Tech, Politics and NFTs: MMU reveals its latest Digital Society Series

Spanning five days and several areas of pioneering research, the biennial free-to-all Digital Society series offers an enlightening insight into the academic enquiry and expertise at Manchester Metropolitan University.

In a celebration of the ‘exceptional and diverse’ scholastic groundwork within Manchester Met’s Faculty of Arts and Humanities and beyond, each event explores the impact of a growingly computerised civilisation on various core elements of life, with days respectively dedicated to politics, play, methods, art and the environment.

The series begins on Mon 6 Jun with an interrogation of present and future political demands in the digital society. The University of Maryland’s Dr. Daniel Greene delivers a keynote speech on ‘The Promise of Access’, before a showcase of research into the personal and professional conditions of platform food couriers in Manchester and Cluj-Napoca, Romania.

The next day features a fascinating line-up of panels focusing on the concept of play in a digital context, promising discussions on challenges to the video game industry, philosophical speculation on ‘playful subjects’ within games, and the politics of children’s ‘digital playgrounds’.

Wednesday’s itinerary entails panels on digital methodology itself, wherein an illustrious roster of academics discuss digital health, innovations and social media influence in the context of app walk-throughs and user product guides.

Thursday is all about the arts – in particular, the seemingly inescapable art of the moment, with a packed morning schedule of films and lectures all about the NFT. Featuring helpful elucidation, industry perspectives and future concerns, experts from the new School of Digital Arts (SODA), and Modern English’s Andy Hearst gather to provide a broad yet detailed picture of the newest digital landscape, followed by virtual reality workshops in the afternoon.

The final day of the series examines digital society through an environmental prism, with a presentation from Manchester Met’s Digital Sustainability HUB and a keynote address aiming to answer the defining question of our age: are digital technologies good for the planet?