Join the Rotman Institute of Philosophy, the Electro-Governance Group (EGG), the Department of Political Science and the Starling Center for Just Technologies for a research retreat bringing together scholars from across disciplines and departments at Western to share research and perspectives on the political and security challenges to democracies arising from technological and political-economic change in the media ecosystem.

When: Monday, May 5th from 12:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Where: Weldon Library Community Room

Please follow this link to register and participate: Registration Form

More info:

Election interference is a central concern in political and security discourse, but what exactly does it entail? What countermeasures are effective, politically plausible, and consistent with democratic values? What assumptions about communication, mediation, and representation underlie these concerns?

We imagine democracies as responsive to public opinion, yet opinion formation and measurement are vulnerable to technologically aided manipulation. The ability to engage in meaningful dialogue and coordinate representative action is increasingly undermined. Sometimes deliberately, sometimes as a byproduct of sociotechnical systems that mediate our interactions. As distinctions between foreign and domestic actors, media and technology organizations, and security and civic interests blur, election interference is expanding in scope while theoretical and policy responses remain limited.

This research retreat will bring together scholars at Western to examine the political and security challenges arising from technological and political-economic shifts in the media ecosystem. We invite discussion on conditions that enable mis/dis/mal information, polarizing narratives, and media affordances that silence or amplify voices, shape agendas, and disrupt sensemaking. Relevant topics include platform governance, trust and safety, recommendation and moderation algorithms, privacy, political communication, surveillance, election law, persuasive technology, and propaganda.

The retreat will consist of a series of workshop sessions with options for 10 minute presentations or 3-5 minute lightening talks, and panel discussions. Finally, we aim to foster future collaboration with student, faculty, and community researchers through a dedicated session for those interested in joining an ongoing working group and taking part in grants and future projects.