Isabelle Higgins

Dr. Isabelle Higgins is a Lecturer in Media, Culture and Sociological Theory at the Department of Sociology, University of Cambridge. Her work interrogates how digital technologies perpetuate intersectional social inequalities through design and user practices.

• Ph.D., Department of Sociology, University of Cambridge
• 2024–2025 Tech Policy Fellow, UC Berkeley’s Goldman School of Public Policy
• Former Methods Fellow, Cambridge Digital Humanities (Oct 2021 – Sep 2022)

Her research bridges Digital Sociology, Media Studies, and Social Justice, focusing on how algorithmic systems encode and amplify racial, gendered, and economic disparities. Recent projects analyze the ethical implications of technology in social welfare and public policy domains.

Isabelle’s peer-reviewed work appears in New Media and Society. Her 2024 publications critique the racialized monetization of children in digital adoption interfaces, highlighting tensions between technological mediation and vulnerable populations.

• Scientific Awards and Fellowships:
  • Tech Policy Fellowship, UC Berkeley
  • Library of Congress Fellowship
  • New School Institute for Critical Social Inquiry Fellowship
  • Former Methods Fellow at Cambridge Digital Humanities

She is affiliated with interdisciplinary networks at Cambridge Digital Humanities and collaborates on projects examining technology’s role in systemic inequity. Current work includes ethical frameworks for AI in public policy contexts.