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Silvia Lindtner is an Associate Professor at the University of Michigan's School of Information and Director of the Center for Ethics, Society, and Computing (ESC). She holds courtesy appointments in the Penny W. Stamps School of Art and Design and the Digital Studies Institute. Her work focuses on the social and cultural study of technology in China and globally, with a focus on data-driven governance, AI ethics, and the intersection of technology and labor. Lindtner has conducted nearly two decades of fieldwork in China, examining innovation ecosystems, digital economies, and the affective dimensions of state control. She is the author of the award-winning *Prototype Nation: China and the Contested Promise of Innovation* (2020) and co-author of *Technoprecarious* (2020). Education: PhD in Information and Computer Sciences from University of California, Irvine; BS/MS in Media Technology and Design from University of Hagenberg, Austria. Research Interests: Science and Technology Studies (STS), China Studies, HCI, Critical Computing, AI Ethics, Data Governance, Labor Studies, and Transnational Digital Economies. She explores how technological systems shape governance, labor practices, and everyday life, particularly in contexts of global inequality and state surveillance. Awards: Joseph Levenson Prize (2021), Francis L.K. Hsu Book Prize (2021), ACM Distinguished Member (2022), and fellowships from the National Committee on US-China Relations (2021-2023) and China-US Scholars Program (2021-2022). Grants: Supported by NSF, IMLS, Intel Labs, Google Anita Borg, and Chinese National Natural Science Foundation. Leads interdisciplinary initiatives including Tech.Culture.Matters research group and Michigan Interactive and Social Computing (MISC) research group. Labs/Teams: Directs the Center for Ethics, Society, and Computing (ESC) and collaborates with the Lieberthal-Rogel Center for Chinese Studies. Current projects include studies on affective control in AI governance and transnational data practices in healthcare and labor.

• Science and Technology Studies (STS)
• Cultural Anthropology
• Feminist Studies
• +7 more

Dr Alison Powell is an Associate Professor in the Department of Media and Communications at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), serving as Programme Director for the MSc Media and Communications (Data and Society). Her research focuses on technology design, public sector technology, and digital futures. She is known for her book Undoing Optimization: Civic Action in Smart Cities (2021) and her participatory research method, data walking. From 2019–2023, she directed the JUST AI network, supported by the Ada Lovelace Institute and UKRI, advancing AI ethics research. Her work integrates critical theory, participatory methods, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Education: PhD in Communication from Concordia University (Canada), MA in Media Studies from Toronto Metropolitan University, and postdoctoral research at the Oxford Internet Institute. Prior to academia, she worked in the film and TV industry. Research interests include civic engagement in data-driven governance, ethical AI, and participatory urbanism. She has advised projects like Africa Just AI and Operationalising Ethics for AI, funded by Horizon Europe, AHRC, and the Open Society Foundations. Her articles address topics such as AI governance, urban light ecology, feminist research praxis, and the ethical implications of technology for marginalized communities. She contributes to blogs like Media@LSE and leads initiatives at Polis and the LSE’s Digital Futures for Children project. Grants and collaborations include work with Projects by IF, Open Rights Group, and the Human Data Interactions Network (EPSRC). She explores intersections of technology, justice, and sustainability, emphasizing equitable and inclusive innovation.

• Technology Design and Policy
• Public Sector Technology
• Digital Futures
• +5 more

Dr. Damien Charrieras is an Associate Professor at the School of Creative Media , City University of Hong Kong, where he serves as Program Leader for the Master of Art in Creative Media and deputy program leader for the PhD in Creative Media. His work bridges cultural studies, new media theory, and the intersection of financial technologies with artistic practices through the ACIM Laboratory for Interventions in Speculative Finance . Doctoral research on digital artists' trajectories in Montreal FRQSC Postdoctoral Fellowship at McGill University Research spans game engine design , datafication of creativity , blockchain in art , and post-anthropocentric creative processes . With over HK$3.14M in grants as Principal Investigator, he explores situated digital creativity in urban contexts, critical worldbuilding pedagogy , and the mediation of technical systems in cultural production. His publications in Cities , Organized Sound , and Human Relations analyze the reconfiguration of artistic practices through software infrastructures and automation paradigms. Scientific awards include: FRQSC Postdoctoral Fellowship

