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Mirko Tobias Schäfer
Media scholar
Mirko Tobias Schäfer is a prominent media scholar currently serving as a Visiting Professor at the Helsinki Institute for Social Sciences & Humanities at the University of Helsinki. He is also an Associate Professor at Utrecht University, where he co-founded the Utrecht Data School and serves as its Faculty of Science Lead.1256
Academic Background and Research Interests
Schäfer's academic journey includes studies in theater, film, and media, which have significantly shaped his research focus. His work primarily explores the intersections of media, technology, and society, particularly in the context of data-driven environments and social media dynamics.347
Contributions and Roles
In addition to his teaching role at the University of Helsinki, Schäfer is actively involved in various academic initiatives and conferences. He has contributed to discussions on expertise in social media debates, emphasizing the complexities surrounding authority and credibility in digital spaces.6 His research interests also encompass spatial theory and the societal implications of mapping technologies.8
Overall, Mirko Tobias Schäfer is recognized for his interdisciplinary approach to media studies, making significant contributions to understanding contemporary social issues through the lens of media and technology.
Highlights
🥳 At last, the book I edited together with Karin van Es and Tracey P. Lauriault is out at Amsterdam University Press: "Collaborative Research in the Datafied Society. Methods & Practices for Investigation & Intervention."
📖 The contributions to this volume argue that collaborative research enables researchers to study phenomena up close. The presented case examples demonstrate how immersing into societal sectors and positioning researchers as insiders allows for effective intervention, knowledge transfer and societal impact.
🎯 Our aim with this contribution is to facilitate connections among colleagues across different disciplines who are already involved in similar research efforts. We hope to inspire others to interact with stakeholders and audiences beyond the academic sphere. Most importantly, we want to discuss the opportunities and challenges collaborative and societally engaged research constitute and how these transform our academic profession and institutions.
📢 In addition, the book informs university administrators and research directors how to advance academia effectively towards mutual knowledge transfer with societal sectors. In our introduction, we reference the famous saying "Changing a university is like moving a graveyard. Don't expect much help from those inside." Each and everyone who contributed to this book has been pushing gravestones and together we will continue to do so 🤜🏽🪦🪦🪦
At Utrecht University, we are glad to have uni admins who are trailblazers and active agents of this much needed change.
😼 The book is open access and available for free: https://lnkd.in/eXJF2j6i
🙏🏽 Contributions from Payal Arora, Rob Kitchin, Catherine D'Ignazio, Mark Graham, Albert Meijer, Benjamin Peters, Anthony McCosker, Fabian Ferrari, Daan Kolkman, René König, Mary Francoli, Minna Ruckenstein, Ana Claudia Duarte Cardoso, Martiene Branderhorst, Acilon Cavalcante, Jane Farmer, Patrick Feuerstein, Sylavana Fumega, jonathan w. y. gray, Savannah Hunter, Tatiana López, Hindia Mohamoud, Maria Julia Morales, Muna Osman, Krista Ettlinger, Daniel Paré, Lindsay Poirier, Usha Raman, Katherine Reilly, Funda Ustek Spilda, Nicholas Shapiro, Valerie Steeves, Helena Suárez Val, Arezou Soltani Panah. [Cover design by: Predrag Markovic]
#AIethics #CriticalDataStudies #AI #ResearchImpact #TeamScience
As I wind down for the summer with this serene view upon the Lake of Geneva, I look back upon an utterly exhausting but fantastic academic year 2023-2024. I had the enormous privilege of working with three amazing teams at Utrecht University: the coordination team of Applied Data Science, and the Datawerkplaats team, and of course the Data School team ❤️. At University of Helsinki -my academic home away from Utrecht- I was lucky to be part of the Repair Project investigating the failures of algorithms, and to work at the Helsinki Center for the Social Sciences & Humanities 🙏🏽.
I am looking forward to a new academic year which will start not only with a new cohort of Applied Data Science students, but also the publication of our edited volume Collaborative Research in the Datafied Society, and the first ever international DEDA seminar. And while the presses are printing the Collaborative Research book, we are already planning a conference on societally engaged and impactful research which will take place in April 2025 in Utrecht.
Over and out - see you all in September. 😎
