Digital infrastructure and platforms play pivotal roles in modern culture, influencing its production, circulation, consumption, and meaning-making. As digitization profoundly alters individuals, groups, and societies, urgent cross-disciplinary attention becomes crucial.
DSL, at the axis of digital and social, places the focus on understanding techno-social transformations, economic configurations, and cultural implications to effectively navigate these transformative shifts.
We explore this shift using interdisciplinary methodologies, focusing on knowledge creation and transfer, alongside developing experimental and interventionist media practices.
Dedicated to interdisciplinary research on the internet and digital technologies, our work spans societal and academic perspectives, interfacing the dialogue between the Global North and Global South, aiming to drive impactful change and contribute to public discourse.
Our research supports evidence-based insights into the socio-economic and cultural configurations of digital technologies, promoting a more inclusive and equitable digital future.
We are a dynamic network of critical thinkers and practitioners based in different time zones and geographies. We interrogate, articulate, and innovate practical approaches to shape responsible technological futures.
Theory of Change
Our initiative examines how the Internet and digital media reshape social processes, governance, and community dynamics. By integrating diverse perspectives, we drive impactful change in digital landscapes, informing policy for an inclusive, equitable future. Our work provides evidence-based insights into the socio-economic and cultural implications of digital technologies, guiding responsible use for societal benefit.
Key Research Themes
The initiative delves into the intricate relationship between digital media, communications, and contemporary cultures and economies.
New Digital Infrastructure and Platforms
Examining their use in modern societies and their impact on existing and emerging creative, social practices, and forms of sociality.
Artificial Intelligence and Society
Exploring the role of culture and communication in shaping new digital economies and economic imaginaries.
Digital Culture and Transnational Configurations
Investigating media, mobility, migration, and practices of marginalization, and their intersection with digital-cultural practices.
Marketplace and Economies
Analyzing the governance and economy of digital communications, platforms, and services.