Hi there AoIR list!

Are you a humanities or social science researcher, student or practitioner, interested in understanding and challenging current policies around generative AI?

Organised and led by Dr Jessica Elias, Dr Florence Chee, Dr Daniel Joseph, and Dr Adi Kuntsman, please join us at our online Digital Politics Summer School 2026, "Critical Approaches to AI Policy". You can sign up here for the zoom invites: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/critical-approaches-to-ai-policy-digital-politics-summer-school-2026-tickets-1990652896400?aff=oddtdtcreator

The School is organised by the Digital Policy Observatory: a new, visionary initiative, to address digital policy through critical, global and interdisciplinary lens. The Observatory is a partnership between CDEP (Center for Digital Ethics & Policy), Loyola University, Chicago and DISC (Digital Society Research Group)., Manchester Metropolitan University.

The School takes place entirely online, on 9-12 June 2026. Attendance is free but registration is required. Please check the programme below and register separately for each event.

Programme

All times are in UK time zone, please check your time zone conversion here: https://www.worldtimebuddy.com/

Day 1: Tuesday 9 June

2-3 pm Welcome notes: Jessica Elias, Florence Chee, Daniel Joseph, Adi Kuntsman
Keynote: “Policy at Play: Designing Critical AI Systems in Times of Polycrisis”, Florence Chee
3-4 pm Discussion panel with André Brock, Momin M. Malik and Todd Harple, chaired by Kyla Williams Tate

Day 2: Wednesday 10 June

1-2 pm Critical approach to AI policy: Accountability. Presentations by Critical AI Policy Virtual Fellows
3-4 pm Critical approach to AI policy: Dignity. Presentations by Critical AI Policy Virtual Fellows

Day 3: Thursday 11 June

2-3 pm Critical approach to AI policy: Sustainability, Equity, Trust. Presentations by Critical AI Policy Virtual Fellows
6 pm A roundtable on Critical AI Literacies @Manchester Festival of Libraries. Taking place in hybrid format, in Chorlton, Manchester and online. Led by Jessica Elias, Adi Kuntsman and DISC AI Literacies Lab.

Day 4: Friday 12 June

1-2 pm Engaging Policymakers in/through Creative Practice. Workshop led by Jessica Elias
2.30-3.30 pm Concluding Event and launch of CDEP+DISC Virtual Policy Observatory

All the best,

Daniel James Joseph (he/him)

Senior Lecturer of Digital Sociology

Digital Society Research Group (DISC) co-lead

School Ethics co-lead

UCU A&H Convener

School of Sociology and Criminology

Manchester Metropolitan University

Recent publications:

Young CJ, Joseph DJ and Nieborg DB (2025) Workflow monopolies: A platform historiography of Unity in the immersive app economy. Platforms & Society 2. SAGE Publications: https://doi.org/10.1177/29768624251376562

Young Joseph DJ, Brock T and Partin WC (2025) Towards a geopolitical economy of esports: making sense of Saudi Arabia’s investments. Team Performance Management. DOI: 10.1108/TPM-09-2024-0111.

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