KU's Institute for Information Sciences and The Commons to Host Virtual Series Exploring the Social Impacts of Emerging Technology

This fall, the Institute for Information Sciences (I2S) and The Commons at the University of Kansas will launch Navigating Our Worlds: Ethics in the Digital Age, a virtual series that dives into the complex challenges of our increasingly digital society. In the spirit of a similarly titled Research Rising initiative – Securing Our Worlds – this series expands on topics that are impacted by emerging technologies across digital, social, and physical landscapes.

What are changing social norms regarding privacy? How are human-technology relationships evolving? This series will explore the effects on the individual, as well as our natural environment, and our social institutions.

This series is curated by David Tamez, I2S’ Assistant Research Director and Managing Director of I2S’ Center for Cyber-Social Dynamics, in partnership with The Commons.

“We intend to bring a broader audience into the conversation about the impact AI and emerging technologies are having on society,” says Tamez. “It is also a chance to share the work I2S has been doing under the Research Rising initiative: Securing Our World: Physical, Digital, and Social. These are issues we need multiple voices taking part in and we hope to do that with the series.”

The first session— Global Digital Worlds— focuses on the impacts of digital access around the globe, featuring the work of KU scholars whose work spans different regions. Moderated by Korede Ajibona, Department of Philosophy, the KU-based panel includes James Yékú, African and African American Studies, Kansas African Studies Center; Jack Zhang, Department of Political Science, Center for East Asian Studies; and Rebecca Johnston, Center for East European and Russian Studies.  

Additional events in the series will explore the sociopolitical dynamics of digital connection, the impacts on climate and health, and broader impacts to education and labor in the US.

Global Digital Worlds will be presented Tuesday, Oct. 1, at 6 p.m. CT via Zoom webinar. Reserve your spot at https://bit.ly/digitalethicsKU

Navigating Our Worlds: Ethics in the Digital Age is supported by the Institute for Information Sciences; the Center for East Asian Studies; the Center for Russian, East European, & Eurasian Studies; the Department of African and African-American Studies; and The Commons at KU.