Edition: 2024

The identities of migrants and locals are shaped by the language used in media and politics. Narratives on migration influence how locals view migrants and how they perceive migration’s impact on themselves. Terms like “expat,” “migrant,” and “refugee” carry different connotations and stereotypes, influencing perceptions and identities. Media can exacerbate these stereotypes by disproportionately linking … Read more

Digital identity means identifying and being identified. For those on the socioeconomic margins, the stakes of self-identification are higher, as are the stakes of being identified through digital means. In this presentation, I draw on primary and secondary research on the digital lives of groups such as the unhoused, refugees, racial and ethnic minorities, and … Read more

On the Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book), since 2023, many users have adopted the same username “momo” and the same profile picture featuring a cute pink dinosaur. This can be considered as a way to seek anonymity online. The exact homogeneity of the username and profile picture renders these users visually indistinguishable … Read more

Platform companies like Uber and Deliveroo are often criticized for undercutting workers’ labour rights and bargaining position. By designating their workers as independent contractors and subjecting them to algorithmic management techniques, platform companies offload business costs and risks unto individual workers while evading the social safety nets that are designed to protect these workers. To … Read more

When it comes to tech, the mainstream headlines are bleak: Algorithms control and oppress. AI will destroy democracy and our social fabric, and possibly even drive us to extinction. While legitimate concerns drive these fears, we need to equally account for the fact that tech affords young people something incredibly valuable—a rare space for self-actualization. … Read more