CFP: Monetization of User-Generated Content — Marx revisited

Forum Editors:
Jennifer Proffitt, School of Communication, Florida State University
Hamid Ekbia, School of Library and Information Science, Indiana
University, Bloomington
Stephen McDowell, School of Communication, Florida State University

Two TIS articles, Fuchs (2010) and Arvidsson & Colleoni (2012), which
develops a critique of the former, have generated considerable debate,
including a response from Fuchs (2012), regarding fundamental questions
about the core processes of value creation and social and economic
organization in contemporary societies. To further this conversation, we
invite 4000- 5000 word Perspective essays, which are published at the
discretion of the guest editors / editor, and should address one or more
of the following questions the Fuchs and Arvidsson & Colleoni debate
problematizes:
* Is the production of user-generated content a form of labor? Or,
should it be re-thought as an affective investment? Or something else?
* Do the theory and concepts that are part of a labor theory of value
limit our understanding of user-generated content? Should we choose a
different point of departure for our theoretical endeavors?
* Is the Marxist notion of commodity an appropriate analytic for
understanding appropriation of value in the case of user-generated
content? Or, should it be de-centered from such an analysis?
* Is the notion of “labor time” relevant to the production of
user-generated content?
* How can Marxist and historical-critical perspectives engage with the
new organization of information economies and information societies?
* Is it appropriate to extend Dallas Smythe’s notion of “audience work,”
which he developed in 1970s when broadcasting was the dominant mode, to
the Internet world? What are the problematics of extending “old”
theories to “new” technologies?
The Perspective essays should have layers of thought that take the
thinking beyond Fuchs and Arvidsson & Colleoni. Approximately half of
the essay should be devoted to a reflection on / critique of these
writings and the ensuing debate, and the remaining half should extend /
add to the theoretical foundations of the debate.

Interested authors are invited to email an abstract (no longer than 500
words) to Jennifer Proffitt (email: jproffitt@fsu.edu) by March 1, 2013.
Authors of selected abstracts will be invited to submit their
Perspective essays by July 1, 2013.

For pdf copies of Fuchs (2010) and Arvidsson & Colleoni (2012), please
send an email to hsawhney@indiana.edu

Sources
Arvidsson, A., and E. Colleoni. 2012. Value in informational capitalism
and on the Internet. The Information Society 28(3): 135-150.
Fuchs, C. 2010. Labor in informational capitalism and on the Internet.
The Information Society 26(3): 179 -196.
Fuchs, C. 2012. With or without Marx? With or without capitalism? A
rejoinder to Adam Arvidsson and Eleanor Colleoni. tripleC 10(2): 633-645.