Call for contributions

/ETC is a gathering of people*, who critically use/study/share/improve everyday information technologies in the context of the free software and open hardware movements. We have a feminist approach that expands the hack meetings’ reflection on politics with an intersectionalist point of view.

The next /ETC is going to happen in Bologna (Italy), from October 8 to 13, at XM24. For more info and updates check the main page of our website: https://eclectictechcarnival.org/

We strongly believe that an empowering event is one in which everyone actively contributes to its realization. For this reason, we would love to receive plenty of suggestions for activities, presentations, workshops etcetera.

Some examples of activities we would like to host are:

  • Presentations on basic or advanced Free Software and Open Hardware concepts, such as (but not limited to):
    • how to install Linux on your laptop
    • workshop on system administration
    • python programming
    • demostration of tools for circumvent censorship and use the Internet anonymously
    • a command line w/s, a vim workshop
    • what is encryption and how can you use it with files and email
  • Workshop about any skill you would like to share, whether it is soldering or soap making
  • Artistic performances of every kind: from juggling and singing to video art and digital poetry
  • Promotion of activists’ health: morning yoga, lunch choir, evening walk and other things to get some time away from the screen
  • Sharp feminist critiques on contemporary technological development and its discontents
  • Discussions to reflect on issues of feminism, activism and technology
  • Visions and narratives for a better future based on solidarity and community

But feel free to experiment with creative ways of sharing your skills and knowledge: we are only waiting to be amazed by your ideas!

This event is based on peer-to-peer learning and sharing and we are not interested in presentations related to commercial products or business ideas. Especially if they claim to be “for women”.

We kindly ask you to submit your proposal

  • by August 31st, at whatever time zone is comfortable for you.

Please send an email to this address: call @ lists.eclectictechcarnival . org with a title, a brief description of your contribution and your availability during the carnival days.

The main languages of /ETC 2018 will be English and Italian: we won’t have a professional translation service, but we are counting on the help of the participants to facilitate conversations between at least these two languages. If you want to submit a proposal in a different language you can do so, but please take into account that we might not be able to understand it and that there might not be people to help with translating your presentation to others.

/ETC is a self-managed event. This means that all participants contribute to its contents, dynamics and logistics. During the event, and before, we will decide together which tasks should be achieved and everyone will contribute to their realization. We are not service providers; we all cook, recycle, clean, document, inform, take care of the temporal autonomous community we have created, and we have fun together! For the same reason, we have a very low budget: none of the organizers are paid for the work they do, and most likely we will not be able to refund any expense. We will, however, do our best to keep the event as cheap as possible.

/ETC is totally committed to free culture protection and advancement. Therefore, if you want to produce an article, piece of audiovisual or any other type of multimedia coverage of the /ETC you should release the material under a free license.