The mindless knowledge economy

We often assume that a technologically advanced economy is all about a highly skilled labour force engaging in creative forms of self-expression. However, the dream of getting rid of dull and boring jobs through automation seems to be a utopia.

Zane Kripe • March 11, 2015 • 2 comments

Function Creep

After last years revelations of the NSA spying activities, hackers often despair over the lack of public interest in online privacy. An anthropological focus on the specific context of such activism may help explain this.

Dorien Zandbergen • April 07, 2014

Dompas: Apartheid in Utrecht?

There is an app that shows you the shortest way to downtown Utrecht, called the Dompas. It is embarrassing that the developers of this app haven’t ‘googled’ this term, and so missed its dirty history in apartheid policy.

Jan Jansen • March 10, 2014

Real Smart Cities are not user-friendly

The European debate on Smart Cities should focus less on “user-friendliness” and more on open access and engaging citizens in the complex political issues involved in the creation of technologies and cities.

Dorien Zandbergen • December 18, 2013

Data confessions of the quantified self

'Quantified Selfers' are people who spend a lot of their time tracking, measuring and counting physical, mental and emotional aspects of their 'selves'. Critics refer to them as narcissistic 'datasexuals'. Dorien Zandbergen offers another explanation.

Dorien Zandbergen • July 01, 2013

leidenanthropologyblog

information society

Blogs

The mindless knowledge economy

Function Creep

Dompas: Apartheid in Utrecht?

Real Smart Cities are not user-friendly

Data confessions of the quantified self