I just signed a petition calling for Norwegian universities to use research expertise on AI when deciding how to implement it, rather than having decisions be made mostly administratively. , If you are a researcher in Norway, please read it and sign it if you agree – and share with anyone else who might be interested. The petition was written by three researchers at UiT: Maria Danielsen (a philosopher who completed her PhD in 2025 on AI and ethics, including discussions of art and working life), Knut Ørke (Norwegian as a second language), and Holger Pötzsch (a professor of media studies with many years of research on digital media, video games, disruption, and working life, among other topics). This is not about preventing researchers from exploring AI methods in their research. It is about not uncritically accepting the hype that everyone must use AI everywhere without critical reflection. It is about not introducing Copilot as the default option in word processors, or training PhD candidates to believe they will fall behind if they do not use AI when writing articles, without proper academic discussion. Changes like these should be knowledge-based and discussed academically, not merely decided administratively, because they alter the epistemological foundations of research. Maria wrote to me a couple of months ago because she had read my opinion piece in Aftenposten in which I called for a strong brake on the use of language models in knowledge work. She was part of a committee tasked with developing UiT’s AI strategy and was concerned because there was so much hype and so few members of the committee with actual expertise in AI. I fully support the petition. There are probably some good uses for AI in research, but the uncritical, hype-driven insistence that we must simply adopt it everywhere is highly risky. There are many researchers in Norway with strong expertise in AI, language, ethics, working life, and culture. We must make use of this expertise. This is also partly about respect for research in the humanities, social sciences, psychology, and law. Introducing AI at universities and university colleges is not merely a technical issue, and perhaps not even primarily a technical one. It concerns much more: philosophy of science, methodological reflection, epistemology, writing, publishing, the working environment, and more. […]
Salik Games
I like it. Keep on writing. Do you live in Bergen? I
still remember it from my stay in Norway a long time
ago, especially the ride above the cemetery.
“The empty half of the glass is always at the top”
Joshua Salik
Salik Games
http://salikgames.home.att.net
Mathieu O'Neil
Hi
My name is Mathieu O’Neil, I‚Äôm currently a Visiting Fellow at the Australian National University‚Äôs Center of New Media Arts. I also contribute to a collective blog on New Media Arts called underthesun (http://underthesun.anu.edu.au/weblogs/underthesun/).
I’m presently conducting a sociological survey of blogs, focusing on the social dynamics which lead people to blog and on how bloggers determine the value of their and other bloggers’ work on the blogging market. My research findings will be presented at a conference at Macquarie University (Sydney), “Mobile Boundaries / Rigid Worlds: The Contemporary Paradox” in late September.
I conducted a similar survey with zine publishers in the mid-nineties, obtained 120 responses, and wrote up the results in an article entitled “The Lay of the Land. Portrait of the Zinester as a Social Statistic” which was published in the “zine of zines”, Factsheet 5 (no. 62, 1997). I’m also interested in the possible continuities / discontinuities between blogs and zines.
So, I would really appreciate it if you could take the time to answer the following questions, as well as pass them on to anyone else who might be interested in taking part. Any information collected is for social science research purposes only, and will be be treated with the utmost confidentiality (hey, if you think collecting bloggers’ personal details is some kind of fiendish conspiracy, be my guest).
A few pointers:
-Please try to keep your answers short.
-Please do not modify the order of the questions.
-Please do not send in surveys after 5 SEPTEMBER, 2004. This is the official cut-off date.
Thanks!
Best,
Mathieu O’Neil
Please direct all queries and completed surveys to:
oneil@homemail.com.au
THE GREAT BLOGGER SURVEY
A-Your blog
How much time do you devote to your blog:
Name of your blog:
Started:
Genre (if applicable):
Subject:
Appearance:
Cost:
Updates:
Why did you start blogging:
What are you most proud of in your blog:
What does your offline entourage think of it:
B-Personal
Age:
Gender:
Residence (big-small town/where):
Profession:
Salary:
Did you go to university (if so, where):
Highest education degree(s) (in what):
Father’s profession:
Mother’s profession:
Paternal grandfather’s profession:
Maternal grandfather’s profession:
Religion (if any):
Political affiliation (if any):
C-Taste
Favorite food:
Favorite book:
Favorite music:
Favorite film:
Favorite computer game:
Where do you buy your clothes:
D-Technology
Your computer:
Your blogging software:
Internet connection:
Most common technical glitch:
E-The Blogosphere
How much time do you spend reading other blogs:
What is your favorite blog and why:
What is the best / worst thing about blogs:
Who do you link with:
Do you see yourself as belonging to a blog tribe:
Have any problems arisen because you blog:
What blogging practice annoys you the most:
Do you post comment in other blogs:
Do you subscribe to email lists / discussions (which ones):
What is your take on the blogosphere:
F-Blogs and zines
Did you read zines?
How are zines and blogs similar:
How are zines and blogs different:
——————–
Jill
Good luck with your survey Mathieu – do you think self-selecting respondees might skew your data sample, though? I know it’s not easy finding a good way of surveying blogs..