Event

Thursday 29 November, 19:00

The Invisible Conquest:

a Social and Cultural History of Hertzian Space

The radio-electric spectrum-the field of electromagnetic waves in which radio and television transmissions, mobile telephone and GPS signals, Wi-Fi networks and much more circulate-is the information society's building land. Its increasing conquest and colonisation over the course of the 20th century has transformed both the way cities are articulated and the relations between individuals.

 

Nonetheless, we know little about this spectrum: who owns it, how it is governed, how its use is decided. Despite being a supposedly scarce and precious resource, the way it is regulated is rarely subjected to processes involving public scrutiny.


Two years from the "Digital Switchover"-when all radio and TV transmissions will go completely digital-more and more voices are demanding far-reaching changes in the way the radio-electric spectrum is managed, calling for greater emphasis on its dimension as a public and community space and for more social players to be allowed access to it, especially now that we are all broadcasters, at least to some extent. "Open spectrum" activists also point out that the shortage of airwave frequencies that makes it necessary to regulate the system is inherited from an outdated technology model that, if redesigned, could open up a new era of "infinite broadband".


Conversation with Jonah Brucker-Cohen, digital artist known for his projects subverting communication network architecture, Honor Harger, member of the radioqualia group and expert in cultural readings of the airwaves, Armin Medosch, critic and open source activist, and William J. Mitchell , professor of architecture at mit and a well-known expert in connections between urban and digital spaces.


 

Participants
Speakers:
Jonah Brucker-Cohen, Honor Harger, Armin Medosch, William J. Mitchell
Moderator:
José Luis de Vicente
Coordinator:
José Luis de Vicente
Themes
Open Science, Cybersphere
Space at the CCCB
Hall

General information

Space at the CCCB

Hall

Venue: Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona (CCCB)
Montalegre, 5. 08001 Barcelona. Tel. (+34) 93 306 41 00. http://www.cccb.org/now/ang

Dates: 29 November - 1 December 2007

Times:
Thursday, November 29, open from 5 to 9.30 pm
Friday, November 30 and Saturday, December 1, open from 11 am to 10 pm

Free admission to all activities
Advance registration for workshops: Tel. (+34) 93 306 41 35. Email: seducatiu@cccb.org.
The CCCB reserves the right to change the programme due to reasons of force majeure.

Within the framework of Anella Cultural project, the following entities are participating in NOW: the Institut Municipal d'Acció Cultural in Lleida; the Museu de Granollers in Granollers; the Teatre Principal in Olot and the Centre d'Art Cal Massó in Reus.