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| AI & Society 7.3 | AI & Society 7.1 | AI & Society 6.4 |
| AI & Society 6.3 | AI & Society 6.2 | AI & Society 6.1 |
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"The Institute is a human network rather than a physical entity in the traditional sense. Its members are not bound by any constitution. They work together because they share a common belief in enabling people to shape new technology appropriate to their working and living environments." This is how the recent launch of the International Institute of Human centred Systems (IRIHCS) professes its ideal of "An Institute without Walls". This shaping ethos has been very much a core of the guiding spirit of AI & Society. Over the years our contributors and members of our advisory board have played an active role in broadening the AI debate to wider societal issues of human centred systems, culture, communication and technology, culture of the artificial, social and cultural shaping of work and technology. Forthcoming issues of AI & Society include themes of 'Women, work and Technology', 'Democracy and Participation and Sustainable Design', 'Culture and Technology', ' Technology Assessment', and 'Future of Technology and Society in Japan'. By providing a forum for these human centred debates, AI & Society continues to enhance research and the debate on socially and culturally responsive technologies.
Human centred issues of diversity, human purpose, participation, equality, social responsibility, ethics, and creativity are no longer peripheral issues, they are central to the social and economic progress of all societies especially the advanced technological societies. Much of the faith that information technology provides technical solutions to work life and living environments is increasingly becoming more suspect and unsustainable. Growing research interest in societal issues such as work and organisational cultures, creativity and innovation, cooperation and participation, and culture and communication among AI and information technology communities shows a sign of hope for future human centred perspectives of IT research and applications. However, we must always be vigilant about the seductive nature of technical solutions of human problems and the narrowness of culture of 'short termism'. AI & Society would continue to actively promote the debates on work life and living environments and seek contributions which are responsive and sensitive to wider societal issues.
Recently the editorial and the advisory boards of AI & Society have signalled a change of direction of AI & Society from a forum on AI and knowledge based systems to a forum on the nature and culture of science and technology, industrial cultures, work life and living environments, and research, education and training policies. AI & Society is indebted to the members of the editorial and advisory boards for their active support and participation in laying the intellectual and academic foundation of this international journal. To reflect the new direction, we are in the process of seeking active participation of new members the boards of the jouranl, and will be saying farewell to some of our existing members. AI & Society will also be seeking contributions in new areas such as:
* Culture, organisations, innovation and change
* Sociology and politics of science and technology
* Information policy, quality and services
* Culture, communication and technology
* Information technology, research, business education and training
* Anthropocentric and Human Centred Systems, and Social forms
* The environment, sustainability, risk, vulnerability
* Ecology, holistic, human and social forms
* Technology transfer and codevelopment
* The rise of the knowledge company: strategic management
* Learning and earning organisation
Reference
IRIHCS , An Institute without walls
95 Sussex Place, Slough, Berks. SL1 1NN, England
Tel: +44 753-520866 Fax: +44 753 575770
Karamjit S Gill
Editor