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. […]
John Breslin
Hi Jill – sounds cool – add me to your list 🙂
I teach http://teaching.deri.ie/login/index.php (login as guest).
Are you coming to BlogTalk 2008? See http://2008.blogtalk.net
John Breslin
The actually course link is http://teaching.deri.ie/course/view.php?id=6 – oops!
jeremy
I might use it, depending on where I am next and what I’m teaching. I used Axel’s book on blogging last time for my web 2.0 course.
dave
Your book would definitely be one I would consider teaching.(David Parry)
Krista
Oh, I might certainly use it in my Internet Tools & Issues or Emerging Tech in STC courses. Right now, I’m using Bruns & Jacobs’ “Uses of Blogs.”
noah
Sure. Both this year and next I’m teaching a “Communicating and Computers” course that involves blogging. Your book sounds like a good one for it.
collin
Add me to the list, too. I’m teaching a computers and writing course in the fall…
cgb
Jen Cypher
I would use it for my Humanities course on technology and communication!
amanda
Hi Jill – I teach on social software and media at an Information Studies school here in Ontario (Faculty of Information & Media Studies, University of Western Ontario, to be exact!). I would definitely consider your book to include in my course readings – in fact, I can’t wait to get my hands on it!
Cheers,
Amanda Etches-Johnson
dr. b.
Count me in. It might come in handy in my Computers in Language and Rhetoric and New Media seminars. (Samantha Blackmon) The courses are linked from my blog.
Anne Helmond
I am a New Media Lecturer/Instructor at the University of Amsterdam at the Media Studies department.
I just graduated with a Master thesis titled ëBlogging for Engines. Blogs under the Influence of Software-Engine Relationsí so I am particularly focused on blogging in my research.
Coincidentally, I just talked to two people today who are thinking about organizing a blogging conference in Amsterdam.
Lisbeth Klastrup
hi jill, forgot to say yesterday, but of course Im also interested in _owning_ the book 🙂 – would come in useful for my Digital Rhetorics course, that Im also teaching next term..Hope u’re safely back in Bergen, nice seeing you!
Kirk
Count me in J;
kirk.hughes@yale.edu and hughesk9@southernct.edu
Teach over here in New Haven.
Jason Mittell
I’d consider using it in my Media Technology course!
Carolyn Campbell
Jill, I’m not sure if a copy could make it over to me in Canada but I’m definitely interested.
Chuck
I’d consider using it in my “Using Technology in the Language Arts” grad seminar if I get the opportunity to teach that again. I taught at least one of your essays the last time I taught that course (I can’t remember which one, but would be happy to dig it up, if you like).
James Smythe
I would use it when teaching. I’m looking for decent books on blogging to give to students when discussing Creative Writing and New Media, so yours would come in handy.
Myriam
You can add me to your list!
That would be very useful – I use it and promote the use of the blog in second language didactics.
Wendy Freeman
I would use it when teaching. I’m looking forward to its publication!
Jill Walker Rettberg
Thanks for all the responses! I’m happy to add you all, but I need more than just your name – I need the name and address of the institution where you teach, and the title of the course you might use the book in. If you don’t want to leave that info here in public you can email it to me at jill.walker.rettberg@uib.no.
Anne Helmond
I’d love to use it in the OriÎntatie Nieuwe Media (Introduction New Media) course I am teaching. My full info is:
University of Amsterdam
Media Studies Department – Anne Helmond, room 1.13
Turfdraagsterpad 9
1012 XT Amsterdam
the Netherlands
a.helmond@uva.nl
University page
Christian Bech
Based on your previous writing I’ll definitely use it for my new media courses. The most recent one is here: http://internetformidling.dk/web2.0 it’s calles “Organisationers og virksomheders brug af Web 2.0”
Christian Bech
Institute of Information and Media Studies
University of Aarhus
Helsingforsgade 14
DK-8200 Aarhus N
Sanjay Jobanputra
I came across details of your forthcoming book in the Polity press booklet (UK April 2008). I can’t wait to read it when it is published (or even before it is published?)! I teach a module called Basic I.T. Skills for first year psychology students. They are likely to find it useful. In addition, I am currently engaged in research with a couple of other colleagues in the Department of Psychology at the University of Westminster (UK), exploring students’ use of blogs and wikis as part of their teaching. We have collected the data and are in the process of analysing them. Hopefully, we’ll be presenting the data at a conference next academic year. I would be interested in comparing your text with our findings.
Sanjay Jobanputra
Department of Psychology
University of Westminster
309 Regent Street
London
WIB 2UW
UK