Digital Society & Economy
We lead research into the relationships between digital technology and social and economic change
About us
Our research explores the dynamics of digital society, examining how digital technologies shape and intersect with social and economic change. We aim to reshape the global agenda on social and digital change. This goal complements and connects the theme with the Glasgow Social and Digital Change Group.
Find out more about the Glasgow Social and Digital Change Group
Latest News
Browse our latest events, project highlights and blog posts below. If you would like to feature your work on our page, please email digital-irts@glasgow.ac.uk.
BLOG I Researcher Q&A Dr Elisabetta Ferrari
Dr Elisabetta Ferrari has been awarded a British Academy/Leverhulme Small Research Grant and is undertaking international research to examine ‘mutual aid’ during the Covid-19 global pandemic....(read more)
BLOG I New Research Fellow for Interdisciplinary Research on Digital Society and Economy
Gemma Milne has joined the theme leadership in order to support research across the college. In this blog, Gemma introduces her research interests, previous work, and what the digital society and economy interdisciplinary research theme means to her...(read more)
BRIEFING PAPER I UN Meeting: Net-zero homes
Members of the Digital Society and Economy IRT, along with representatives from The Crichton Trust, are presenting a paper as part of The United Nations Experts Meeting No 23rd ‘Home/Family & Climate Change’ in collaboration with and hosted by the Home Renaissance Foundation and Nottingham Trent University. This paper is part of a longer-term collaboration between the University of Glasgow and The Crichton Trust...(read more)
BRIEFING PAPER I Living well in a digital world
What is a just, inclusive society? How do we live well, particularly in the digital age? This briefing paper summarises key learnings and discussion from a recent all-day event and project development forum organised by the Digital IRT. Moving away from disciplinary silos, diverse expert speakers and attendees discussed how to live well with new technologies in an increasingly complex world...[read more]
EVENT | Ethics and artificial intelligence in the interdisciplinary collaborations of smart care
Perspectives from Science and Technology Studies, and in particular a focus on how scientific and technical work is done, can help us to understand what ethical artificial intelligence might be and how to achieve it. To illustrate this point the presentation will explore a case study of a smart care system using machine learning... [read more]
RESEARCHER Q&A | Professor Jane Duncan
Professor Jane Duncan has been awarded a BA Global Professorship on public oversight of digital surveillance for intelligence purposes. She will join the University of Glasgow in January 2023 for a five year programme of research... [read more]
BRIEFING PAPER | New Directions in Audience Studies: Culture, People, and Technologies
How can collaborative research involving diverse partnerships between communities and researchers support sustainable, embodied, and transformative legacies of collective knowledge? This briefing paper summarises key learnings and discussion from a recent event with keynotes from UKRI, University of Glasgow, University of Surrey, and the Crichton Trust... (read more)
What Digital Society & Economy Means to Me
Our aim is to lead and facilitate social science research that explores the dynamics of digital society, examining how digital technologies shape and intersect with social and economic change.
Watch these short videos from our theme leaders and discover what the Digital Society & Economy theme means to them and their research.
Digital Society & Economy to me...
Bridgette Wessels
Bridgette is Professor of Social Inequalities with her main expertise in Digital Society. Examples of her areas of research, which has impact embedded in it, include social exclusion and digital divides, financial exclusion and the e-economy, social media and political inequality, health inequalities and telehealth, welfare services and (digital) identity, local journalism and inclusion and e-policing, ethnicity and communities. Bridgette has also contributed to research policy by informing strategy, the development of research programmes, and providing recommendations to UKRI, EU and NSF funders.
Digital Society & Economy to me...
David Flynn
David is a Professor of Cyber Physical Systems. Examples of his research interests include, Data Humanism for an inclusive energy transition, Digitalisation for improved operational and planning decision support for critical infrastructure and services, and scalable and trustworthy autonomous assistants for industry and societal.
Find out more about David's research >>
Digital Society & Economy to me...
Dominic Chalmers
Dominic is a Senior Lecturer in Entrepreneurship and Innovation. His research has been published in leading journals, including the Financial Times 50-ranked Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship, Theory and Practice. He is part of a €4.5 million Horizon 2020 project that examines the legitimisation of new technologies, including the bio-economy and digital platforms. Dominic's current research includes examining emerging digital entrepreneurship trends such as blockchain and multi-sided platforms.
Digital Society & Economy to me...
Lavinia Hirsu
Lavinia is a specialist in rhetoric and writing studies, holding a PhD in Composition, Literacy and Culture from Indiana University and an MA in TESOL/ Applied Linguistics from Iowa State. Her research is transdisciplinary, bringing together strands from digital literacies, social inclusion and integration, rhetoric and composition, and translingualism and translingual pedagogy. Lavinia's work has appeared in Computers and Composition and JAEPL: The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning and I am currently involved in a series of projects with professional and public impact.
Digital Society & Economy to me...
Gemma Milne
Gemma Milne is a Glasgow-based writer and researcher focused on narratives surrounding, activism in and political economy of science and technology. She is author of 'Smoke & Mirrors: How Hype Obscures the Future and How to See Past It'; is an Interdisciplinary Research Fellow in Digital Society and Economy at Glasgow University and is completing her PhD at Edinburgh University focused on corporate futurism.
