PhD Courses in Denmark

Date and time
12-14 June 2024: Day 1 from 10:00 to 17:00, Day 2 + Day 3 from 09:00 to 16:00.

Academic Aim

• Knowledge about historical, conceptual, ethical, and cultural aspects of information and data.
• Competencies to critically evaluate different concepts of information and data.
• Competencies to critically reflect on ethical consequences of uses of information and data in the data-driven economy.

The aim of this course is for PhD students - who are engaged with various aspects of contemporary information or data societies - to explore historical, conceptual, ethical, and cultural aspects of information and data. The course offers a historical approach to the present information society. It addresses different conceptualizations of information (e.g. as intelligence), the ethical implications of the use of data and information in connection to the data-driven economy, and it explores the nature and epistemology of information.

Target group
PhD students engaged in research about information ethics and issues related to data-driven economy, the information society, datafication, digitization.

Course organisers
Laura Skouvig (laura.skouvig@hum.ku.dk) and Sille Obelitz Søe (sille.obelitz@hum.ku.dk)

Programme

12 June 2024:
10-12: Welcome; initial poster-workshop: “How do you understand information / data in relation to your project?” (In predefined groups based on abstracts – mingling and getting to know each other).
13-15: Presentations + discussion based on abstracts and workshop.
15.30-17: Laura Skouvig, UCPH: “Information is a term that does not like history.” Followed by discussion.

13 June 2024:
9-10.30: Kira Vrist Rønn, SDU: Intelligence: Information/Insight for decision-making. Followed by discussion.
11-12.30: Sille Obelitz Søe, UCPH: TBA. Followed by discussion.
13.30 – 16: Poster workshop 2: “Rethink your project in light of the discussions in the course. Choose a starting point in the course readings and / or concrete themes that we have discussed during the first two days.”

14 June 2024:
9-10.30: Lecture Sune Hannibal Holm, UCPH: TBA. Followed by discussion
11-12.30: Finalizing poster workshop 2.
13.30-15.30: Poster presentation and discussion
15.30-16: Wrap up and evaluation.

Language: English

ECTS: 4

Max. numbers of participants: 20

Course fee: 2.500 DKK per ECTS for PhD students from CBS.

Preparation

Preparation:
The preparations for the course are twofold: 1) The PhD-students write an abstract of 500 words where they present their own projects and how they see their projects in relation to the course themes and literature. Deadline 15 May 2024 and submitted to phd@hrsc.ku.dk 2) The PhD-students prepare a draft poster by hand. In the poster the PhD-students present how the concepts of information and data inform their projects, which concepts of information and data they use in their projects, and what questions they are interested in exploring and elaborating in the course. The posters are basis for the first workshop of the course and the PhD-students are expected to work on their posters and the included problem areas during the course. The posters are work in progress and the PhD-students are supposed to bring them physically at the first day.

Registration: Please register via the link in the box no later than 31 March 2024. Registration is closed.

Further information: For more information about the PhD course, please contact the PhD Administration (phd@hrsc.ku.dk).

Literature (examples - full list to come)

• Grice, H. P. (1957). Meaning. The Philosophical Review, 66(3), 377-388.
• Søe, S. O. (2018). Algorithmic detection of misinformation and disinformation. Gricean perspectives. Journal of Documentation, 74(2), 309-332.
• Koopman, C. (2019). Information before information theory: The politics of data beyond the perspective of communication. New Media and Society, 1-18.
• Hayot, E. Introduction: Information. A Reader. Eds. Hayot, E., Pao, L. and Detwyler, A. Information: A Reader. New York, Columbia University Press.