Tech Design and Human Rights: Six Provocations (and a Card Game!)

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• Dr Sharath Srinivasan, Dr Ella McPherson and Dr Sebastian Lehuede
• Wednesday 08 November 2023, 17:00-18:30
• S1, Alison Richard Building .

If you have a question about this talk, please contact Anusha Arumugam.

How can we design technologies that support human rights struggles? What values and principles should such technologies pursue? These and other questions are unpacked in the Provocations project and the ‘Tech for the Pluriverse’ card game developed by the CGHR team.

In this event, we will be launching three original and exciting research outputs: The ‘Provocations for Tech Design’ blog co-authored by CGHR Postdoctoral Scholar Dr Sebastián Lehuedé, CGHR Co-Directors Dr Ella McPherson and Dr Sharath Srinivasan, our accompanying Discussion Paper published by the Harvard Carr Center for Human Rights Policy, and the ‘Tech for the Pluriverse’ card game designed by Holly Sheridan with Sebastián, Ella and Sharath. The event will begin with a conversation between Sebastián, Ella, Sharath and Holly and will continue as an opportunity to play the card game as a group.

The Provocations Blog:

In a context marked by the proliferation of extractive technologies, this series of six Medium blog posts proposes an approach to platforms and digital data that is driven by solidarity and plurality. These provocations have been inspired by CGHR -supported projects, such as The Whistle and Africa’s Voices, and tackle relevant issues brought up by critical data, feminist and decolonial scholars from a pragmatic and practice-inspired perspective. Some of the themes addressed are slow tech, ambiguity and care in data creation. 

The Pluriverse Card Game:

The ‘Tech for the Pluriverse’ card game gets its inspiration from the Provocations project and was designed by CGHR intern Holly Sheridan with Sebastián, Ella and Sharath. It prompts designers, policy-makers, and human rights practitioners, as well as scholars and students, to think about the multiple networks of actors, landscapes and artifacts that make up technologies. Players are encouraged to apply values such as solidarity and plurality, as well to think pragmatically, about relevant social and environmental issues brought about by technology. Fin tech developers, social media activists and rivers powering data centres are part of the range of characters interacting in this game. Post-event, you are most welcomed to join us at CGHR ’s Welcome Drinks at the Atrium of the Alison Richard Building at 6.30pm .

This talk is part of the Centre of Governance and Human Rights Events series.

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