ECREA WEEKLY digest ARTICLES

Journal of Interactive Narrative (Special Issue)

Deadline: January 19, 2026

This special issue is an initiative and sponsored by the Digital Storytelling and Innovation Network (DSIN), a research cluster hosted by the Leeds School of Arts.

Scope of the Special Issue

Building on previous work in the disciplines of art, design, communications and media —i.e. on open cultural production (Velkova, 2016b), the interactive digital narrative field (Murray, 2018; Rouse & Koenitz, 2018), interactive documentary production (Dubois, 2021), and autonomous art schools (Hudson-Miles and Goodman, 2024)— this special issue seeks contributions that raise questions of autonomy in and through interactive digital storytelling.

Recent scholarship has highlighted the need for negotiation of “human-machine co-creativity” (Fisher, 2023; McCormack et al., 2020) and distributed cognition (Taffel, 2019; Hayles, 1999).

We are particularly (but not exclusively) interested in surfacing complexity and ambiguities around maker agency and authorship within cooperative or independent interactive digital narrative (IDN) production arrangements. Communication and social interactions among makers in various human/nonhuman assemblages (Romic, 2022; Zylinska, 2020) and engagement with generative AI software in particular are of key interest.

The use and détournement (de Certeau & Rendall, 2004) of technological tools can lead to more or less creative autonomy (Banks, 2010) or craft autonomy (Velkova, 2016) in media making. This is particularly true in autonomous media (Langlois & Dubois, 2005) settings, where the final work and the process are intrinsically aligned with the very empowerment of makers of media.

Interactive digital storytelling practices —e.g. interactive film, narrative-based computer games (Buckles, 1985), digital and participatory theatre (influenced by Laurel, 2013), narrative virtual reality, or augmented reality stories— have seen practitioners share their autonomy together with increasingly interdisciplinary teams on the one hand, and end users on the other (as the limits of what is internal or external to production teams has become malleable at best). Put differently, Koenitz (2023) points to IDNs being ‘incomplete’, as long as the user is not interacting with it:  “The designer of an IDN work no longer produces a finished object in the sense of a printed book or the theatrical release of a movie. Instead, they create artifacts that can be considered purposefully incomplete, as they require the active engagement by an audience to be fully realized.“ (p. 101)

In parallel, technological infrastructures such as big data, cloud computing, blockchain, and large language models have percolated production cultures to a point where the lines between what is maker-driven and what is algorithm-driven have started to blur. This in turn provokes questions of various forms of shared agency between human and nonhuman actors (Spierling & Szilas, 2009; Zylinska, 2020).

It is in this context of organisational and technological innovation in interactive digital storytelling production that we are asking how autonomy can be defined, as part of the shifting maker culture and where it is found/negotiated.

We are also interested, following the scepticism of writers such as Goldsmith and Wu (2007), about philosophical conceptualisations of the term ‘autonomy’ (see, for example: Coeckelbergh, 2004), including its manifestations in various niche contexts of interactive digital storytelling, such as Hakim Bey’s ‘temporary autonomous zones’ (1985). 

We welcome research-creation scholars, reflective practitioners, critical and analytical scholars to participate in the special issue. Please submit one of three options by 19 January 2026 at:  https://journal.ardin.online/index.php/jin/about/submissions 

You can choose between:

1) a scholarly essay or paper of 6,000-8,000 words (excluding abstract, reference list, and meta information), 

2) a 20-minute audiovisual-essay, or

3) a 12-minute IDN in combination with a short paper (between 2,400 and 3,200 words).

