The International Relations and Digital Technology Project is a new and innovative research initiative analyzing the impact of ubiquitous digital technology on the theory and practice of international relations.
The International Relations and Digital Technology Project (IRDTP) is a new and innovative research initiative analyzing the impact of ubiquitous digital technology on the theory and practice of International Relations.
The IRDTP will support innovative theoretical research, multimedia storytelling, and experimental projects to explore the intersection of digital technology and international relations. The IRDTP is a partnership between three organizations, leveraging each of their respective positions and areas of expertise to feed into the project’s research outcomes: the Canadian International Council, the Liu Institute for Global Issues and the UBC Graduate School of Journalism. The IRDTP received a two-year Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Partnership Development Grant to build and support its activities.
As the boundaries between the theory and practice of international affairs blur, and technology further transforms how we interact across borders, there is a need for projects that push the boundaries of technological innovation. We think of these not as purely research projects, but as applied experiments. They will be hosted by IRDTP, with the results carefully documented and disseminated.
The IRDTP’s objectives are two-fold: (i) to analyze how digital technology has challenged the underlying assumptions and distribution of actors in International Relations, as well as the wider social sciences context; and, (ii) to experiment with ways in which digital technologies actualize and push the discipline of International Relations forward. At its core, IRDTP will be a virtual hub for research and experimentation, innovating new ways and methods in which we can study international phenomena. The theoretical aspects of the project will be grounded in the International Relations discourse, seeking to provide a robust theoretical framework within which scholars can adequately and rigorously consider digital technology. The experimentation components of the project will build on the practical elements of the research.
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to analyze how digital technology has challenged the underlying assumptions and distribution of actors in International Relations, as well as the wider social sciences context
to experiment with ways in which digital technologies actualize and push the discipline of International Relations forward
evolve and modernize the foundational assumptions of International Relations
evaluate how digital technologies can help in the accumulation and distillation of knowledge in International Relations
employ digital tools to creatively and collaboratively expand the International Relations conversation
bring together traditional and emergent actors in International Relations with pioneers in data collection, analysis, interpretation and visualization to test platforms and technologies that will be of major practical benefit to international actors
Taylor Owendirector
Cameron Tulkproduction manager
Scott Youngfellow
Director
Taylor Owen is the Director of the International Relations and Digital Technology Project. He is also the Senior Editor for OpenCanada.org and the Research Director of the Tow Center for Digital Journalism at Columbia University. He holds a DPhil in International Relations from the University of Oxford.
Production Manager
Cameron Tulk is the Production Manager for the International Relations and Digital Technology Project. He is also the Production Manager for OpenCanada.org. He holds a MA in Media Production from Ryerson University.
Fellow
Scott Young is the Fellow for the International Relations and Digital Technology Project. He is also the Social Media Editor for OpenCanada.org. He holds a MSc in Global Governance and Diplomacy from the University of Oxford and a MA in International Relations from the University of Warwick.
The Canadian International Council is Canada's foreign relations council, established to strengthen Canada's role in international affairs. The CIC's digital media platform, OpenCanada.org, is Canada's hub for international affairs.
The UBC Graduate School of Journalism is the only post-graduate journalism degree program in Western Canada, offering an integrated multi-platform journalism program that combines academic specialization and applied training.
The Liu Institute for Global Issues conducts and facilitates research on global issues, mobilizing knowledge into solutions and policy. The Institute takes an interdisciplinary problem-solving approach to explore new ideas and ways of learning to catalyze innovative thinking and positive societal change.
The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council is the federal research funding agency that promotes and supports postsecondary-based research and training in the humanities and social sciences. The IRDTP is funded through a SSHRC Partnership Development Grant.
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Bitcoins 101
April 9, 2013
In recent weeks, bitcoins have garnered huge amounts of attention. Last week, Maria Bustillos wrote an excellent piece on the bitcoin boom in The New Yorker. The venerable Financial Times also ran a FTAlphaville series called Bitcoinmania. Evan Soltas even speculated on Bloomberg that bitcoin (or more broadly speaking, cryptocurrencies independent of central banks) represented an “existential threat to the liberal modern state.” Altogether, bitcoins are garnering considerable attention from across the board.
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