Call for abstracts

RGS-IBG SESSION: Governance and the Geoweb
Location and Dates:
Royal Geographic Society Annual International Conference

September 1-3, 2010, London, UK.

Sponsor: GIScience Research Group (GIScRG)

The increasing challenges from crises such as climate change in addition to expectations from the public about modes of engagement mean that traditional methods of public participation are being challenged. eGovernment systems, such as authoritative Web mapping sites, which were heralded as the solution to this challenge, predominantly offer one-way communication from government to the public and do not include effective means to collect citizen feedback nor engage citizens in two-way dialogue. New mechanisms, like the Geospatial Web (or Geoweb), have the potential to address these challenges and present a unique opportunity for both local and central governments.

This session will examine the participatory governance potential of the Geoweb and, in particular, its capacity to enable a two-way dialogue between government officials and the public. From a practical perspective, we will explore how different levels of governments can use the Geoweb as a platform that could build upon current PPGIS/PGIS practices and broaden public engagement. From a theoretical standpoint, we propose to address the scientific, technical, and participatory issues that challenge the accomplishment of this vision.

In this session we encourage the submission of original papers dealing with either the theoretical and/or practical aspects of this emerging research area. The session seeks to attract researchers from all areas of
GIScience and wider geography who are concerned with public participation and governance.

Please e-mail the abstract and key words with your expression of intent to Hanif Rahemtulla by 5th February 2010. Please make sure that your abstract conforms to the RGS guidelines in relation to title, word limit and key words, as specified at the link below.

Organisers:
Dr. Hanif Rahemtulla (hanif.rahemtulla@mail.mcgill.ca)
Department of Geography, McGill University
Dr. Muki Haklay (m.haklay@ucl.ac.uk)
Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, UCL

Important Dates:

Deadline for abstracts: 5 February 2010
Notification of Acceptance: 26 February 2010

For any questions related to this session, please contact any of the conveners.
-- 
Dr. Muki Haklay: Senior Lecturer in GIS
Department of Civil, Environmental & Geomatic Engineering
University College London (UCL)
Gower St. London WC1E 6BT
+44 20 7679 2745
m.haklay@ucl.ac.uk

The RGS site has more information.