For any inquiry related to the special issue, don’t hesitate to contact us via autonomy@filmschule.de

Guest editors

Frédéric Dubois, Department of Digital Narratives, ifs Internationale Filmschule Köln

Bojana Romic, School of Arts and Communication (K3), Malmö University

Important dates

20 October 2026: Publication of the call for papers

19 January 2026: Deadline for submission of draft manuscripts

2 February 2026: Desk-selection sent to authors

13 April 2026: Combined peer review and editorial review back to authors

15 June 2026: Deadline for submission of full advanced manuscripts

20 July 2026: Second and final review

21 September 2026: Deadline for submission of final manuscripts

1 November 2026: Papers are published as they are readied. They are bundled into a special issue post-publication.

References: 

Banks, M. (2010). Autonomy Guaranteed? Cultural Work and the “Art–Commerce Relation.” Journal for Cultural Research, 14(3), pp. 251–269. https://doi.org/10.1080/14797581003791487

Bey, H. (1985). 'The Temporary Autonomous Zone, Ontological Anarchy, Poetic Terrorism', Available <https://hermetic.com/bey/taz_cont>.

Buckles, M. A. (1985). Interactive Fiction: The Computer Storygame “Adventure”. Ph.D. Thesis, University of California, San Diego. https://www.proquest.com/openview/c7864197158c0dc9cf96c199b4c9963e/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y

Coeckelbergh, M. (2004) The Metaphysics of Autonomy: The Reconciliation of the Ancient and Modern Idea of a Person. Palgrave Macmillan.

De Certeau, M., & Rendall, S. F. (2004). From the practice of everyday life (1984). The city cultures reader, 3(2004), p. 266.

Dubois, F. (2021). Interactive Documentary Production and Societal Impact: The Case of Field Trip. Doctoral thesis. Film University Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF.

Fisher, J.A. (2023). “Centering the Human: Digital Humanism and the Practice of Using Generative AI in the Authoring of Interactive Digital Narratives.” In: Holloway-Attaway, L. & Murray, J.T. (eds.) Interactive Storytelling. 16th International Conference of Interactive Digital Storytelling, ICIDS 2023, Kobe, Japan, Proceedings, Part I. pp.73-88.

Goldsmith, J., and Wu, T. (2007). Who Controls the Internet? Illusions of a Borderless World, Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Hargood, C., Millard, D., Mitchell, A., & Spierling, U. (Eds.). (2022). The Authoring Problem. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-05214-9

Hayles, K. (1999) How We Became Posthuman: Virtual Bodies in Cybernetics, Literature, and Informatics, Chicago, University of Chicago Press

Hudson-Miles, R., and Goodman, J. eds. (2024). Cooperative Education, Politics, and Art, London and New York: Routledge.

Koenitz, H. (2023). Understanding Interactive Digital Narrative. Immersive Expressions for a Complex Time. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003106425)

Langlois, A., Dubois, F. eds. (2005). Autonomous Media: Activating Resistance and Dissent. Montreal: Cumulus Press.

Laurel, B. (2013). Computers as theatre. Addison-Wesley.

McCormack, J.,  Hutchings, P., Gifford, T., Yee-King, M., Llano, M.T., D’Iverno, M. (2020). Design Considerations for Real-Time Collaboration with Creative Artificial Intelligence. Organised Sound 25(1), pp. 41–52

Murray, Janet. (2018). Research into Interactive Digital Narrative: A Kaleidoscopic View: 11th International Conference on Interactive Digital Storytelling, ICIDS 2018, Dublin, Ireland, December 5–8, 2018, Proceedings. 10.1007/978-3-030-04028-4_1.

Romic, B. (2022) ‘It’s in the Name: Technical Nonhumans and Artistic Production’. Transformations, issue #36. pp. 1-16. ISSN 1444-3775

Rouse, R., & Koenitz, H. (2018). “Preface: Authoring Our Own Disciplinary Identity as the Interactive Digital Narrative Field Matures.” In: Rouse, R., Koenitz, H., Haahr, M. (eds.). Interactive Storytelling: Lecture Notes In Computer Science. Proceedings of ICIDS 11th Interactional Conference on Interactive Digital Storytelling, Dublin Ireland, December 5-8, 2018, Springer Verlag.

Taffel, S. (2019). Automating Creativity - Artificial Intelligence and Distributed Cognition. Spheres: Journal for Digital Cultures. Spectres of AI #5. pp. 1-9. ISSN 2363-8621.

