Making Sense of Crises, Interrogating Narratives

Description

How do we make sense of complex emerging crises from disasters like wildfires to the COVID-19 pandemic, to structural racism in society? These intersecting crises are both natural and man-made with local and transnational effects for climate change, global health and social equity. However, as a society we have failed to devise scalable and just responses to address them effectively. What is the role of computational data science, human-centred design and participatory research in productively engaging such crisis contexts?

In this talk, I will consider the challenges and opportunities for conflicts and cooperative action in crisis, drawing on examples from emergency disaster relief, social justice movements, and the current pandemic. I’ll discuss a rights and values-based framework, while considering how we should undertake transdisciplinary approaches combining qualitative research with computational data analysis with participatory design research. I will discuss an emerging research project, Reconstructing Crisis Narratives, proposed in collaboration with THL to examine public perceptions, misconceptions and trust in crisis communications, news coverage and social media engagement during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Period	2 Oct 2020
Degree of Recognition	Regional