• Cultural Studies
• Media Theory
• Digital Arts
• +7 more

Judit Bodnar is a Professor in the Department of Sociology and Social Anthropology at Central European University (CEU), affiliated with the Doctoral School of History. Her research spans urban theory, political economy of globalization, public space, and the cultural dimensions of capitalism. She actively contributes to academic discourse through publications and editorial roles. Research Interests: Urban theory and history Modernity and capitalism (comparative and historical) Uneven development Public space and public art Political economy and culture of globalization Sharing economy and digital platforms Food and politics Her recent work focuses on the transformation of public and private boundaries in the context of digital platforms like Airbnb and home restaurants, as well as the racial and spatial segregation of Roma communities in urban Europe. She critically examines the legacies of 1968 as a global moment and the gentrification of urban spaces such as Chicago’s Cabrini Green. The publication trends reflect a deep engagement with urban sociology, political economy, and cultural critique, especially in the context of neoliberalism, digital transformation, and global inequality. Her work bridges historical analysis with contemporary urban challenges. Editorial Role: Co-editor, Critical Historical Studies , University of Chicago Press Academic Events: Privacy Goes Public: Airbnb, Home Restaurant and the Reconfiguring of Public and Private in the Sharing Economy (November 24, 2021) Racial Cities: The Segregation of Roma in Urban Europe (October 5, 2017) She advises doctoral students in the Doctoral School of History and supervises research on urban and historical sociology. Her work is supported by interdisciplinary collaborations and engagement with global scholarly networks. She is involved in critical urban research, often linking theory with social justice concerns. Labs and Research Groups: Active participant in urban sociology and globalization research clusters at CEU Contributor to transnational dialogues on the right to the city and urban commons

• Urban Theory
• Urban History
• Modernity and Capitalism
• +8 more

Dr. Jeremy Knox is an Associate Professor of Digital Education at the University of Oxford's Department of Education (since 2023). Previously, he served as Senior Lecturer at the University of Edinburgh and co-directed its Centre for Research in Digital Education. His research critically examines interactions between education, data-driven technologies, and societal structures, with ESRC- and British Council-funded projects exploring AI ethics, digital inequality, and global educational policies. He co-convenes the Society for Research in Higher Education's Digital University network and teaches on the MSc in Education's Digital and Social Change pathway. Education: PhD and MSc from University of Edinburgh; PGCE from University of Reading (awarded ESRC scholarship for PhD). Key Works: Authored influential books including AI and Education in China (2023), Data Justice and the Right to the City (2022), and Artificial Intelligence and Inclusive Education (2019). Awards: ESRC PhD Scholarship (2014). Research interests focus on postdigital theory, AI ethics, data justice, and global educational technology dynamics. His work critiques algorithmic governance in education and advocates for participatory data practices. Recent projects analyze China's AI education policies and the socio-technical implications of datafied learning environments. Publications span topics like MOOCs, learning analytics, and the political economy of EdTech, emphasizing critical perspectives on technological determinism. His writing bridges philosophy, sociology, and education policy to address systemic inequities exacerbated by digital tools.

• Digital Education
• AI in Education
• Data-Driven Technologies
• +3 more

Dr Ulla McKnight is an Assistant Professor in Sociology (Sociology and Criminology) at the University of Sussex, School of Law, Politics and Sociology. Her interdisciplinary research focuses on racialised and gendered health inequalities, particularly in reproductive and sexual health for ethnic minority and migrant women in the UK. Her educational background includes a PhD in Sociology from Goldsmiths, University of London (2016), an MA in Postcolonial Studies (Goldsmiths, 2006), a BFA in Photography (San Francisco Art Institute, 2001), and a Postgraduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education (Goldsmiths, 2018). Dr McKnight’s research lies at the intersection of Science and Technology Studies (STS), Black Feminist Hauntology, and participatory methodologies. She investigates how crises such as antimicrobial resistance (AMR), environmental collapse, and political inequity shape health futures. A key contribution is her conceptualisation of the HIV diaspora , which captures the transnational care experiences of people living with HIV in high-resource settings. Her work critically examines the entanglements of race, infectious disease, and political uncertainty using speculative and sensory methods. Her recent publications and research projects reveal a strong focus on maternal morbidity, speculative futures in sexual health, and the social justice dimensions of AMR. She employs arts-based and collaborative methods to explore the 'unsayable' in healthcare experiences. Nominated for Education Awards 2024 Nominated for Education Awards 2025 Dr McKnight is actively involved in supervising student research and has taught courses such as 'Doing Social Research', 'Health across the Lifecourse', and 'Sociology Research Proposal'. She is a Co-Investigator on the AHRC-funded project 'Reproductive Borders and Bordering Reproduction' and collaborates with the Wellcome Trust-funded project 'Inequalities and Tackling Antimicrobial Resistance in Sexual Health'. She has also secured a grant from the National Institute for Health Research for an arts-based workshop on 'unsayable' experiences. She is actively engaged in academic and public discourse through invited talks, conference presentations, and peer review for journals including Sociology of Health and Illness and Journal of the International AIDS Society .