Spierling, U., & Szilas, N. (2009). Authoring issues beyond tools. In Interactive storytelling: Second joint international conference on interactive digital storytelling, ICIDS 2009, guimarães, portugal, december 9-11, 2009, proceedings (pp. 50–61). Springer Berlin Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-10643-9_9

Velkova, J. (2016). Free Software Beyond Radical Politics: Negotiations of Creative and Craft Autonomy in Digital Visual Media Production. Media and Communication, 4(4), pp. 43-52. https://doi.org/10.17645/mac.v4i4.693

Velkova, J. (2016b). Open cultural production and the online gift economy: The case of Blender. First Monday, 21(10). https://doi.org/10.5210/fm.v21i10.6944

Zylinska, J. (2020) AI Art: Machine Visions and Warped Dreams. Open Humanities Press.

April 7-10, 2026

University of Innsbruck, Austria

Deadline: December 10, 2025

Dear colleagues,

I am pleased to invite paper proposals for my workshop at the ECPR Joint Sessions of Workshops 2026: The Interplay of Physical and Digital Authoritarianism: Methodological and Theoretical Challenges and Approaches

Endorsed by the ECPR Research Network on Digital Authoritarianism, the workshop explores how offline (physical) and online (digital) forms of authoritarianism intersect and mutually reinforce each other across regime types. While there is a rich literature on traditional repression and a rapidly growing body of work on digital authoritarianism, we still know relatively little about how these domains are connected in practice and how to study such hybrid campaigns systematically.

We welcome theoretical, methodological, and empirical papers that address (among others) the following themes:

• Conceptualising the nexus of physical and digital authoritarianism, including links between long-standing offline practices and their digitally mediated adaptations
  
• Methodological challenges of researching repression and control across online/offline spaces (e.g. access, risk, ethics, data limitations) and innovative solutions using digital, traditional, or mixed methods
  
• Empirical studies of hybrid repressive campaigns (e.g. surveillance, censorship, disinformation, intimidation, carceral practices) spanning streets, institutions, and platforms
  
• Cross-platform and cross-country analyses of digital authoritarianism and its entanglement with offline coercion in both authoritarian and democratic settings
  
• The role of platform algorithms, AI, and data infrastructures in shaping authoritarian practices and their connections to physical repression
  

The Joint Sessions format is designed for intensive, small-group discussion: each workshop typically hosts 15–20 papers, giving participants the opportunity to receive detailed feedback and develop collaborative projects over several days.

Submission details

Where to submit: via the ECPR website (MyECPR account required) – click on “Propose a Paper” on the workshop page: The Interplay of Physical and Digital Authoritarianism: Methodological and Theoretical Challenges and Approaches

What to submit: paper title, abstract (up to 500 words), and 3–8 keywords

Call for Papers window: 5 November – 10 December 2025 (midnight UK time)

We particularly encourage submissions from early-career scholars and those working in or on constrained research environments. Interdisciplinary contributions (political communication, IR, sociology, area studies, media studies, etc.) are very welcome.

Please feel free to circulate this call within your departments, institutes, and networks, and to share it with PhD students and early-career colleagues who may be interested.

I look forward to receiving your proposals and to an engaging workshop in Innsbruck.

With best wishes,

Hossein Kermani

University of Vienna

Chair, ECPR Research Network on Digital Authoritarianism

November 25, 2025

Online

The ECREA Media, Cities and Space (MCS) section invites you to attend our Engaging Publics 2025 Online conference on Tuesday, 25 November 2025. Please see information below. Registration is open (click on link below):

Engaging Publics in Media, Cities and Space – and Boosting the Impact of Your Research

An online one-day Conference by the ECREA Media, Cities and Space (MCS) section 

Tuesday, 25 November 2025 | 10:00–17:00 GMT | Online

Register here (free event and open to everyone)

The ECREA Media, Cities and Space (MCS) section is hosting a free, one-day online conference exploring how to engage publics and amplify the impact of research in the inter- and multi-disciplinary field of media and urban studies.

