Surveillance Studies Centre

Have you been targeted?

The International Civil Liberties Monitoring Group wants to hear from anyone who has been targeted by the U.S.

SP Seminar Series

Mark B. Salter, University of Ottawa, "The Sociology of Securitization", Thursday, March 20th, 12:30 pm, Mackintosh-Corry Hall, Room D411.

Mark B. Salter Associate Professor School of Political Studies University of Ottawa

The Sociology of Securitization

Thursday, March 20th Location: Mackintosh-Corry Hall, Room D411 Time: 12:30pm to 1:30pm

Within the contemporary politics of terror, we see "security"...

SP receives $2.5 million from SSHRC

Queen's-led Surveillance Project awarded $2+ million Major Collaborative Research Initiative grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC). Tuesday February 26, 2008

Determining how and why everyday people are being watched by public and private organizations - and the social consequences of this expanding surveillance - will be the focus of a new $2.5-million collaborative research project based at Queen's. Called The New Transparency: Surveillance and Social Sorting , the project was announced today as a Major Collaborative Research Initiative supported by a grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) . The Queen's initiative will be led by Sociology professor David Lyon , director of the university's internationally renowned, multidisciplinary research group, the Surveillance Project.

SP Seminar Series

Stéphane Leman-Langlois, School of Criminology, Université de Montréal, "The Local Impact of CCTV on the Social Construction of Security", January 17th, 12:30pm.

Stéphane Leman-Langlois Assistant Professor School of Criminology Université de Montréal

The Local Impact of CCTV on the Social Construction of Security

Thursday, January 17th Location: Mackintosh-Corry Hall, Room D411 Time: 12:30pm to 1:30pm

The use of closed circuit television in public spaces has given rise to a sizable amount of literature, which generally falls into four broad categories. First, many authors have probed the effects of increased surveillance on various aspects of civil society. The second category, under the "crime science" program, presents numerous efforts at measuring the impact of CCTV surveillance on local and aggregated crime rates. The third category of CCTV literature is modest by comparison and includes studies of the uses made of CCTV by operators and the social organization of surveillance work.

SP Seminar Series

Detlev Zwick, York University, "Marketing as Bioproduction: The Customer Database as New Means of Production", Tuesday, November 20th, 12:30pm to 1:30pm.

Detlev Zwick Associate Professor Department of Marketing Schulich School of Business York University

Marketing as Bioproduction: The Customer Database as New Means of Production

Tuesday, November 20th Location: Mackintosh-Corry Hall, Room D411 Time: 12:30pm to 1:30pm

This presentation uses data collected during an ongoing ethnographic study of a small customer intelligence company to argue that new forms of database marketing are best described as customer production process that rely on the exploitation of consumer life. We suggest that the work of such firms to visualize consumption, or rather consumer life phenomena, at the microscopic level leads to a reorganization of the gaze of marketers and the way marketing practice configures and controls spaces of operation and forms of capitalization. Therefore the fundamental question we pose in this article is how should we understand marketing in the age of the information machine?

Job opportunity

The Surveillance Project is looking for research assistance (student position) in the preparation of an edited collection on the topic of national identity cards.

SAW

If you have nothing to hide, do you have nothing to fear? Surveillance Awareness Week (SAW) 26 - 30 November 2007 at Queen's University.

Join The Surveillance Project for a week-long examination of our global surveillance society. Keep an eye out for lunchtime speakers, film screenings, and other special events all week long. Free and open to everyone.

Monday 26 November

12 - 1 pm: Why Watching Works: Surveillance in Daily Life David Lyon , Director, The Surveillance Project; Queen's Research Chair, Sociology; and Killam Fellow

Somehow, there's power in watching, but what is it? Whether literal watching (CCTV) or metaphorical watching (internet data trails) our daily lives are affected. Not only do our "private" spaces and activities become "public" -- we do things differently because we're watched. But does this mean that "they" have us in their grip? Not necessarily, but we may conform more, even as we continue to "make choices."

Chernoff Hall room 211

Tuesday 27 November

12 - 1 pm: Facebook and online surveillance: It could happen to you (and it probably does!)

New Surv Studies book

New Surveillance Studies book from Polity is now available.

Congratulations to David Lyon on his new book, Surveillance Studies: An Overview, now available from Polity Publishers.

Book Launch

"Illusions of Security: Global Surveillance and Democracy in the Post-9/11 World" By Maureen Webb; March 20, 12 - 1pm, School of Policy Studies Room 202.

Intl Survey Research Workshop

The International Survey Research Workshop agenda is now available online.

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