In this research line, we address questions about how digital technologies are used in the production of knowledge, and how they affect the ways in which people access, understand and use information, particularly health information. A core assumption underlying all of our research is that digital technologies do not exist in isolation. They have a history, and are always embedded in complex networks of other technologies, institutions and regulations. Thus, we do not focus only on the newest digital application or technique. Instead, we focus on how old and new technologies co-exist, and how developments and take-up of one technology may affect developments in others.
There are two main strands to our work. The first relates to the use of digital technologies in health and medicine. The second relates to the ways in which digital technologies can be used in the production of knowledge generally and in STS scholarship in particular. We are keen to experiment with both qualitative and quantitative methods, ranging from digital ethnography to web and hyperlink analysis.
You can find a list of (current and past) projects that fall within this research line below.