Expect insightful talks on both traditional and alternative academic media formats - from monographs and journals to podcasts and walking tours - plus dedicated networking sessions.

Speakers include:

- Prof. Scott McQuire (University of Melbourne) – Media cities and urban communication: an evolving paradigm

- Dr. Marcos Dias (Dublin City University) – Repurposing a PhD into a monograph

- Dr. Lou Therese Brandner & Dr. Helena Atteneder (University of Tübingen) – Publishing journal articles: tips and best practice

- Dr. Burcu Baykurt (University of Massachusetts Amherst) – Editing as Method: Special Issues as Scholarly Practice

- Dr. Paul O’Neill (University of Galway) – Dublin Infrastructure Tour: Disseminating research through critical media art practice

- Linda Kopitz (University of Amsterdam) – Engaging publics in ‘small gauge’ online academic journals

- Dr. Scott Rodgers (Birkbeck, University of London) – Podcasting practice and the mediated city

• Free and open to all, including early career researchers.
  
• Opportunities to share work, network, and collaborate.
  

Also the event will conclude with:

• YECREA Post-Conference Networking Event (16:30–17:00 GMT)

Open to all Early Career Researchers (both YECREA and non-YECREA members). A chance to connect, share experiences, and discuss how the MCS section can support your research journey.

Deadline: November 30, 2025

The organisers of the 11th European Communication Conference (ECC2026) invite submissions of proposals for pre-conference events.

Pre-conferences are events that function independently from the main conference, each having its own program, budget, organisation, and logistics. The pre-conference organisers have full autonomy to define the thematic focus and design the format, duration, schedule, presentation style, and usage of innovative elements. They are also responsible for the peer-review process, which is separate from the review process of the main conference.

The pre-conference should occur before the main ECREA 2026 conference, ideally in Brno or nearby locations between 5 and 7 September 2026.

The ECC2026 Local Organising Committee may be able to help with contacts to possible locations in Brno. Still, the pre-conference organisers are responsible for securing the venue and catering for the pre-conference. For any inquiries regarding pre-conference organisation, please contact:  info@ecrea2026brno.eu

Proposal Submission

The proposal for pre-conference (500-800 words) should include:

• title and thematic rationale of the pre-conference,
  
• date and location (if already available),
  
• general format (full-day or half-day event),
  
• brief presentation of the pre-conference organisers,
  
• institutional links to ECREA (e.g., if the pre-conference is organised or endorsed by one of ECREA’s Temporary Working Groups, Networks, or Sections),
  
• expected number of participants and budget (please note that participation fees for ECREA members should be lower than fees for non-members).
  

Please send the proposal in English as a PDF or Word document to info@ecrea2026brno.eu by 30 November. The local organising committee will evaluate the proposals and select pre-conferences. The proposals will be evaluated by 19 December 2025.

Upon selection, pre-conferences will be promoted via the ECC2026 website and communication channels and the ECREA website and communication channels.

Aarhus University

Apply HERE

The Department of Media and Journalism Studies within the School of Communication and Culture at Aarhus University invites applications for a postdoctoral position in monetisation, governance, and the creator economy. The postdoctoral position is part of the research project ‘New Media Monetisation’ funded by the Aarhus University Research Foundation (AUFF).

The postdoc is a full-time, 2.5-year fixed-term position. It begins on 1 March 2026 or as soon as possible thereafter.

The School of Communication and Culture is committed to diversity and encourages all qualified applicants to apply regardless of their personal background.        

