JULY 1-3
Computer Ethics: Philosophical Enquiry (Lisbon, Portugal)
Morality meets the mainframe at this conclave examining ethical issues raised by advances in computer technology. Is there a right to privacy in cyberspace? What are the responsibilities of traders conducting high-stakes financial transactions online? Was Dave justified in unplugging Hal in 2001: A Space Odyssey? (We’re pretty sure the answer to that last one is yes.)
JULY 3-5
The Global Crime Scene: Crime Narratives Beyond Borders (Melbourne, Australia)
From Crime and Punishment to Law and Order, felonious behavior has long been a popular subject for storytellers. This gathering traces the varied ways the criminal-behavior narrative has “developed, diversified, and globalized” over the decades, from traditional tales of larceny to the contemporary bestsellers of Stieg Larsson. Dragon tattoos optional.
JULY 10-14
Rust, Regeneration, and Romance(Ironbridge, England)
Is there value in turning obsolete industrial sites into tourist attractions? Or, as one academic puts it, is this an example of “rubble without a cause”? The historic Ironbridge Gorge, site of the first large-scale production of cast iron, is a fitting location for this look at the rise, fall, and rise again of the world’s iron and steel industries, along with the environmental and social issues they forged.
