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Research

The Digital Media & Society Institute (DMSI) combines high quality social and communications research with state-of-the-art computational approaches. For example, theories and frameworks from communication and media studies are informing next-generation methodologies and technologies for analysing and mapping ideas, beliefs and stances across digital media platforms.

A street scene showing a poster of a comic-book style woman with facial recognition data points over her face, with the words 'Everywhere I go they know it's me'DMSI research is organised around five key themes: 

  • The platform economy: What is the impact of AI and how can sustainable and transparent digital ecosystems be designed to ensure privacy, equality, social solidarity, cultural vitality, health and wellbeing, and protection of the natural environment? 
  • Digital culture: How do different communities, groups and actors use, respond to, and influence the development of digital systems and media?
  • Digital politics, citizens, and governance: How is civic, cultural and political engagement transformed by digital systems and media? 
  • Digital health and wellbeing: What are the potential uses and harms of digital media on health and well being? 
  • Environmental challenges: How does the use and development of digital systems and media impact citizens’ understanding of and engagement with environmental issues? How can public awareness of such issues be increased and acted upon?
The platform economy A woman's hand poised over a smartphone

The platform economy

What is the impact of AI and how can sustainable and transparent digital ecosystems be designed to ensure privacy, equality, social solidarity, cultural vitality, health and wellbeing, and protection of the natural environment?

Digital culture A woman having her photograph taken against a digital projection

Digital culture

How do different communities, groups and actors use, respond to, and influence the development of digital systems and media?

Digital politics, citizens, and governance A woman holding a sign that reads 'Enough'

Digital politics, citizens, and governance

How is civic, cultural and political engagement transformed by digital systems and media?

Digital Health and Wellbeing A brightly coloured digital image of a human sitting down.

Digital health and wellbeing

What are the potential uses and harms of digital media on health and well being?

Environmental Challenges A satellite view of a river delta

Environmental challenges

How does the use and development of digital systems and media impact citizens’ understanding of and engagement with environmental issues? How can public awareness of such issues be increased and acted upon?

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Collaborate with us

Find out more about the technology and services available with our research partners at the Digital Innovation Facility (DIF).