Participate / Doctoral Network

Conference Drop: AoIR 2024 and My Experience Presenting as a Doctoral Researcher

I arrived at the University of Sheffield, the host of AoIR 2024 along with Sheffield Hallam University, wide-eyed and tired (after an unexpectedly long trip from Athens) to find myself amid researchers and scholars whom I had only read about and cited in my work. Believably, I was starstruck but also overwhelmed by the number of panels I had to attend. Of course, it was a privilege to listen to all these senior researchers, academics, and practitioners, and missing out on the panels would mean missing an opportunity I might not easily get again!

But let’s begin from the beginning…

The opening slide of AoIR 2024, showcasing the conference theme and featuring contributions from Project Participate
The opening slide of AoIR 2024, setting the stage for discussions on the internet as an industry, supported by Project Participate

AoIR 2024 & Decolonising the “Internet as an Industry”

I was introduced to the Association of Internet Researchers (AoIR) by my supervisor, Professor Liza Tsaliki, in November 2023. It had only been a month into my Ph.D. journey when she proposed that I apply for their conference scheduled for 30th October to 2nd November 2024. The conference theme was Industry, addressing the place of industry within internet research, and as a research site, subject, and partner. The deadline for paper submission was March, which initially felt impossible because surely I could not submit a paper proposal within just a few months of starting my Ph.D.

Thus, it came as a shock when I received an email mentioning that my submission to AoIR 2024 received an 8 out of 10 from the peer reviewers and that I was selected for a paper presentation.

Fast forward, I got to present in a panel on 31st October titled, “Youth Around the Globe,” chaired by Jessica Ringrose. I presented my work titled, “Decolonising the Internet: Experiences of (Cyber)Bullying and Developing Critical Consciousness for Youth of African Descent in Athens.” As the only early career researcher in a panel full of senior researchers and professors, it was nerve-wracking to present my work. My presentation drew on the Participatory Action Research I conducted with AfroGreek youth. It highlighted the pervasive nature of the internet as an algorithmic colony that reinforces the racist stereotypes prevalent in society.

I also explored the idea of developing and fostering critical consciousness in AfroGreek youth and how it helps decolonize the internet. Post-presentation, I received interesting questions from the audience, which further helped me examine various aspects of my research.

I also got to attend many other panels, including my favorites: Marketing and Advertising, Craft and Digital Industries, Why Does Authenticity Still Matter on Social Media, and Datafied Youth. All the panels touched upon the internet and its various tenets as an industry that caters to a global audience through multifaceted mediums.

Kainaat Maqbool delivering a presentation on decolonizing the internet at AoIR 2024, representing Project Participate
Kainaat Maqbool delivering her talk on decolonizing the internet at AoIR 2024, showcasing insights from Project Participate

Social Events and Networking at AoIR 2024

The highlight of the conference for me was the 2024 Plenary Panel dubbed the AoIR Eras Tour, which featured Nancy Baym, Steve Jones, Susanna Paasonen, Limor Shifman, Raquel Recuero, Crystal Abidin, and Catherine Knight Steel. They briefly walked the audience through 25 years of internet research and the Association of Internet Researchers. It was interactive, invigorating, and reflective in the sense that even after 25 years of researching the internet, we still find ourselves questioning many of the same things we have since internet research became mainstream.

I was also very fortunate to be invited to an intimate post-conference dinner of 20 youth and childhood researchers, attended by Professor Sonia Livingstone, Professor Lynn Schofield Clark, and Professor Usha Raman, among others. It was a great gathering, which allowed me an equal space, even as a doctoral researcher, to share my ideas and hopes related to internet research. I also brought up the plight of researchers from the Global Majority who are often overlooked despite their impeccable work.

As always, I also brought up the issues of race, xenophobia, racism, and Islamophobia, which are often ignored in critical research by Western researchers. It felt good to find a safe space among established scholars to share my concerns as a newbie in the field.

Finally, the farewell in Magna Science Adventure Center was easily the most fun I had with strangers last year. AoIR booked the entire center alongside its activities as a means to relax and enjoy after four days of intensive learning and networking. From hitting each other with bumper cars to enjoying different activities and experiments in the science center, it was a night worth remembering.

A slide from Kainaat Maqbool’s AoIR 2024 talk on decolonizing the internet, featuring findings from Project Participate
A slide from Kainaat Maqbool’s presentation at AoIR 2024, exploring how Project Participate addresses internet decolonization

Reflections and Closing Thoughts on AoIR 2024

I felt privileged to attend and afford the AoIR 2024 (thanks to MSCA and the PARTICIPATE project). As one of the very few doctoral researchers chosen, this conference was a positive reminder that there is a place and a solid need for more Critical Race research(ers).

However, I also found myself questioning the accessibility of such places for people with backgrounds like mine. As the only Pakistani representing the only attending Greek university, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, I wondered if we would ever be able to bridge the academic resource gap. Additionally, I constantly questioned why no one was addressing the current political landscape and the resulting global challenges. The underrepresentation of the Global Majority, especially when the purpose of the plenary was to discuss different eras of internet research and major global changes during those periods, felt like a missed opportunity.

While I don’t blame the organizers, I also feel that more could have been done to make the space more inclusive and equitable for those attending from non-Western backgrounds. However, it is worth mentioning that AoIR organizers consistently highlighted their efforts to make the conference more accessible. Therefore, it would be unfair not to credit their attempts to embody the association’s name fully.

For now, I am dreaming of applying again for AoIR 2025 in Brazil, based on the theme of Ruptures. I hope to present the advanced version of my research again and connect with the trailblazing scholars in the field of internet research.

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Kainaat Maqbool delivering a presentation on decolonizing the internet at AoIR 2024, representing Project Participate