Beyond Doomscrolling: Another Side of Social Media
A Back to Class session with Associate Professor Roopika Risam
We talk a lot about the ways that social media divides us, through polarization, misinformation, and disconnection. But there is another side to social media. Join us on July 26 from 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. at the Filene Auditorium in the Moore Psychology Building to learn from Roopika Risam, Associate Professor of Film and Media Studies and Comparative Literature and Chair of Film and Media Studies.
Risam will offer a different perspective on the role social media plays in our lives. How can it help us find community and build relationships? Who does it help organize for solidarity and justice? Together, we will consider what happens when we turn our attention away from trolls and conspiracy theories and toward the profound connections that social media makes possible.
About Our Speaker: Dr. Roopika Risam
Dr. Risam's research focuses on data histories, ethics, and practices at intersections of postcolonial and African diaspora studies, digital humanities, and critical university studies. Her work has been supported by over $4.3 million in federal, state, and foundation grants, from funders including the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Mellon Foundation.
Risam received the Massachusetts Library Association Civil Liberties Champion Award (2018) for her work promoting equity and justice in the digital cultural record and the 2023 International Association for Research in Service Learning and Community Engagement Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Award for her work on anti-racist community engagement.
