Living in a Digital Society
Description
Life in the societies of the global West and North first began to be significantly shaped by digital technologies two to three decades ago and now the effects are felt everywhere across the world. Technological advances are experienced by people in a social context, and the theme of 'Living in a Digital Society' is a university-wide initiative concerning the double-edged nature of digital innovations in the real world. There are opportunities that can be harnessed for social good and there are societal dangers to avoid. Like the other De Montfort University Research Themes, 'Living in a Digital Society' will stimulate new investigations by bringing together interests and expertise from across the institution and beyond.
Where the other research themes are concerned with unquestionable goods such as wellbeing, peace, justice, creativity, and decarbonization, 'Living in a Digital Society' is concerned with warnings as well as optimism. Purely free-market business responses to digital possibilities tend towards unrealistic techno-utopianism and myopia about the negative consequences of digitization for the health and autonomy of citizens and social institutions. Yet it is also possible to see the positive social benefits of digitization. This theme aims to develop digital innovations for the society of the future whilst keeping a close eye on social and ethical responsibilities, so that it can support a productive, connected and sustainable world to come.
Initial scoping of the intersections that this theme covers suggests some tentative subthemes, including:
- Safe and secure digital technologies
- Digitisation as a driver or a mitigator of social inequality
- Medical interventions and public health
- The future of production, distribution, and consumption
- The psychology of digitally mediated interactions
- The surveillance society
- Smart living in smarter cities
- Artistic creation, dissemination, and consumption
Offers funding
No, this infrastructure does not provide funding.
Contact details
The Gateway
Leicester
LE1 9BH
United Kingdom
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De Montfort University
The Gateway
Leicester
LE1 9BH
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Last modified:
2023-09-20 14:59:51