The Minvera-Gentner Symposium was held by initiative of the Comparative Privacy Research Network. The event, in line with the Network’s core principles, focused on the important subject of digital privacy. It took place at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, where Dmitry Epstein (Department of Communication and the Federmann School of Public Policy and Government) served as the local host. The Nordic Centre for Internet and Society´s Christoph Lutz was one of the co-organizers of the event.
Coming together to discuss challenges and opportunities of studying privacy across boundaries
Arguably, one of the most important and contentious issues of today's information society is digital privacy. Hence, the Symposium’s main focus was on present and future privacy research from a comparative lens, exploring the challenges and opportunities of studying privacy across boundaries, including cultural, geographic, and political ones, in a world that is becoming increasingly interconnected.
The event brought together a cohort of leading communication scholars, especially based in Israel and Germany, who have conducted research on different aspects of privacy. The morning of each of the two days was scheduled for input presentations and panel discussions, while the afternoons were reserved for more open workshopping and brainstorming. As a result, the participants had many fruitful conversations on how systematic comparative cross-cultural analyses of privacy might be conceptualised, theorised, and operationalized in ways that are both novel and authentic. In addition, the Symposium offered ample space to exchange ideas on future collaborations.
Five of the six members of the Comparative Privacy Research Network during the Minerva-Gentner Sympsosium in Jerusalem. From left to right: Dmitry Epstein (Hebrew University of Jerusalem), Kelly Quinn (University of Illinois at Chicago), Lemi Baruh (Koç University), Christoph Lutz (BI Norwegian Business School), Philipp Masur (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam). Photo Credit: Dmitry Epstein
The Comparative Privacy Research Network
The Comparative Privacy Research Network was initiated through a series of community-building events, including workshops and pre-conferences at the much recognized International Communication Association (ICA). Its mission is to broaden perspectives on privacy through rich comparative research that highlights similarities and differences in privacy perceptions across contexts.
Special issue of Social Media + Society
Additionally and strongly connected to the Symposium theme, the organisers are hosting a special issue at Social Media + Society, which is centred around privacy issues and entitled Comparative Approaches To Studying Privacy: Opening Up New Perspectives. There is currently an open call for papers for the special issue, and the first deadline for submitting abstracts is on 15 November.
- More information and the call for papers are available on the journal website: https://journals.sagepub.com/pb-assets/cmscontent/SMS/CFP%20Special%20Issue-1663758895.pdf
- The full program of the event