Engaging in Race in HCI

Workshop Purpose

There is an urgent and ongoing need to engage critically with race in human-computer interaction. In this workshop, we consider two intertwining aspects: first, how HCI research and practice should engage with race; second, how the HCI community itself can become more racially inclusive and equitable. The workshop offers a safe space for HCI scholars and practitioners to discuss how their experiences with race and racism impact their research and work life. Insights from critical race theory will inform the discussion. Workshop participants will draft a set of guidelines for research and a set of recommendations for SIGCHI leadership and the CHI community.

Call for Participation

Historically, the human-computer interaction community has not focused on issues of race and ethnicity. In recent years, there has been a growing trickle of interest in studying and engaging with race and ethnicity, but much more must be done.

We invite participants interested in critically engaging with race and racial diversity in HCI. Our workshop seeks to provide a safe space for HCI scholars and practitioners to productively discuss their experiences with race and racism, and how they have impacted their research, work-life, and career. We will accomplish this through intentional facilitation and community agreements. The workshop has two goals: to identify better practices for research that engages with race and to identify ways in which the HCI community can improve its own inclusiveness and equity with respect to race.

Anyone with an interest in the topic of race and HCI is welcome, regardless of racial background, disciplinary background, experience, or research engagement. If you have the interest, you have something to contribute!

To apply, please submit the following two items: (1) a brief statement about what your commitment to support the workshop’s goals before or after the workshop itself (see examples below); and (2) a position statement of up to 6 pages in length in the CHI Extended Abstract format (see potential topics below). References do not count towards the page limit. Please refer to the ACM website for the extended abstract template. Submit your document as a PDF, referring to the SIGACCESS guidelines to ensure accessibility.

Submit your materials to the organizing committee via email at raceinHCI@gmail.com. The deadline for submissions to this workshop is 12:00 pm (noon) Pacific Time on February 11, 2020. Participants will be notified of acceptance by 12:00 pm (noon) Pacific Time on February 28, 2020. Submissions will be shared internally among workshop organizers.

Participants will be selected on the basis of the quality of their position paper. Accepted submissions, with author permission, will also be posted to the workshop website. At least one author of each accepted position paper must attend the workshop, and all participants must register for both the workshop and for at least one day of the conference. The organizing committee can be contacted via email to answer relevant questions.

Examples of what participants could do to support the workshop's goals, BEFORE or AFTER the workshop:

  • [Before] Write a review of existing protocols for research engaging with race used by other relevant research communities.

  • [Before] Write a summary of existing SIGCHI policies that would be relevant to the workshop.

  • [Before] Think through and offer recommendations for changing SIGCHI policies that would be relevant to the workshop.

  • [Before] Write a summary of existing SIGCHI events/efforts that are relevant to the workshop.

  • [Before] Think through and offer recommendations for adding/changing SIGCHI events/efforts that are relevant to the workshop.

  • [After] Conduct supplementary research to support specific recommendations or conclusions that result from the workshop.

  • [After] Revise or proofread documents produced by the workshop.

  • [After] Be involved in a working group that continues to engage with topics relevant to the workshop.

  • [After] Share lessons learned or reflections via a Medium article or another form of social media about the workshop.

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