• Sociology of Health and Illness
• Racialised Health Inequalities
• Gender and Health
• +12 more

Rafael Grohmann is an Assistant Professor of Media Studies at the Department of Arts, Culture and Media , University of Toronto. He is also affiliated with Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos (Unisinos University) , Brazil, as an Assistant Professor in Communication. Grohmann serves as Principal Investigator for the Fairwork project in Brazil , Coordinator of DigiLabour Research Lab , and editor of DigiLabour newsletter . His work bridges Latin American digital labor studies, AI's societal impacts, and platform cooperativism. Education: Ph.D. in Communication, University of São Paulo (2016) M.Sc. in Communication, University of São Paulo (2012) BA in Social Sciences, Federal University of Juiz de Fora (2009) Research interests include platform labor , AI and work , datafication , and worker-owned platforms , with a focus on Global South and gender perspectives . His recent work analyzes Brazilian women's hidden labor on AI platforms and labor migration in the gaming industry. Scientific awards include grants from SSHRC , CNPq , FAPESP , and COST Action . Grohmann is an editorial board member of Big Data & Society , Work, Employment and Society , and co-founder of the Platforms & Society journal. He is actively involved in public engagement, including podcasts like Tech Won't Save Us and op-eds on data sovereignty. Projects: Creative Labour and Critical Futures (CLCF) : Studies ethical approaches to AI in creative sectors. Worker-Owned Intersectional Platforms (WOIP) : Explores worker-owned tech solutions in Brazil and Argentina.

• Digital Labour
• Platform Cooperativism
• Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Work
• +9 more

Dr. Yujie (Julie) Chen is an Associate Professor (on leave) at the University of Toronto's Faculty of Information, affiliated with the Department of Communication, Culture, Information & Technology (CCIT). Her work focuses on digital media's political economy, platform capitalism, and digital labour studies. She authored Super-Sticky WeChat and Chinese Society , analyzing WeChat's societal integration and platform power dynamics in China. Her research critiques how labour is marginalized in datafication discourse, particularly in platform-mediated sectors like ride-hailing (DiDi) and food delivery. Key themes include algorithmic control, worker resistance, and the interplay between technology, state policies, and labour conditions in China. Dr. Chen’s work bridges sociotechnical systems analysis with critical political economy frameworks. Her recent studies explore temporal exploitation in platform labour (e.g., food delivery workers’ time management), gamification of work processes, and the 'digital utility' concept deployed by platforms to justify market dominance. She frequently presents at conferences like AoIR and ICA, emphasizing global platform capitalism’s socio-economic impacts. Dr. Chen is completing a book manuscript examining labour’s erasure in datafication narratives and advocating for analytical frameworks that foreground embodied labour experiences. Her research also intersects with global South labour comparisons, notably between China and the Philippines in platform economies.

• Digital Media
• Digital Labour Studies
• Platform Studies
• +3 more

Andreas Hepp is a Professor of Media and Communications and Head of ZeMKI at the University of Bremen , Germany. His work focuses on mediatization, datafication, and communicative AI, with affiliations to the ComAI Research Unit and Commfigurations. Previously held positions include roles at the University of Trier, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), and others. He has been a Visiting Researcher at institutions like LSE, Stanford, and Goldsmiths. Research interests span media sociology, automation of communication, and digital futures. Current projects include the ComAI coordination project funded by DFG, exploring societal implications of AI in communication. He leads the Datafication and Mediatization Lab and co-develops the molo.news platform for local journalism. Notable publications include The Mediated Construction of Reality (2017) and Deep Mediatization (2020). Active in academic networks like DFG-funded ComAI, German Communication Association (DGPuK), and European Communication Research and Education Association (ECREA). Upcoming engagements include keynote speeches at AI meets HSS (Vienna) and ZeMKI's 20th-anniversary conference. Grants include DFG funding for ComAI research. Teaching and advising focus on media-society relationships and digital transformations. Collaborates on OpenQDA software for qualitative data analysis and advocates for alternative social media platforms.

