1984 Revisited

6 Jun 2019

Btihaj Ajana is an invited speaker at The Cheltenham Science Festival for the event, “1984 Revisited”.

Summary:

Big Brother. The Thought Police. Doublethink. In our age of misinformation, fake news and surveillance, audiences around the world are rediscovering George Orwell’s dystopian vision of the future, Nineteen Eighty-Four. 70 years on from its publication, Professor of English Literature David Dwan, digital culture and surveillance expert Btihaj Ajana and journalist and author Dorian Lynskey delve into one of the most important novels of the twentieth century and consider why it is still frighteningly relevant to our world today.

Visit: https://www.cheltenhamfestivals.com/science/whats-on/2019/george-orwell-nineteen-eighty-four-revisited/

 

 

 

Other Events and Activities

15 Jun 2015

Workshop: The Quantified Self and the Rise of Self-Tracking Culture

This one-day workshop focuses on the rising practices of self-tracking through digital devices and apps, and on the related phenomenon of the Quantified Self movement. It brings together relevant scholars to critically debate the various aspects of such practices and assess their actual and potential implications. More details on: http://aias.au.dk/events/the-quantified-self/

Date: 15 Jun 2015

Venue: Aarhus Institute of Advanced Studies

5-7 Sep 2016

Ontologies of the Quantified Self

A talk by Btihaj Ajana at the Theater and Performance Research Association's event, Performing the Quantified Self: Authorship, Ownership and Autobiography in the era of Big Data, 5-7 September, Bristol University. More details on the event at: http://goo.gl/Ap0lJD

Date: 5-7 Sep 2016

Venue: Bristol University

7-9 Jun 2017

Metric Culture: The Quantified Self and Beyond

Recent years have witnessed an intensive growth of systems of measurement and an increasing integration of data processes into various spheres of everyday life, so much so that it can be argued that we are now living in a ‘metric culture’. This two-day international conference brings together relevant scholars who are engaged in the study of practices of self-tracking and related technologies to critically reflect on the way metric culture is unfolding within and affecting the various spheres of our everyday life.

Organised by: Btihaj Ajana (AIAS and King’s College London)

Confirmed keynote speakers: Deborah Lupton (University of Canberra, Australia) & Rosalind Gill (City University London, UK)  

Date: 7-9 Jun 2017

Venue: Aarhus Institute of Advanced Studies

13 Oct 2016

Life Gamified: Practices of the Quantified Self

A panel discussion organised by Btihaj Ajana for the Arts and Humanties Festival 2016 at King's College London. This panel addresses the rising trend of self-tracking and quantification, examining their applications as well as implications in various spheres of everyday life.

Date: 13 Oct 2016

Venue: King's College London

8-11 Nov 2016

Politics and Ethics of Self-tracking Culture

Btihaj Ajana is speaking about the ethical and political implications of self-tracking culture at the International Journal of Arts & Sciences’ (IJAS)/University of London Annual Conference 2016, 8-11 November 2016. More details on: http://sched.co/8fb3

Date: 8-11 Nov 2016

Venue: Senate House, London

11-13 Jan 2017

Freedom or abandonment? Reflections on the politics of digital self-tracking

Btihaj Ajana will be presenting "Freedom or abandonment? Reflections on the politics of digital self-tracking" at MeCCSA 2017 conference, 11-13 January, University of Leeds. Ajana will be discussing the connection between neoliberal ethos of freedom, choice, agency, and responsibility, and individual as well as communal practices of fitness-tracking. More details on the event at: http://meccsa2017.org.uk/programme/

Date: 11-13 Jan 2017

Venue: Leeds