Organizer: Harvard University Asia Center and the Department of the History of Science at Harvard University

Type/Location: Virtual

Description:

Join the Harvard University Asia Center and the Department of the History of Science at Harvard University for a talk by Merlyna Lim, Canada Research Professor, Founder/Director of ALiGN Media Lab, and Professor of Communication and Media Studies at Carleton University. This talk explores how algorithms prioritize emotional content, fostering “algorithmic enclaves” where users unite around shared identities and emotions among Southeast Asian netizens.

About the Speaker:

Merlyna Lim is the Canada Research Chair in Digital Media and Global Network Society, Professor of Communication and Media Studies, and founder/director of the ALiGN Media Lab at Carleton University. Born and raised in Dayeuhkolot-Indonesia, Lim’s research examines the interplay between digital technologies and society, focusing on the Internet, social media, and AI. Her work explores how these technologies and societal dynamics dialectically co-shape each other in areas such as citizen participation, activism, and democratic processes. Grounded in Southeast Asia and the MENA region, Lim advocates for viewing the Global South as a key research hub and addressing real-world issues on its own terms. Notable publications include Social Media and Politics in Southeast Asia (Cambridge UP, 2024), Roots, Routes, Routers: Communication and Media of Contemporary Social Movements (Sage, 2018), and Online Collective Action: Dynamics of the Crowds in Social Media (Springer, 2014). 

Moderator: Victor Seow, John L. Loeb Associate Professor of the Social Sciences, Department of the History of Science, Harvard University

Registration:

To attend the event virtually, please register here.