Digital Society & Economy
We lead research into the relationships between digital technology and social and economic change
About us
Our research explores the dynamics of digital society, examining how digital technologies shape and intersect with social and economic change. We aim to reshape the global agenda on social and digital change. This goal complements and connects the theme with the Glasgow Social and Digital Change Group.
Find out more about the Glasgow Social and Digital Change Group
Latest News
Browse our latest events, project highlights and blog posts below. If you would like to feature your work on our page, please email digital-irts@glasgow.ac.uk.
BLOG | Scottish Productivity Forum Interview
We’re welcoming a new colleague Daniel Williams, who has joined the Adam Smith Business School as a Research Associate in the ESRC-funded Scottish Productivity Forum which is part of the UK-wide Productivity Institute...(read more)
EVENT | IRT Festive Social
Friday 8 December, in person
Join us for some festive cheer! This is a social and networking event to bring together the five interdisciplinary research themes (IRTs) communities of interest to connect with colleagues and wrap up the year....(read more)
SYMPOSIUM CALL | Future of Digital Editing & Publishing
Digital Society & Economy IRT Lead Bridgette Wessels is working with the C21 Editions project in welcoming submissions for their International Symposium on the Future of Digital Editing & Publishing...(read more)
BLOG | IRT members attend UN Experts meeting on Home/Family & Climate
Digital Society and Economy member - Bridgette Wessels and visiting fellow, Jennifer Challinor - were invited to produce a paper and attend the UN Experts meeting on Home/Family and Climate. The meeting was at the Nottingham Conference centre on the 28th and 29th September...(read more)
EVENT | Participatory Investigations - Workers as Futurist
The Digital Society & Economy IRT recently hosted an innovative methods workshop exploring The Worker as Futurist project, which supports rank-and-file Amazon workers to write and publish short, specualtive fiction stories about “the world after Amazon.” .... [read more]
EVENT I The Triple Bottom Line and AI
Wednesday 29 November, 2023 (in person)
As part of the Gaitherin, as we explored a growing trend that redefines productivity in today's ever-evolving economic, social, and environmental landscape...(read more)
EVENT I New perspectives on productivity
Thursday, 30 November, 2023 (in person)
To celebrate the National Productivity Week, IRT Digital Society and Economyteamed up with The Productivity Institute Forum hosted an illuminating and insightful conference event: “New Perspectives on Productivity: Scale Deep, Crowdfunding and Purposeful Business”...(read more)
EVENT I Customers, Consumers and End-users as FinTech innovators?
Thursday, 30 November, 2023 (in person)
To celebrate the National Productivity Week, The Productivity Institute Forum and the IRT Digital Society and Economy at the University of Glasgow teamed up to bring you an event on "Customers, consumers and end-users as FinTech innovators? Reflections on the Consumer Duty"...(read more)
EVENT I Innovation Districts, Partnerships and Communities of Innovation
Friday, 1 December, 2023 (in person)
To conclude the Scottish programme of National Productivity Week, the Scotland Productivity Forum and the IRT Digital Society and Economy at the University of Glasgow hosted an illuminating and insightful conference event: “Innovation, place and communities: innovation districts, partnerships and communities of innovation”...(read more)
UPDATE I Two new visiting fellows for Interdisciplinary Research on Digital Society and Economy
We welcome Jennifer Challinor and Al Duff as visiting fellows with the Digital Society and Economy interdisicplinary research theme...(read more)
What Digital Society & Economy Means to Me
Our aim is to lead and facilitate social science research that explores the dynamics of digital society, examining how digital technologies shape and intersect with social and economic change.
Watch these short videos from our theme leaders and discover what the Digital Society & Economy theme means to them and their research.
Digital Society & Economy to me...
Bridgette Wessels
Bridgette is Professor of Social Inequalities with her main expertise in Digital Society. Examples of her areas of research, which has impact embedded in it, include social exclusion and digital divides, financial exclusion and the e-economy, social media and political inequality, health inequalities and telehealth, welfare services and (digital) identity, local journalism and inclusion and e-policing, ethnicity and communities. Bridgette has also contributed to research policy by informing strategy, the development of research programmes, and providing recommendations to UKRI, EU and NSF funders.
Digital Society & Economy to me...
David Flynn
David is a Professor of Cyber Physical Systems. Examples of his research interests include, Data Humanism for an inclusive energy transition, Digitalisation for improved operational and planning decision support for critical infrastructure and services, and scalable and trustworthy autonomous assistants for industry and societal.
Find out more about David's research >>
Digital Society & Economy to me...
Dominic Chalmers
Dominic is a Senior Lecturer in Entrepreneurship and Innovation. His research has been published in leading journals, including the Financial Times 50-ranked Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship, Theory and Practice. He is part of a €4.5 million Horizon 2020 project that examines the legitimisation of new technologies, including the bio-economy and digital platforms. Dominic's current research includes examining emerging digital entrepreneurship trends such as blockchain and multi-sided platforms.
Digital Society & Economy to me...
Lavinia Hirsu
Lavinia is a specialist in rhetoric and writing studies, holding a PhD in Composition, Literacy and Culture from Indiana University and an MA in TESOL/ Applied Linguistics from Iowa State. Her research is transdisciplinary, bringing together strands from digital literacies, social inclusion and integration, rhetoric and composition, and translingualism and translingual pedagogy. Lavinia's work has appeared in Computers and Composition and JAEPL: The Journal of the Assembly for Expanded Perspectives on Learning and I am currently involved in a series of projects with professional and public impact.
Digital Society & Economy to me...
Gemma Milne
Gemma Milne is a Glasgow-based writer and researcher focused on narratives surrounding, activism in and political economy of science and technology. She is author of 'Smoke & Mirrors: How Hype Obscures the Future and How to See Past It'; is an Interdisciplinary Research Fellow in Digital Society and Economy at Glasgow University and is completing her PhD at Edinburgh University focused on corporate futurism.
Jennifer Challinor
Jennifer Challinor is the Head of Research and Development at The Crichton. She has been with the Trust since January 2018. She leads on embedding age-friendly, zero carbon and technology-driven innovation into both the work of the organisation and local communities. She is passionate about testing the next generation of innovations and understanding the challenges and opportunities of adapting to technology a climate emergency and an ageing society in rural communities. She coordinated the ‘Building the Case for a Care Campus’ Project for the Trust. This was a 3-year community-led project that ended in December 2020. During this project she worked to explore the opportunities of an ageing rural population and how rural places can innovate and be empowered to find solutions that work for them.