• Mediatization
• Datafication
• Automation of Communication
• +4 more

Mar Pérez-Sanagustín is an Associate Professor at the Institute de Recherche en Informatique (IRIT) , Université Toulouse III Paul Sabatier. She actively participates in international conferences such as EIAH, ATICA, and EDEN, focusing on Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL), Smart Cities, and MOOCs. Award-winning researcher with the 1rst ITWorldEdu Award and Best Demo Award at ECTEL 2013 Specializes in datafication in education, collaborative learning, and social media integration Research interests include: Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) and its intersection with computer science Smart Cities Learning ecosystems and context-aware services Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) and educational analytics Space-aware design for mobile learning Personal Learning Environments and collaborative tools Her recent publications analyze trends in TEL methodology, the PROF-XXI Framework, and global blended learning initiatives. She actively collaborates with institutions like Universidad Carlos III, UNED, and BUAP de México, and has been invited to keynotes and workshops across Europe and Latin America. Scientific awards: 1rst ITWorldEdu Award (2014) for educational technology solutions Best Demo Award at ECTEL 2013

• Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL)
• Educational Technology
• Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs)
• +6 more

Myria Georgiou is a Professor of Media and Communications and Head of the Department of Media and Communications at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). Her work bridges critical media studies, urban sociology, and migration studies, focusing on mediated identities, digital cities, and transnational communities. She has authored/co-authored seven books and over sixty peer-reviewed publications, including the recent Being Human in Digital Cities (2023), which explores how digital technologies reshape urban social orders. Her expertise includes migration and media, urban communication, identity politics, and everyday media practices. Georgiou has advised international organizations like the Council of Europe and contributed to media debates through interviews and op-eds. Prior to academia, she worked as a journalist for BBC World Service and Greek media outlets. Georgiou’s research emphasizes the intersection of digitization, urban life, and human rights, advocating for socially just digital urban policies. Her work spans theoretical contributions on digital humanism to empirical studies on refugee crises and pandemic responses, consistently centering marginalized voices in media and technology discourse.

• Mediated Identities
• Cities
• Migration
• +5 more

Miriam Tedeschi serves as a Senior Researcher at the Faculty of Law, University of Turku, and holds a docentship in Human Geography at the Department of Geography and Geology. She leads the Research Council of Finland-funded project 'Justice in Digital Spaces' (JuDiCe, 2022-2025) and maintains a fellowship at the Westminster Law & Theory Lab, London. Her academic foundation includes a PhD in Regional Planning and Public Policies (University Institute of Architecture, Venice, 2017), an MA in Philosophy, and a BSc in Digital Communication. Prior to doctoral studies, she accumulated 15 years of professional experience as an ICT research consultant. Tedeschi's scholarship merges non-representational theories and new materialism to interrogate spatio-legal dynamics across segregated spaces, migratory contexts, natural environments, and digital-physical hybrids. Her work pioneers digital spatial justice frameworks, critically examining how datafication reshapes urban equity through empirical ethnography and theoretical innovation. Analysis of her 2023-2025 publications reveals a decisive pivot toward computational justice, where legal geography intersects with AI ethics, urban informatics, and posthuman jurisprudence. These works collectively forge transdisciplinary pathways for reimagining justice in algorithmically mediated spaces. Her scientific recognition includes: Westminster Law & Theory Lab Fellowship As an educator, Tedeschi directs 'Law and the Urban' (2022-present) and co-teaches 'Systemschange.now' (2020-2024). Her JuDiCe project exemplifies major grant leadership, integrating spatial theory with digital rights advocacy through Finland's premier research funding mechanism. She co-founded the 'Law, Space and Justice' research environment at Turku's Faculty of Law, catalyzing cross-institutional collaboration on justice-oriented spatial interventions.

• Spatial Justice
• Data Justice
• Urban Geography
• +3 more

Elvin Wyly is a Professor in the Department of Geography within the Faculty of Arts at the University of British Columbia. His research focuses on the relations between market processes and state policy in producing and reinforcing urban social inequalities, blending critical social theory, legal and policy analysis, and multivariate quantitative methods. Wyly earned his PhD (1995) and MA from the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, and his BSc from The Pennsylvania State University. His academic journey reflects a deep engagement with geographical thought and methodology. His research interests span urban geography, housing policy and finance, gentrification and displacement, urban inequality, spatial analysis, critical social theory, digital geographies, GIS, and race, class, and gender studies. Wyly's approach combines critical theory with empirical analysis to examine how market forces and public policy interact to create spatial inequalities in urban environments. Analysis of Wyly's recent publications (2019-2024) reveals consistent engagement with themes of urban transformation, housing finance, and spatial inequality. His work increasingly addresses the digital turn in urban studies, examining smart cities, datafication of urban space, and the evolving nature of gentrification in the 21st century. There's a clear trajectory from studying traditional urban processes toward examining how digital technologies reshape urban inequalities and governance. Wyly's research demonstrates significant contributions to understanding the financialization of urban space, particularly through his work on subprime mortgage markets, housing discrimination, and the racial dimensions of urban development. His publications in leading geography and urban studies journals establish him as a significant voice in critical urban scholarship. His teaching appears to focus on urban geography, with courses covering topics related to cities, economies, transnational flows, digital geographies, and issues of gender, race, and class. His research website serves as a resource for students and colleagues interested in advanced urban geographical analysis.

