Critiques

Critiques 2024

Also in 2024, we will continue to highlight critique and critical approaches through the conference track labelled ‘critiques’. We want to maintain a forum for critical and insightful perspectives that challenge the status quo of computing. We also want to challenge traditional academic formats, both in terms of publication format as well as presentation format. We encourage you to try other formats!

Submissions will be assessed based on their ability to critically dissect, provoke, or inspire. It can be inspired by this year’s theme “Live”, which intends to blur the lines between digitally mediated experiences and live events, between work and play, and between culture and nature. We are interested in any aspect that can help us understand and problematize everyday, transgressive as well as radical/controversial experiences.

The Critiques track will continue to spark thought-provoking discussions across subject areas, research traditions, and generations. Potential submission formats combine traditional approaches with experimental ways of sharing:

• Papers, workshops, demonstrations, case studies… (submitted in their respective categories)
• Critical writings outside the scope of regular papers
• Critical visualizations and manifestations outside the scope of regular presentation formats
  • Artwork e.g., software, video games, audio-visual art
  • Dialogues and round-table discussion formats
  • Live performances
• Etc…

We want to encourage new and alternative proposals for opportunities to show, discuss, and present research, please contact us with ideas you might have at critiques@nordichi2024.org.

The critique track will be comprised of submissions to all categories. In addition, we invite submissions in alternative formats that do not easily fit into any of the standard formats. We also welcome submissions from people working in different research traditions and creative practices and at different stages of their careers. It is our hope that the accepted program will reflect a broad range of the many innovative research environments that have been emerging internationally in recent years in, e.g., HCI, STS, software studies, digital aesthetics, critical design, computer science, film, theatre, craft, and fabrication. We believe that this will contribute to a constructive mix of concord and friction at the conference, which will contribute to the further growth of our research community.

Submission Instructions and Schedule

Submissions should use the ACM master article template in single-column format. Templates and instructions for submission are found here.
The critique track is open for two open-ended types of submissions:

1. Critical writings – writings must be no longer than 8000 words (excluding references).
2. Critical visualizations – submissions must include a written abstract that describes the type of visualization you propose. Abstracts must be no longer than 500 words.

What is critical writing?

Critical writing builds on the literary tradition of critiques. In this way of writing, the writer attempts to learn about and advance thoughts on a topic through analysis, exploration, and theoretical reflection. This form of writing is visionary and speculative, rather than evidence-based, and it allows for informed and critically argued value judgments.

Requirements for critical writings

The category ‘critical writings’ are used for alternative essays, speculations, and provocations. More traditional research papers should be submitted in the paper category but can be marked as critique. Critical writings must be no longer than 8000 words. They must be submitted as a PDF, using the ACM single-column template.

Authors are welcome to include supplemental material such as images and video (maximum length: 5 minutes). Supplemental material can be included by linking to it on a website/online platform or uploading it in the field for supplemental material. All uploaded content (PDF(s) + any images, videos, and other material) must be less than 100 MB in total.

What is a critical visualization?

A critical visualization may be a piece of digital or analog artwork, a play or interactive event, or digital speculation, to name a few examples. Possibilities are not limited to this list and we welcome unexpected visualizations. A critical visualization achieves the same things as critical writing, i.e. provoking reflection and exploring possibilities through critical speculation/intervention, but does so through other means than writing, such as critical making, or by combining writing with a particular medium of expression.

Requirements for critical visualizations

The category ‘critical visualizations’ are used to propose alternative visualization formats, like theatre, role-playing, and other live experiences. Regular prototypes and demos should be submitted as Demos but can be ticked with Critiques if it suits the theme. The submission must include a written abstract that describes the idea. The idea of the contribution must be clearly documented/demonstrated through images and/or video. The author(s) can either link to the video on a website/online platform or upload it as part of the submission. Abstracts must be no longer than 500 words. Abstracts must be submitted as a PDF, using the ACM single-column template.

What if I don’t want to use the ACM single-column format for my submission?

Should authors wish to submit using an alternative format, we ask that they use the visualization category. This will require the submission of an abstract that follows the ACM single-column template but will allow the main submission (whether containing visuals or purely text) to be in an alternative format.

Review process

Submissions in the critique category will undergo review by committee. Submissions for the critique track in other submission categories will be reviewed according to the category. Submissions will primarily be assessed on their ability to critically examine a topic, inspire, and/or spark debate and reflection. We encourage submissions that are provocative, assertive, or speculative, and that are creative in their expression.

Accepted submissions in the NordiCHI critique category are published in the NordiCHI adjunct proceedings through the ACM digital library.

Presentation Format

Upon acceptance, you will be invited to present your critique contribution at the conference. Onsite, we can generally provide a projector and screen. Additional technical requirements must be discussed with the chairs. It is also possible to present critique contributions in the NordiCHI’24 online program. We encourage alternative presentation formats (theatre, music, larp, etc.) as long as it is live! The exact format and duration of the presentation will be determined when the program is finalized. Presenters must register for the NordiCHI 2024 conference.

Maria Normark and Jessica Lindblom