[Air-L] CfP: Valuing Public Data: data governance for economic, environmental and social development

[Esperanza Miyake]

***Apologies for Cross-posting​​​***


Call for Proposals: Valuing Public Data - data governance for economic, environmental and social development


Co-leads: Prof Angela Daly (University of Dundee) & Dr Esperanza Miyake (University of Strathclyde)

Dates: 25-26 January 2024

Location: hybrid - University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland and Online (Zoom)


We seek proposals - including for presentations, workshops, posters and panels - from researchers wishing to present their work at the final workshop of the Scottish Universities Insight Institute (SUII)-funded Public Data for Development in Scotland and the European Union (EU) programme<https://www.scottishinsight.ac.uk/Programmes/ScotlandinEurope/PublicSectorData.aspx>. This 2-day event brings together the questions and themes explored through a series of online workshops we have been organising in 2023 on different aspects of using public data for development (social, economic and environmental), and constitute an important contribution to the programme’s final outputs.


The programme itself promotes knowledge exchange activities between academics and practitioners working on ‘public data’ - which we take to mean data (personal and non-personal) held by the public sector and other public interest/public good data which may be held by companies, cooperatives and charities - in Scotland and the EU. We examine and share research, policy insights and good practice about how data held by the public sectors in Scotland and the EU can best be managed and used to ensure value is garnered from this data for the benefit of the publics in these countries.


A key priority is taking into account the diversity of that public in Scotland and the EU (and beyond), including the need to work against inequalities in data to ensure social, economic and environmental development are both ethical and equitable. We look at: the interplay between public, private and third sectors; how data can be used to produce public benefit; how such benefits might be shared to advance social, economic and environmental goals; experience of particular sectors, including health, criminal justice, environmental protection and local government/public administration.


This final event will be a research-focussed workshop, including knowledge exchange, for researchers active on this topic to present their research to a multistakeholder audience, opening up pathways to impact. We seek proposals on interdisciplinary research topics relevant to public data for development in Scotland and the EU, and beyond. Suggested topics include but are not limited to:


  *   What are public data and public data goods?

  *   Public data for social, economic and/or environmental development

  *   “Good” and “bad” data development and all the nuances between the two

  *   How to “value” data and what does “value” mean in public data contexts?

  *   Benefit sharing from public data uses and appropriate and effective models

  *   Governance frameworks for public data for development

  *   Digital and technological platforms and infrastructures for public data including the impact of new technologies and applications such as artificial intelligence/machine learning trained on public data

  *   Perspectives, dialogue and harmonisation between post-Brexit Scotland and Europe (and beyond) on these topics


Please send a title, abstract of no more than 300 words, the suggested format (presentation/panel/poster/workshop etc), and short biographies of authors/speakers/convenors (no more than 150 words) to Andy Porter andrew.porter at strath.ac.uk<mailto:andrew.porter at strath.ac.uk> by 30 November 2023, stating too whether you plan to participate in person in Glasgow or online.


We have some limited funds to support the in-person participation of UK-based presenters who are early career researchers, low income or unpaid participants, and/or people from disadvantaged and underrepresented backgrounds. Please also indicate whether you would wish to be considered for these funds in your submission.


We are currently liaising with Scottish Universities Press<https://www.sup.ac.uk/> to explore the possibility of an edited collection, based on selected research presentations. Please indicate in your abstract if you would be interested in potentially being included in such a collection.


Key dates:

  *   Submission of proposals 30 November 2023

  *   Decisions on proposals 7 December 2023

  *   Hybrid conference takes place in Glasgow/online 25-26 January 2024


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Dr. Esperanza Miyake

Chancellor's Fellow in Journalism, Media and Communication

Chair of the Humanities Gender, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee

Faculty (HaSS) Rep for the University Racial Equality and Anti-Racism Steering Group

University of Strathclyde | Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences | Dept. of Humanities

Full profile<https://www.strath.ac.uk/staff/miyakeesperanzadr/>


Recent publications:

  *   New book! (2023) Digital Disengagement: COVID-19, Digital Justice and the Politics of Refusal<https://bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/digital-disengagement> (w/A Kuntsman & S Martin) Bristol: Bristol UP.
  *   (2023) Final Report of the Independent Expert Group for the Unlocking the Value of Data Programme<https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/independent-report/2023/08/final-report-independent-expert-group-scottish-government-unlocking-value-data/documents/final-report-independent-expert-group-unlocking-value-data-programme-august-2023/final-report-independent-expert-group-unlocking-value-data-programme-august-2023/govscot%3Adocument/final-report-independent-expert-group-unlocking-value-data-programme-august-2023.pdf> (Scottish Government, w/ A Daly et al.)
  *   (2023) I am a virtual girl from Tokyo: Virtual influencers, digital-orientalism and the (Im)materiality of race and gender<https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/14695405221117195> Journal of Consumer Culture, 23(1): 209–228
  *   ​(2022) ​Paradoxes of Digital Disengagement: In Search of the Opt-Out Button <https://doi.org/10.16997/book61> (w/A Kuntsman). London: University of Westminster Press.

Current project:

  *   Valuing Public Sector Data in Scotland and Europe: data governance for economic, environmental and social development<https://www.scottishinsight.ac.uk/Programmes/ScotlandinEurope/PublicSectorData.aspx> (funded by Scottish Universities Insight Institute (SUII) and Scotland Europa)