Strategizing silence: Digital non-use as agency for marginalized communities

We had the pleasure to hear prof. dr. Arul Chib from Erasmus University Rotterdam speak at his seminar ‘Strategizing silence: Digital non-use as agency for marginalized communities’ organized in part by RUNOMI at Radboud University. We had a panel consisting of Noemi Mena Montes and Joost Beuving led by Wolter Pieters.

Professor Chib presented empirical evidence from communities around the world facing digital discrimination to support a provoking conceptual framework for digital non-use as agency. This led to a fruitful discussion centered around current themes like American tech colonialism, gender norms in the digital space, and non-use as a challenge for advocacy for marginalized communities. Emaediong Akpan delivered a fitting addendum talking about seeing non-use in action in Nigerian feminists communities online.

Thanks again to both speakers for sharing their research, ideas and experiences with us, and thanks for the panel members for fostering a fruitful discussion.