Group Rules and Norms

Admin bios

• Caighlan is a postdoctoral researcher working in digital game studies, with a focus on narratology, player choice, and digital citizenship. (https://ca.linkedin.com/in/caighlan-smith)
• Cory is a researcher & consultant working on digital privacy & responsible technology while transitioning into a new academic role. (https://coryrobinson.se/)
• Eduardo is a PhD researcher working on mediatization and radical movements, but also interested in AI ethics and how Lana Del Rey’s work can be used as a soft power to conquer one’s heart. (https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Eduardo-Ruedell?ev=hdr_xprf)

Guiding Values

1. No Titles: Skip the “Dr.” or “Professor.” Just use first names. 
2. Mentorship-Centered: We’re here to grow, support, and mentor each other. Some of us have had great mentors; others, the opposite. Let’s choose to build each other up!
3. Low-Ego, High Expertise: It’s okay to share your achievements — we’re all experts in something — but keep ego in check. Brag a little, not a lot.

Group Interactions

1. Private by Default: Assume everything shared in meetings is confidential unless someone explicitly says otherwise.
2. Respect & Inclusion: No bullying, gatekeeping, or discrimination. We are a democracy-supporting, inclusive group that welcomes people across genders, backgrounds, disciplines, and career stages
3. Give Credit: Avoid plagiarism — whether it’s a paper, slide idea, or concept. Acknowledge sources and contributions.
4. Constructive Conflict Handling: If disagreements arise, Caighlan, Cory or Eduardo will step in to mediate. We’re all learning how to collaborate across disciplines and styles.
5. Group Decisions: When we need to make a decision about group rules, discussions, or practical issues, we use majority rule.
6. Voluntary Attendance: Participation is welcome but never obligatory. Members may attend as their time and mental space allow, and may also pause their membership when needed. To keep the group small and trusted, we only invite replacements if someone leaves and the group agrees that a new member is needed.

Participation Expectations

1. Engage Thoughtfully: Speak up, ask questions, but leave space for others. Listen generously.
2. Punctuality Matters: We meet every two weeks, and meetings start at 15:00 Central European time. One of the admin team will be online 10 minutes early for private questions or agenda check-ins. Arriving on time respects everyone’s focus and energy. Because daylight saving time changes do not happen on the same dates everywhere, we will treat 15:00 in Sweden/Central Europe as the fixed meeting time. The corresponding North American time may occasionally shift.
3. Respect Communication Boundaries: Feel free to contact Caighlan, Cory, or Eduardo anytime. Only reach out to others if they’ve said it’s okay. Element can be used for casual check-ins or support.

Readings & Materials

1. Open Access First: We aim to use open-access materials whenever possible. If a reading is not openly available, we will handle access practically and responsibly through Element for educational, non-profit discussion.
2. Come Prepared: Please review the materials before meetings to help deepen discussion and reflection.

Element Usage

1. Pinning important posts: For example, polls or key updates will be marked as “Pinned Messages” and shown at the top.
2. Unpinning outdated posts: Once a message is no longer relevant or important, Cory will remove the pin.
3. Threading discussions: Please try to keep conversations on the same topic within a thread. You can do this by right-clicking a post and selecting “Reply in thread.”
4. Removing outdated or irrelevant posts: Admins may remove messages that are no longer useful, especially duplicate updates or outdated logistics. If this creates confusion or disrupts the discussion history, we can revisit the practice.