Project

The New Media Monetisation project investigates the governance of new funding models for creators and influencers, including subscriptions, donations, and the purchase of products and services. The project approaches governance holistically, encompassing the social norms around fan-creator interactions, the rules codified in platform policies, the expectations built into the design of platform tools, and state regulatory initiatives. Subscription platforms like Patreon or OnlyFans, fundraising platforms like Kickstarter, or donation tools built into video platforms like YouTube or TikTok reconfigure the relationship between creators, audiences, and platforms. Creators are less dependent on traditional intermediaries but must engage in significant audience management. Audiences have unprecedented influence on cultural production but struggle to define appropriate boundaries around parasocial relationships. Platforms draw significant revenue from transactions but face growing pressure from regulators, venture capital, and competitors. Together, these factors monetisation an ideal site to investigate and shape the future of work, cultural production, and the platform society.

The New Media Monetisation position is situated within the CREATOR:GOV Lab, providing opportunities for collaboration, and the working language is English. The postdoc will develop their own project within the framework of New Media Monetisation and collaborate with the PI on related studies. While the postdoctoral project needs to address issues related to creators, monetisation, and governance, the context, methods, and disciplinary orientation are relatively open. Regarding context, projects can address any industrial sector or geographic region of the creator economy. Regarding methods, projects must involve empirical research but can employ qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods. Regarding disciplinary orientation, the postdoctoral researcher should be comfortable working in an interdisciplinary environment but can target the research they lead toward relevant disciplinary audiences, conferences, and publication venues. The flexibility in focus is meant to attract innovative and impactful research proposals.

Postdoctoral position

The postdoc position involves 80% research, 20% teaching and departmental service, following the principles formulated in relation to the Independent Research Foundation of Denmark. The working hours (excluding holidays) are 1643 hours, which means that 20% of working hours corresponds to 328 hours annually. This typically means that the postdoctoral fellow will teach one major course annually, as well as perform other work tasks related to teaching, including supervision and exams.

Regarding research, the successful applicant will be expected to:

• design research, in coordination with PI, that investigates the governance of new funding models for creators and influencers,
  
• collect and analyse empirical data (flexible, but please specify),
  
• present research at national and/or international events,
  
• lead the publication of at least two articles for international journals or conference proceedings,
  
• participate in the CREATOR:GOV Lab’s collaborative research environment through, for example, attending lab meetings, discussing relevant literature, and co-authoring papers.
  

Teaching and supervision

As postdoctoral researcher, your position is primarily research-based, but it will also involve a small degree of teaching and supervision. To that end, the successful applicant will be expected to take part in the department’s teaching and supervision activities related to BA courses like “Analysis of Digital Media” and “Media Systems Analysis” or MA courses like “Digital Media and Societal Transformations” and “Research Design and Method: Case Studies.” The successful applicant will be able to teach in English or Danish.

Qualifications

Required qualifications:

• PhD degree or equivalent qualifications in a field relevant to the study of digital platforms, such as media studies, communication, information science, or sociology
  
• expertise in the domains of platform governance, the creator economy, or platform labour, as documented by the dissertation and/or published research
  
• publications in international journals or conference proceedings, including at least one lead or sole-authored article
  
• ability to speak and write in English at an academic level, as documented by publications, conference presentations, and/or teaching experience in English.

Desired qualifications:

• theoretical sophistication, reflected in the argumentation and conceptualisation of prior work and/or the proposed research
  
• innovative approach to platform governance (including social norms, content moderation, or legislation), reflected in the writing samples and/or proposed research
  
• experience with collaborative, interdisciplinary, and/or international research
  
• strong communication and interpersonal skills to engage with the research team and external stakeholders.
  

Application

Interested candidates should submit the following material:

• a cover letter explaining your qualifications for the position (1-2 pages)
  
• a short proposal for the research you would lead under the ‘New Media Monetisation’ framework, indicating the type of questions, data, and analytic methods involved (1 page)
  
• a CV
  
• official documentation of a PhD degree or its equivalent
  
• a full list of publications
  
• two writing samples, at least one of which should be published
  
• a teaching portfolio demonstrating your qualifications and approach to teaching
  

Please note that although the application process can be completed on the Aarhus University system without uploading publications, applications that do not include up to two uploaded writing samples will not be considered.

Additionally, please do not include letters of recommendation or references with the application. Applicants who are invited to an interview may be asked to provide references.

