We are very excited to announce that our keynote speaker for #AoIR2024: Industry <https://aoir.org/aoir2024/keynote-plenary/> is *Dr. Seeta Peña Gangadharan from the London School of Economics. * Dr. Gangadharan is an associate professor in media and communications at LSE. Her work focuses on inclusion, exclusion, and marginalization, as well as questions of democracy, social justice, and technological governance. She co-leads two projects: Our Data Bodies, which examines the impact of data collection and data-driven technologies on U.S. marginalized communities, and Justice, Equity, and Technology, which studies data-driven technologies and infrastructures in European civil society. Dr. Gangadharan’s talk is titled* Timeliness and technological refusal: Reflections on quantum-mania and industry’s power*
From tech worker walkouts and increased union drives, to coordinated withdrawals by advertisers from platforms, to protests against Big Tech and tech infrastructure, people and institutions everywhere are expressing their discontent with the business of technology. To some, these actions serve as evidence that technological refusal is a practicable form of politicizing technology and technology governance, even if it doesn’t conspicuously reimagine or transform the institutions under critique. To others, these events represent “too little, too late,” arguing that they occur at a time when path dependencies have congealed, and industrial policies and industry power are already sunk into the foundations of social, economic, and political life.
These competing interpretations raise the question: when is technological refusal most timely? To answer this question, I explore timeliness through the lens of the quantum internet, a so-called “frontier” technology in its pre-commercial stage. I use insights from common sets of objections arising from social movements and other ad hoc efforts to ban, interrupt, or transform automated technologies to speculate: Who might push back on quantum internet? Why? How? And with what effect? In fact, timely refusal in the early stages of industrial development and innovation requires new, daunting kinds of engagement and forms of institutional support. Dr. Gangadharan will deliver her talk at 17:30 UTC on Wednesday, 30 October 2024 at Sheffield City Hall. The event will be live streamed. Details to follow via the usual channels and here: https://aoir.org/aoir2024/aoir2024keynoteplenary. If you are not registered for AoIR2024 yet, registration is open here: https://members.aoir.org/event-5743782 Be sure you are logged in as a member to get member discounts. Remember too that for the first time we are offering remote registration for free to members. Once you’ve registered, you can book a hotel room at reduced rates here: https://book.passkey.com/event/50712166/owner/9279439/home We look forward to seeing you in Sheffield! #AoIR2024 Conference Committee