• Urban Geography
• Housing Policy and Finance
• Gentrification and Displacement
• +7 more

Dr. Justine Humphry is a Senior Lecturer in Digital Cultures at the University of Sydney's School of Art, Communication and English, and serves as Deputy Head of School (Research). She holds a BA (Hons 1st) from UTS and a PhD from Western Sydney University. Research focuses on digital media's societal impacts, particularly mobile technologies, homelessness, and urban datafication. Leadership roles include the Smart Publics partnership with University of Glasgow and the Emerging Online Safety Issues project funded by the eSafety Commissioner. Her book 'Homelessness and Mobile Communication: Precariously Connected' synthesizes research on digital access among homeless populations in Australia and the US. Key projects include investigating smart street furniture, robots in public spaces, and online safety education for youth. Dr. Humphry has received awards including the 2022 Vice-Chancellor's Outstanding Teaching and Research Award and the 2019 Sydney-Glasgow Partnership Collaboration Award. She contributes to policy submissions on social media governance and AI ethics.

• Digital Cultures
• Mobile Media
• Digital Inequalities
• +3 more

Stephen Shapiro is Professor of English Literature at the University of Warwick, specializing in American literature, cultural studies, and Marxist theory. His academic journey began with a chemistry degree in New York State before shifting to English literature, with studies at Birmingham University's Department of Cultural Studies and research at the Gramsci Institute in Rome. Prior to Warwick, he taught at Harvard University, the New School, and John Jay College for Criminal Justice (CUNY), and has held prestigious fellowships including a Fulbright at Saarland University (1997-98), a Royal Shakespeare Company/Capital Fellowship (2008-09), and fellowships at UC Irvine, Heidelberg University, and Babeș-Bolyai University. First degree in Chemistry (New York State) Graduate studies in English Department of Cultural Studies (Birmingham University, England) Research at Gramsci Institute in Rome Shapiro's research spans American literature, cultural studies, Marxism, world-systems analysis, urban studies, spatial theory, and television studies. His current book projects include The Cultural Fix: Marx and the Organic Composition of Capital , which bridges French and English editions of Marx's Capital , and The Twist: Capital, Data, and Cultures of the Intersectional Left , analyzing contemporary capitalist temporalities. He is also working on a critical edition of Charles Brockden Brown's Memories of Stephen Calvert , examining early American literature's treatment of male-male sexuality. His scholarship consistently connects literary analysis with political economy, exploring how cultural forms engage with capitalist structures. Shapiro's recent publications reveal a trajectory from traditional literary studies toward increasingly interdisciplinary work that integrates world-systems theory, digital capitalism, and intersectional politics. His scholarship demonstrates a consistent engagement with Marxist theory while expanding into analyses of algorithmic governance, zombie studies, and the cultural politics of horror. The 2020-2025 publications show particular focus on how literary and cultural forms interact with contemporary crises of capitalism, including data-driven neoliberalism, resurgent fascism, and intersectional left movements. Best Collection Award 2019, British Association for Contemporary Literary Studies (BACLS) Honorable Mention, BAAS prize for best book in American Studies published during 2008 Shapiro has been actively involved in collaborative scholarly projects, particularly through his work with Philip Barnard on Charles Brockden Brown editions and with the Warwick Research Collective (WReC). He co-founded the Warwick Centre for Global Jewish Studies and has contributed to institutional initiatives including the successful application for Warwick's Race Equality Charter Mark (Bronze). His editorial work spans numerous collections that bridge literary studies with political economy, cultural theory, and world-systems analysis. Shapiro is a founding member of the Warwick Research Collective (WReC), which has produced influential work on combined and uneven development in world literature. He serves on the university's Race Equality Taskforce and was instrumental in securing Warwick's Race Equality Charter Mark. His involvement with the WReC demonstrates his commitment to moving beyond traditional literary and cultural studies frameworks toward more globally oriented, politically engaged scholarship that connects literary analysis with economic and ecological concerns.

• American Literature
• Cultural Studies
• Marxism
• +7 more