Re: <nettime> ISEA2011 Istanbul and some financial realities

[Eduardo Navas <eduardo@navasse.net>]

Just a couple of notes on the response to the criticism ISEA is receiving.

Aceti responds: 

?This year all of my research budget and a good chunk of my own personal
money has been sunk in this event. Am I claiming the money back? No. And for
everyone's info I still have remnants of my Ph.D.'s debts for attending
previous conferences around the world.?

This is a way of saying ?I spent money to support my career, and so should
you.  Go into debt-like me.?

This is a problem that in my experience many scholars are willing to put up
with. I have done the same perhaps more that it was realistic for my
economic situation.  But I think to make such a claim should not be
necessary, because I believe that everyone on this list understands how
complex the economic situation is globally.  What really concerns me is that
there is no breakdown of the budget.  I think the long e-mail response
defending ISEA could have been much briefer and more informative if the
actual breakdown of the budget is made public.

At such point, I believe that people who are critical of the situation may
turn their energies in helping the institution, refocusing their energies
towards many of the questions that are posed at the end of the response.

At the moment, unfortunately, ISEA appears suspect, because, even if it
claims to be helping those in needs, there are no numbers to back it up.

Another quote by Aceti:

?As stated above shouting at me, or to ISEA, will not help. It will actually
take away more of my time from trying to help people. The financials are
what they are.?

This statement implies: ?I?m busy with other issues.  Don?t complain, this
is how it is.?

But this is not the case.  Transparency is necessary at this point if ISEA
hopes that the energy that is put into its realization actually helps
everyone, not just ?others? to get to the conference.  This is about
everybody.  It is not constructive to call on the meta-narritive of the
subaltern when convenient.  The budget should be shown.  I believe then
people will be more than happy to help by supporting their own travel, if
they can.

Eduardo Navas


On 5/16/11 5:06 AM, "Lanfranco Aceti" <lanfranco.aceti@gmail.com> wrote:

> Dear All,
> 
> A very interesting debate is going on with some facts and some clarifications
> needed - since most of you seem to be discussing the issue of fees but also
> making wild assumptions that do not reflect neither the community nor the
> organization of ISEA2011 Istanbul. (Apologies for the long email - but things
> needed to be clarified and I tried to do addressing most of the major points.)
 <...>


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