Social Justice in The Information Society

Access to information has never before been easier or more convenient. Conversely, the structures that have allowed technology to make information accessible have also helped to restrict access. Please join us for an event that will raise the awareness of the social, political, economic, technological and ethical issues surrounding the access to information.

Social Justice in the Information Society is a four part speaker series which will give faculty, staff, students, and community members the benefit of participating in a forum with a highly respected scholar doing critical work in the interdisciplinary field of information science. Invited speakers will be asked to present on the ethical and social justice issues associated with information access and the information society. The speakers will videoconference into the forum and a local scholar will navigate the event. Following the presentation, the guest lecturer and facilitator will participate in a Q & A period so the audience can interact with the material and the lecturer. These events will be free and open to the public and a dessert reception will follow.

The Ethics of Information Access
November 4, 2014, 7:00 p.m.
Marywood University
Swartz Center, Conference Room B.
2300 Adams Avenue, Scranton, Pennsylvania 18509

Dr. Johannes Britz, Provost & Vice Chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee will discuss the implications of, and raise awareness to, the social, political, economic, technological, and ethical issues surrounding access to information. This event will be facilitated by Dr. Aaron Simmons, Assistant Professor of Philosophy, Marywood University

Privacy, Security, and Government Surveillance
Wikileaks, Big Data and the “New Accountability”
November 10, 2014, 7:00 p.m.
The University of Scranton
Moskovitz Theater, The DeNaples Center
900 Mulberry Street, Scranton, Pennsylvania 18510

Dr. Adam D. Moore, Associate Professor of the Information School & Adjunct Associate Professor of the Philosophy Department at the University of Washington argues that accessing and sharing sensitive information is morally suspect and that we simply do not owe each other the level of information access promised by “big data” or Wikileaks. The “Just Trust Us,’ “Nothing to Hide,” and “Consent” arguments will be presented and critiqued. The event will be facilitated by Dr. Michael Jenkins, Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice, University of Scranton.

The last two forums in the series will be scheduled in the spring semester.

This speaker series has been funded by the Marywood University/ University of Scranton Cooperative Grant. For more information email lchristianson@maryu.marywood.edu or george.aulisio@scranton.edu