The Platform Social is an Edinburgh-based research network of PhD students and ECRs exploring the digital society and the platform economy. Our work spans sociology, political economy, organisational studies, urban studies, science and technology studies, and focuses on citizenship, placemaking, education, labour and markets. We use ethnographic methods to explore the entanglements of platforms and other data-driven or algorithmic technologies in various economic, organisational, political, civic and social processes.
Through reading, reflection and conversation, we are finding out what the stakes are in studying these digital objects, and are forging our identity as a research network. We welcome anyone who is working on similar topics to join us for our hybrid reading sessions and occasional workshops. These are sometimes held in a classroom…and sometimes at the pub!
