Join our international symposium that aims to discuss theoretical perspectives and empirical research on the tensions that arise from the political agency within and of platform societies. Digital platforms reshape social relations across multiple dimensions, defining new routes to explore the possibilities of exploitation and liberation in capital/labour, human/nature, and gender relations. The starting point for our symposium is that two tensions shape political contestation in platform societies: The first is the contestation over data commodification versus the promotion of digital commons. The second tension arises between digitalisation as a tool for authoritarian surveillance or as a means for democratic empowerment.
The symposium aims to advance knowledge on theoretical and empirical grounds by asking how political agency fits into these tensions. We are particularly interested in comparative studies on how different actors (e.g. parties, policy-makers, NGOs) seek to shape digital politics in different world regions.
Please submit an abstract of your proposal (max 300 words) by 19:00 (BST) Friday 7 April 2023, using this form indicating your preference for the most suitable panel:
1. Political agency within and of platform societies. Theoretical perspectives.
2. Political agency and platform societies. Commodities vs commons?
3. Political agency and platform societies. Surveillance vs empowerment?
4. Political agency in virtual realities
Each panel will begin with keynote speeches by globally acknowledged scholars and practitioners (to be announced soon). We will communicate the outcome of the call by Tuesday 18 April 2023. We will provide a partial refund for travel and accommodation expenses for PhD students and early career researchers. As we are committed to promoting equality and diversity in academia, we particularly welcome proposals by authors from under-represented groups.
The symposium is hosted by the New Political Communication Unit and the Gender Institute at the Royal Holloway University of London. For information, email Dr Marco Guglielmo (Marco.Guglielmo@rhul.ac.uk), Prof. Ben O’Loughlin (Ben.OLoughlin@rhul.ac.uk), Dr Pauline Heinrichs (Pauline.Heinrichs@rhul.ac.uk). More info here.