Location: online Our Digital Politics Summer School is celebrating its fifth anniversary! This year, the school is focusing on visual generative AI. When AI image generators were first popularised in 2023, they were perceived as leading to a new crisis of deepfakes and misinformation, particularly dangerous in cases of reporting war and human suffering, because of […]

Location: online In recent discussions surrounding AI imaging, the prevailing discourse often highlights the technology's inherent risks. However, notable examples, such as the use of so-called deepfake technology in the documentary "Welcome to Chechnya" and the controversial yet well-intentioned AI-generated images from Amnesty International commemorating the victims of police brutality in Colombia, reveal the potential […]

We’re excited to launch our new web-based resource designed to help learners stay ahead of the AI misinformation curve. The Visual AI Literacy Toolkit introduces the fundamentals of visual generative AI and explores how AI-generated images are shaping public understanding — from fake protest scenes and deep-faked politicians to AI beauty filters and images spreading misinformation around […]

Location: online What you’ll learn: This interactive workshop introduces academics to the expanding world of visual generative AI tools. Led by Dr Sam Martin, digital sociologist and AI artist, the session explores how platforms such as MidJourney, Leonardo.ai, Krea.AI, and Runway ML can be used critically and creatively in academic contexts—from visualising research findings and […]

Location: online This roundtable brings together experts on digital media, visual cultures and politics, misinformation, political violence, and generative AI. Curated by Adi Kuntsman and Jessica Elias, the panel will explore the role of generative AI in contemporary politics through a range of theoretical and disciplinary lenses.  Panellists’ info Prof Miriyam Aouragh, Professor of Digital Anthropology, […]

The event celebrates the new report by the National Literacy Trust on the use of AI to support literacy Please join DISC and our AI Literacies working group, in conversation with Irene Picton from the National Literacy Trust, to celebrate NLT's new report, Young people and teachers’ use of generative AI to support literacy in 2025 Irene's presentation […]

Exploring the relations between digitisation, Apple OS and questions of research ethics Please join us at this seminar, which explores the relations between digitisation, smartphone operating system, AI, and questions of research ethics, delivered by Dr Alison Slater, and organised jointly by DISC (Digital Society Research Group) and our "AI Literacies" programme; the Faculty of […]

Between the Winds, Amongst the Roots: Bio-Sensing the City' features two video works by Gregory Herbert and Shelly Knotts, which explore what we can learn about cities from natural data. The exhibition articulates alternative propositions for the ‘smart’ city, which emphasise the interconnectivity between humans and the environment and foster a more balanced relation between […]

Reimagining the World from Above: The Semiotics of Drone Visuals Dr Elisa Serafinelli (Manchester Metropolitan University) This presentation examines the transformative role of drones as emerging visual technologies that reconfigure our perception, representation, and understanding of the world. Drones extend human vision by capturing perspectives that were previously inaccessible, offering novel ways of seeing that […]

AI Ethics in Play: A Masterclass exploring ethical dilemmas, policies, and governance through the lens of games and everyday life In this Masterclass on AI Ethics, we will take an inquiry stance through the lens of games to examine how ethical dilemmas, policies, and governance solutions have taken effect both at individual and institutional levels. […]

Dr Sophie Bishop, in conversation with Scottee, will discuss her forthcoming book Influencer Creep Join the Digital Society Research Group (DISC), the School of Sociology and Criminology and the School of History, Politics and Philosophy to celebrate the launch Sophie Bishop’s book ‘Influencer Creep: How Optimization, Authenticity and Self-Branding Transform Creative Culture’ (University of California Press. The book draws from in-depth […]

Beyond the sandboxes and magic circles: Conversations on the pleasure and pain of what it means to engage in the study of games In this talk, Prof. Dr. Florence Chee will provide an overview to essential debates in games/gaming as they intersect with ethics, law, and policy--along with what it means to research games through […]