Work environment

We respect the balance between work and private life and strive to create a work environment in which that balance can be maintained. You can read more about family and work-life balance in Denmark.

Aarhus University also offers a Junior Researcher Development Programme targeted at career development for postdocs at AU.

International applicants

International applicants are encouraged to read about the attractive working conditions and other benefits of working at Aarhus University and in Denmark, including healthcare, paid holidays and, if relevant, maternity/paternity leave, childcare and schooling. Aarhus University offers a wide variety of services for international researchers and accompanying families, including a relocation service and an AU Expat Partner Programme. You can also find information about the taxation aspects of international researchers’ employment by AU.

The department

The place of employment is Department of Media and Journalism Studies, Helsingforsgade 14, 8200 Aarhus N, Denmark.

Prospective applicants are invited to view the department’s website.

School of Communication and Culture

The school is a part of the Faculty of Arts. You will find information about the school and its research programmes, departments, and diverse activities on its website.

Contact

For further information about the position, please contact the principal investigator (PI), Blake Hallinan by e-mail: bhallinan@cc.au.dk

If you need help uploading your application or have questions about the recruitment process, please contact Arts HR support by email: hsi@au.dk.

Qualification requirements

Applicants should hold a PhD or equivalent academic qualifications.

Formalities

The Faculty of Arts refers to the Ministerial Order on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Danish Universities (the Appointment Order).

• Appointments shall be in accordance with the collective labour agreement between the Danish Ministry of Taxation and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations.
  
• Further information on qualification requirements and job content may be found in the Memorandum on Job Structure for Academic Staff at Danish Universities.
  
• Further information on the application and supplementary materials may be found in Application Guidelines.
  
• The application must outline the applicant's motivation for applying for the position, attaching a curriculum vitae, a teaching portfolio, a complete list of published works, copies of degree certificates and examples of academic production (mandatory, but no more than two examples). Please upload this material electronically along with your application.
  

Aarhus University also offers a junior researcher development programme targeted at career development for postdocs at AU. You can read more about it here: https://talent.au.dk/junior-researcher-development-programme/

If nothing else is noted, applications must be submitted in English. The application deadline is at 11.59 pm Danish time (same as Central European Time) on the deadline day.

Aarhus University’s ambition is to be an attractive and inspiring workplace for all and to foster a culture in which each individual has opportunities to thrive, achieve and develop. We view equality and diversity as assets, and we welcome all applicants.

Shortlists may be prepared with the candidates that have been selected for a detailed academic assessment. A committee set up by the head of school is responsible for selecting the most qualified candidates. See this link for further information about shortlisting at the Faculty of Arts: shortlisting

Faculty of Arts

The Faculty of Arts is one of five main academic areas at Aarhus University.

The faculty contributes to Aarhus University's research, talent development, knowledge exchange and degree programmes.

With its 700 academic staff members, 200 PhD students, 9,000 BA and MA students, and 1,500 students following continuing/further education programmes, the faculty constitutes a strong and diverse research and teaching environment.

The Faculty of Arts consists of the School of Communication and Culture, the School of Culture and Society and the Danish School of Education. Each of these units has strong academic environments and forms the basis for interdisciplinary research and education.

The faculty's academic environments and degree programmes engage in international collaboration and share the common goal of contributing to the development of knowledge, welfare and culture in interaction with society.

Read more at arts.au.dk/en

The application must be submitted via Aarhus University’s recruitment system, which can be accessed under the job advertisement on Aarhus University's website.

Dear colleagues,

As part of a project funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG), we are conducting a survey to better understand research practices in Computational Communication Science. We invite you to participate in a short survey focusing on researchers’ attitudes, experiences, and intentions regarding the reassessment of prior research and the reliability of scholarly work in the field.

If you have conducted or are currently conducting research in the area of Computational Communication Science, we kindly invite you to participate. Your insights will contribute to a broader understanding of current practices, challenges, and opportunities in the field. We expect the survey to take approximately 10-15 minutes.

