received several accolades, such as “A+ Grade” in OBE Rankings 2022, AAA+ rating for B.Tech by Careers 360, Diamond Band (A+) grade in SII Green Rankings 2023. Ranked among top 10 higher education institutions for Best Academia Industry Alliance, Education World 23-24.
SPSU provides a diverse range of undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programs in engineering, management, liberal studies, and other fields, aligning with the NEP 2020 guidelines. Highly qualified faculty and state-of-the-art facilities nurture critical thinking and problem-solving skills. The university has several Centers of Excellence, including those for Sustainable Energy, Innovation in Skills & Social Entrepreneurship, and Research and Publications etc.
The campus offers excellent sports facilities, NCC, NSS units, and numerous student-led clubs and cultural groups. SPSU organizes events with industry leaders and has international collaborations with universities like La Trobe Australia and Chiba University of Commerce. Situated in Udaipur, popularly known as the “City of Lakes,” SPSU benefits from the city’s rich cultural heritage and scenic beauty. More about Udaipur can be found at https://www.tourism.rajasthan.gov.in/udaipur.html.
The city of Udaipur
Udaipur is a city and municipal corporation in Udaipur district of the state of Rajasthan, India. It is also known as the “City of Lakes”. It is the administrative headquarter of Udaipur district. It is the historic capital of the kingdom of Mewar in the former Rajputana Agency. It was founded in 1559 by Udai Singh II of the Sisodia clan of Rajputs, when he shifted his capital from the city of Chittorgarh to Udaipur after Chittorgarh was besieged by Akbar. It remained as the capital city till 1818 when it became a British princely state, and thereafter the Mewar province became a part of Rajasthan when India gained independence in 1947.
The city is located in the southernmost part of Rajasthan, near the Gujarat border. It is surrounded by the Aravali Range, which separates it from the Thar Desert. It is placed almost in the middle of two major Indian metro cities, around 660 km from Delhi and 800 km from Mumbai. Besides, connectivity with Gujarat ports provide Udaipur a strategic geographical advantage. Udaipur is well connected with nearby cities and states by means of road, rail and air transportation facilities. The city is served by the Maharana Pratap Airport.
Besides, Udaipur is rising as educational hub as well, with 5 Universities, 14 colleges and more than 160 high schools. Udaipur is home to IIM Udaipur, the fifth best management institution in the country according to NIRF ranking released by the MHRD.
Registration
Fees
-
Foreign Delegates
With Food & Accomodation at SPSU campus
200 USD
Without Food & Accommodation .
100 USD
– .
20 USD
-
Indian Delegates
With Food & Accomodation at SPSU campus
INR 10,000
With Food & Accomodation at SPSU campus
INR 5,000
Without Food & Accomodation .
INR 3,000
– .
INR 1,000
Payment
- Account holder: SIR PADAMPAT SINGHANIYA UNIVERSITY
- Account no : 433001000457
- Swift Code : ICICINBBNRI
- IFSC code : ICIC0004330
- Branch Name : Reti Stand Udaipur Rajasthan
- Bank Name : ICICI Bank Ltd
Conference Schedule
Day 1
Jan 12, 2024
Day 2
Jan 13, 2023
Keynote Speakers
Keynote Speakers
Our Speakers
Our Speakers
To be expanded
Organizing Team Members
Our Partners
