Background

Creating new sociodigital futures is not just a question of empirical research, but demands an analysis of how sociodigital change happens, what constitutes the sociodigital and what change means. To that end, this series of reading groups is focusing on two themes: what is the sociodigital and what is time?

The reading groups bring together researchers from across the Centre to explore existing theoretical frameworks from across multiple disciplines to explore these two themes. 

Our approach

The reading groups are convening spaces for thinking together. Their main function is to create a shared language for exploring questions of sociodigital transformation and change, and to begin to open up dialogue across disciplines in relation to these issues. The reading groups comprise a combination of 1:1 dialogues, small group discussions and plenary debates that are conducted in hybrid formats with colleagues both in Bristol and online. Their format was inspired, in the first instance, by Manning and Massumi’s approach to reading groups – which invites participants to engage carefully with the text, to anchor dialogues around the documents, and to enable flat hierarchies for discussion. 

Opportunities and outcomes

In the short term, the benefits are intended for participants in the Centre. In the longer term, we are looking in particular, at developing some collective writing around time and sociodigital change. 

Aline Stehrenberger, who visited the Centre between September and December 2023 from  University of St. Gallen, Switzerland, wrote a blog on 'The benefits of joining a reading group'.

CenSoF investigators: The reading groups are convened by Susan Halford, David Evans, Dale Southerton and Keri Facer – with the participation of many more colleagues