Link to the survey: https://www.soscisurvey.de/AutoFrontCCS/

Participation is anonymous and voluntary. The study has been reviewed and approved by the IRB at LMU Munich. If you’ve already received this invitation via another channel, please disregard this message to avoid duplicate responses. 

Please feel free to distribute the survey invitation to any colleagues who might be interested!

If you have any questions about the study, please feel free to contact us at philipp.knoepfle@ifkw.lmu.de or Xinyue.Zhao@cais-research.de.

Thank you for your time and contribution!

Best regards,

Philipp Knöpfle, M.Sc. (LMU Munich)

Xinyue Zhao, M.A. (Center for Advanced Internet Studies)

Prof. Dr. Mario Haim (LMU Munich)

Prof. Dr. Johannes Breuer (Center for Advanced Internet Studies & University of Duisburg-Essen)

June 22-26, 2026

Gränna Campus, Jönköping University

https://ju.se/academicwritersretreat

Writing Retreat Theme: Research Spices

Annette Hill and Joke Hermes

What kinds of savoury and sweet spices do you add to your research practice? This academic writers’ retreat takes the metaphor of spices to explore research craft.

We consider the seeds, roots, bark and fruits in our writing and analysis. And we reflect on layering of empirical and conceptual thinking, from whole to ground spices, toasted and roasted spices, and subtle and strong fragrances.

The retreat starts with a choice of spices and then we try out, write and reflect on the flavours and fragrances we want to create in our research craft. Each day we spend time in workshops, private writing time, go on walks by the lake and mountainside, and we cook together.

To find out more about registration, fees and the programme go here: https://ju.se/academicwritersretreat

November 21, 2025

Online

We are inviting you to the launch of the book Algorithms, Artificial Intelligence and Beyond: Theorising Society and Culture of the 21st Century (Routledge 2025). 

The meeting, organised by the Theory Study Group of British Sociological Association, will take place online on November 21st from 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. 

More information about the event can be found HERE.

Registration is possible via the website: https://www.britsoc.co.uk/events/key-bsa-events/book-launch-algorithms-artificial-intelligence-and-beyond-theorising-society-and-culture-of-the-21st-century-routledge-2025/

April 7-10, 2026

University of Innsbruck, Austria

Deadline: December 3, 2025

at the ECPR Joint Sessions

The Workshop will examine how emerging digital platforms, practices, and policies help entrench authoritarianism, or exacerbate democratic backsliding, across the Global South and East — including Asia, Eastern Europe, Africa, and Latin America. It aims to map the transforming terrain of digital authoritarianism, from internet shutdowns and online censorship to surveillance, disinformation, and participatory propaganda.

Read more: https://ecpr.eu/Events/Event/WorkshopDetails/16786

The Media Change & Innovation Division at the Department of Communication and Media Research (IKMZ) of the University of Zurich published 4 new representative survey reports from the World Internet Project – Switzerland 2025 (WIP-CH) last Thursday. 

The main take away: generative AI deepens the digital divide in Switzerland and is increasingly becoming part of everyday life. In addition to the short summary below, you can explore the executive summary of the findings (English/German), the full reports (German), and various infographics (English/German) at mediachange.ch/news/187.

Short summary:

AI deepens the digital divide between generations

Artificial intelligence is increasingly becoming part of everyday life. Most people in Switzerland are concerned about AI and the next generation of technology, but those who use AI regularly are more optimistic. While younger people spend more time online than they would like, older people and those with low digital literacy are falling behind. These are the latest findings from a representative long-term study by the University of Zurich.

In 2025, people in Switzerland spend an average of 5.7 hours online each day – three times more than in 2011 (1.8 hours) and two hours more than before the Covid pandemic in 2019 (3.6 hours). Among 20- to 29-year-olds, daily internet usage time reaches 8.4 hours. "For this age group, the internet has for the first time become more important than personal contacts – both for information and entertainment", says study leader Michael Latzer, Professor of Media Change & Innovation at the University of Zurich.

