Sebastian Sevignani

Sebastian Sevignani is an Associate Professor at Friedrich Schiller University Jena's Institute of Sociology, specializing in General and Theoretical Sociology. He currently serves as Interim Professor (W3) for General and Theoretical Sociology (March-October 2024) and has been affiliated with the university since 2014, first as a postdoctoral researcher and then as Akademischer Rat aZ (Associate Professor) since July 2022. Previously, he held interim professor positions at Paderborn University in Media Studies (2019-2021) and conducted research at the University of Salzburg.

Sevignani's research focuses on critical theory, political economy of digital media, structural transformation of the public sphere, and digital labor. His work examines how digital capitalism reshapes social relations, public discourse, and property relations. He investigates concepts such as informational needs, digital exploitation, and the ideological dimensions of platform capitalism through a Marxist-critical theoretical lens.

His recent publications reveal a strong focus on the structural transformation of the public sphere in digital contexts, with particular attention to proletarian public spheres, ideological formations, and the role of Big Tech. His work frequently engages with critical theorists like Nancy Fraser and Jürgen Habermas, while developing original contributions to understanding digital capitalism's social implications.

Sevignani is actively involved in significant research projects including:

• DFG-funded research network 'Emancipatory technology studies' (principal investigator)
• DFG-funded project 'Intellectual property: Social embeddedness and functional equivalents' (principal investigator)
• Transregio-SFB 294 on structural transformation of property (member of extended board and speaker of Project-Area C)

He is affiliated with multiple research networks including the ICTs and Society Research Network, Network Critical Communication Studies, and Center for Emancipatory Technology Research, demonstrating his commitment to interdisciplinary approaches to digital society. His teaching covers sociological theory, critical theory, Marx, and digital capitalism, reflecting his research expertise.