Interrogating Power in Data Systems
Welcome to the Data Justice Research Centre. Based in the University of Calgary’s Department of Communication, Media and Film, our interdisciplinary lab investigates the intersection of technology and power. We examine how data systems shape social and political life by mediating access to resources and services. Our mission is to examine the impacts of data-driven governance and to highlight the ways digital inequality affects, and often harms, vulnerable individuals and communities.
Our Projects
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Digital Archives
Digital archives, especially community-based ones, play a crucial role in preserving memory, forming historical narratives, and challenging exclusionary modes of knowledge production. This research area examines how archiving practices determine whose voices are preserved,…
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Population Data
Population data, which is usually collected through instruments such as censuses, health surveys, educational records, and biometric systems, plays a foundational role in the distribution of economic resources and political representation. Our research critically…
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Surveillance and Privacy
In this research area, we examine the evolution of surveillance—from pre-digital forms of data collection to contemporary systems of algorithmic tracking. We analyze how these technologies of control shape everyday life, with particular attention…