Social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram play a central role in the daily lives of young people (used by 95% of 20- to 29-year-olds), and their use is also increasing among older generations (58% among those aged 70+). The digitalization of everyday life is progressing rapidly: two out of three transactions are cashless, 39% of products are purchased online, and a third of work that can be done remotely is carried out from home.

Almost half of Switzerland uses generative AI regularly

Since the launch of ChatGPT in November 2022, the share of the population that has used generative AI has risen sharply – from 37% in 2023 to 54% in 2024 and 73% in 2025. What began as one-time experimentation has turned into regular use: almost half of the people in Switzerland now use generative AI at least once a month (weekly: 21%, daily: 17%), and among 14- to 19-year-olds, the figure is as high as 84%. "Actual AI use is considerably higher, as AI is increasingly integrated into everyday services such as search engines and chatbots," says Latzer. 

Generative AI is most commonly used in education and work (53%), with two-thirds of 20- to 29-year-olds doing so. Three in ten 14- to 19-year-olds say they use AI to create content they were actually supposed to produce themselves. For regular users, AI has also become an important advisor in everyday decisions, for example, regarding finances and career choices (21% each). However, compared to traditional sources, the overall importance of generative AI and influencers remains low: when it comes to political decisions, only 7% consider AI-generated information important, compared to 27% who rely on classic internet sources.

Surveillance, loss of control, and job fears – a call for AI regulation

Despite widespread use, skepticism and concern about potential risks remain high: while a clear majority (71%) of regular users believe AI helps them complete tasks more efficiently, only one in three thinks it will improve life overall. Six in ten people in Switzerland fear increased surveillance, and one in three worries that generative AI could spiral out of control or lead to mass unemployment. Accordingly, the demand for regulation is strong: one in two calls for stricter rules on generative AI – significantly more than for the internet in general (36%).

Artificial General Intelligence" is coming – with negative consequences 

Almost half of Swiss internet users believe that generative AI will soon evolve into "Artificial General Intelligence" – a general-purpose application that surpasses humans in nearly all areas of life. More than half of them expect this to happen already within the next five years. Those who use AI regularly are more likely to believe in the emergence of such "Artificial General Intelligence". However, this belief is accompanied by growing concerns about consequences: 60% of the population and 49% of AI users expect "Artificial General Intelligence" to have mostly negative effects on humanity. In contrast, attitudes toward the internet remain far more positive: 60% believe it is good for society.

Skepticism toward cyborg technologies prevails

The next generation of technology combines internet-, bio-, and nanotechnologies with the aim of enhancing human abilities and overcoming biological limits – for example, through so-called cyborg products. While Silicon Valley has high hopes for such future technologies, the Swiss population remains skeptical: only one-fifth believes in their potential, rising to 30% among AI users. The majority, however, see mainly risks, such as new forms of cybercrime (78%), privacy violations (67%), and social inequality (64%).

AI fuels divides between young and old

Social divides in digitalization follow age and internet skills, reinforced by the use of AI. While 91% of 20- to 29-year-olds in Switzerland rate their internet skills as good to excellent, this applies to only 59% of those aged 70 and above. The difference is even more pronounced when it comes to generative AI: almost half of 14- to 19-year-olds feel comfortable using it, but only 20% of those aged 70 or older do. These differences are reflected in the sense of belonging to the information society. Only 34% of the population feel part of it, 25 percentage points less than in 2015. The sense of inclusion is particularly low among older people (19% among those 70+) and those with lower internet skills (14%), while 20- to 29-year-olds and people with high internet skills feel significantly more integrated (54% each).

While older people and those who do not use AI are falling behind, younger people and AI users are struggling with digital overconsumption. More and more people are spending more time online than they would like (38% vs. 2019: 24%). 82% of 14- to 19-year-olds and 58% of AI users want to reduce their usage time.

Authors: Michael Latzer, Noemi Festic, Céline Odermatt & Alena Birrer