22 February 2012
Call for papers IFLA 2012 Satellite Conference in Riga: 'Information for Civic Literacy'
The IFLA Special Interest Group Access to Information Network - Africa
(ATINA/RAIA), Information Literacy Section and Africa Section invite
proposals for presentations at its upcoming Satellite meeting in Riga,
Latvia.
Theme: Information for Civic Literacy
The IFLA satellite conference on "Information for Civic Literacy"
will explore the role of information professionals, educators and
public actors in promoting civic literacy and informed public choices by
citizens. This is not a matter of advocating particular political or
public policy positions, but of education for responsible citizenship
through the ways in which we provide information for citizens' decision
making in the public forum. Issues to be examined might include, for
example:
- the delivery of reference and information services
to citizens from multiple sources and viewpoints so as to encourage
democratic choice, citizen participation and the rule of law; - awareness of selective information delivery, propaganda and media bias as a new component of information literacy training; and
- assistance
to the public in accessing information from and about governments to
promote effective popular involvement in governance, democratic
opposition and economic development.