We are delighted to host the 2024 CAVRN Conference as a ICA Post-Conference, on the 25th June 2024 at The University of Sydney Camperdown Campus. CAVRN received 30 submissions, with 11 accepted for presentation in the main conference. The work represents the cutting edge of critical AR and VR research, and an exciting area of research.
Program
| 9:30 –11:00 | PhD Mini Colloquium |
| 11:00 – 11:30 | Morning Tea & Registration |
| 11:30 – 11:45 | Welcome Session |
| 11:45 – 12:45 | Session 1 – Cultural Politics of XR (chaired by Dr Maxwell Foxman) |
| 11:45 | Proper distance and ‘the illusion of co-suffering’: Virtual reality and the Rohingya refugee crisis (Bimbisar Irom) |
| 12:05 | Humanitarian communication and Virtual Reality: Empathy and intention to share information (Porismita Borah) |
| 12:25 | Understanding Play and the Everyday in Augmented Reality (Kyle Moore) |
| 12:45 – 1:45 | Lunch (Provided) |
| 1:45 – 2:45 | Session 2 – Global Metaverses (chaired by Dr Kyle Moore) |
| 1:45 | Techno-cultural Imaginary and Virtual Reality in China and the United States: Insights from Chinese VR practitioners (Yu Shan) |
| 2:05 | Experiencing (And Conserving) the World National Geographic’s Promise for Virtual Reality (Lindsay Palmer) |
| 2:25 | Learning VR/AR, Rebuilding Worlds: Metaversal Thinking, Critical Realities and Mobile Tech Carts (Emma Fraser, Clancy Wilmott) |
| 2:45 – 3:15 | Afternoon Tea (aka Arvo Tea) |
| 3:15 – 4:00 | Session 3 – 2D versus 3D (chaired by Dr Luke Heemsbergen) |
| 3:15 | When the message surpasses the medium (2D vs. VR): Ethnocultural empathy post-viewing an ethnographic film, Traveling While Black (Yihan Danny Jia et al.) |
| 3:35 | Parasocial Intergroup Contact in Virtual Reality: how 360-degree video can change views, and the important role of presence (Nili Steinfeld) |
| 4:00 – 4:45 | CAVRN Roundtable |
| 4:45 – late | Drinks and Dinner at The Forest Lodge Hotel (Not Provided) |
Location and FAQ
The conference will be held on The University of Sydney Camperdown campus. Non-participants are welcome to attend, but must register by contacting Dr Benjamin Egliston (benjamin.egliston@sydney.edu.au), principally for catering purposes.
Speakers are allocated 20m of time, with a maximum of 15m for their presentation (and 5m for Q&A).
Presenters will be invited to submit their conference abstracts for publication with CAVRN following the conference.
CFP
We are excited to announce the Call for Papers for an upcoming post-conference of the 2024 International Communications Association (ICA) Conference at the University of Sydney, on the 25th June 2024. The post-conference is hosted by the Critical Augmented and Virtual Reality Research Network (CAVRN), a scholarly network established in 2022 dedicated to connecting academic researchers in the rapidly growing field of Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) technologies with attention to their social, political and economic contexts.
With the introduction of the ‘Metaverse’ into popular lexicon, there has been a significant surge in interest in VR and AR technologies in popular culture, art, media, and academia. The CAVRN post-conference aims to provide a platform for researchers to present their latest findings and engage in critical discussions about the future of this emerging field.
We invite researchers from various disciplines, including but not limited to communication, media studies, sociology, psychology, education, and computer science, to submit their research papers on the following topics:
- The social, cultural, and political implications of VR and AR technologies
- Ethical considerations and challenges in the development and use of VR and AR
- The role of VR and AR in shaping the future of communication and media
- The impact of VR and AR on education and other industries
- The potential of VR and AR for storytelling, content creation, and artistic expression
The post-conference will feature a combination of presentations, roundtable discussions, and hands-on experiences with VR applications in the University of Sydney VR Lab. We encourage submissions that incorporate innovative research methodologies, interdisciplinary approaches, and critical perspectives.
Successful submissions will be invited to submit full posts to CAVRN, a scholarly publication for critical work on VR and AR technologies. CAVRN publishes commentaries, literature reviews, interviews and book reviews online on a fortnightly basis. CAVRN posts are also published in a biannual open access Syllabus. Submissions for the postconference should be guided by past CAVRN posts in theme, content and scope.
Current Ph.D. students are encouraged to apply and will be assessed as part of a doctoral student track. All successful students will receive mentorship on writing for CAVRN and will present their work at a HDR Consortium on the morning of June 25th, 2024.
Submission Guidelines:
- Abstracts should be 400-600 words (not including references).
- Please include a cover page with the following information: title of the paper, author(s) name(s), affiliation(s), and contact information (email address)Submissions should be formatted in Microsoft Word or PDF format and sent as an email attachment to conference@cavrn.org
- The deadline for submissions is 24th January 2024
- Notifications of acceptance will be sent by 21st February 2024.
- The postconference will be held on June 25th 2024 at The University of Sydney’s Camperdown Campus in Sydney, Australia.
- If you are applying as part of the doctoral student track, please also note this in your submission.
We look forward to receiving your submissions and welcoming you to the CAVRN post-conference at the 2024 International Communications Association Conference. Together, we can advance our understanding of the potential and challenges of VR and AR technologies and help shape the future of this exciting research field.
For any inquiries or further information, please contact the CAVRN organizing committee at conference@cavrn.org
FAQ
Q: Will there be any costs to registering at the conference, or publishing on CAVRN?
A: No. Attendance at the conference is free (registration is required) and publishing on CAVRN is free, thanks to the support of The University of Sydney.
Q: Can I attend the conference even if I do not have an accepted paper?
A: Yes, attendees without an accepted paper are welcome and encouraged. Registration is required for catering purposes.
Q: Can you provide a certificate of attendance for attendees?
A: Yes. Please contact conference@cavrn.org with your requirements.
Organising Committee
Marcus Carter (The University of Sydney)
Chris Chesher (The University of Sydney)
Kate Clark (The University of Sydney)
Benjamin Egliston (The University of Sydney)
Leighton Evans (Swansea University)
Maxwell Foxman (University of Oregon)
Katerina Girginova (University of Pennsylvania)
Joanne Gray (The University of Sydney)
Daniel Harley (University of Waterloo)
Luke Heemsbergen (Deakin University)
Tammy Lin (National Chengchi University)
Kyle Moore (Swinburne University)
Aurelia O’Neil (Texas A&M)
Panote Siriaraya (Kyoto Institute of Technology)