"Call if you Can, Text if You Can’t: A Dismediation of U.S. Emergency 9-1-1 Infrastructure," a talk by Dr. Ellcessor
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- Date/Time
- 02/11/2019 6:00 PM EST - 7:30 PM EST
- Location
- Batten Arts & Letters - 9024
- Fee
- Free
- Description
- Across the US, states and municipalities are rolling out the capacity of their 9-1-1 systems to accept text messages. This represents a significant advance and alteration of older technological infrastructures, and an important move towards meeting the expectations of a mobile-first telephone landscape. Text messages are particularly important as a form of emergency media communication for people who are Deaf, hearing- or speech-impaired. This talk considers the promotional messages that accompany the commencement of text-to-911 services, using a framework of "dismediation" to approach these infrastructural artifacts as made meaningful with and through cultural conceptions of ability and disability. Why, when text messages are a broadly acceptable medium, are we still being encouraged to "call if we can?" This Talk is free and open to the public. A WebEx link will be sent out for faculty and students at a distance.
