critical infrastructure lab

In 2023, six out of nine planetary boundaries have been breached. We are facing multiple ecological and environmental crises while we continuously ignore planetary boundaries. Digitalisation and the use of Information and  Communication Technologies (ICTs) are proposed as ways to face these crises. But is this techno-solutionism, i.e. the hope that more technology can solve the problems of earlier technology, not just an utopia? ICT can provide some benefits, such as reducing the need for travel or improving energy management. However, their ubiquitous deployment and use, and their constant renewal cause severe socio-environmental damage and fall short of equity throughout their life cycle. We question the relevance of continuously introducing new digital systems, and the relevance of propositions solely focused on improving efficiency without addressing the socio-environmental damage these systems cause. As is, these systems and their optimizations are “band-aid” solutions that fall short of developing broader perspectives and focusing on systemic change – revising our current models and considering alternative systems.

The aim of SICT 2024 is to provide participants with a comprehensive insight into the multifaceted landscape of socio-economic harms along the supply chain and life-cycle of products, as well as the efforts being made to promote sustainability issues, and to foster a systemic understanding of the collective action required to shape a more sustainable future in the ICT sector. Throughout the week, voices from academia, politics, artists, activists and organisations will come together to discuss and analyse the sustainability challenges facing the ICT sector. The summer school will aim to move away from neo-colonialist and extractivist debates on how much pollution is acceptable for progress, to an approach that is making room for the most impacted to be heard.

We invite people from diverse communities, academic fields, the industry and arts to come together for a five-day summer school in early September 2024, in Brussels, Belgium. The event will be held in English. Places are available to master/PhD students, researchers, senior academics and people working in the industry and arts. We may have a limited number of scholarships available, details on this will be announced in the coming months.

Dates: September 9-13 2024

If you’d like to register, please follow this link.

On July 8, 2024, an important multistakeholder meeting took place at Huys Clingendael, organized by the Clingendael Institute in collaboration with Internet Society Netherlands (ISOC NL). During this event, titled “Digital Sovereignty: Sense or Nonsense?”, around 150 stakeholders and experts gathered to discuss the current state of digital sovereignty and to identify concrete steps to ensure digital autonomy. Ruben Brave, chairman of ISOC NL, opened the meeting with an inspiring speech, followed by Maaike Okano-Heijmans, Senior Research Fellow and Head of the Geopolitics of Technology and Digitization Program at the Clingendael Institute, who moderated the sessions.

Theme I – Data Sovereignty: What Do We Want to Protect?

• Availability and Access: The panelists emphasized the risk of losing access to essential data and the need to reduce dependence on non-European cloud providers.
• Protection of Information: There was a debate about which information should remain within Europe and be actively protected, especially in sectors like defense, public administration, energy, and healthcare.
• Solutions: A balanced approach combining both protection and efficient data processing was seen as necessary to ensure both security and innovation.

Theme II – European Beehive Cloud Megascaler

• Scope and Definition: Developing an all-in-one package with essential services such as S3 object storage, Kubernetes, and IAM, meeting the highest safety and interoperability standards.
• Role of the Government: The government was encouraged to act as both a customer and investor, and to stimulate prototyping and the creation of a Beehive Cloud Megascaler.

The critical infrastructure lab fellow, Corinne Cath, contributed to the gathering as a member of the expert panel, together with Diana Krieger, Bert Hubert, Martijn Lucassen and Paul Brand.

Please find more information, including key takeaways and a preview of an upcoming follow-up event in October 2024 (in Dutch) here.

The Digital Methods Initiative (DMI), Amsterdam, is holding its annual Summer School on ‘Visual methods: From platform aesthetics and data visualisation to AI hermeneutics’. The format is that of a (social media and web) data sprint, with tutorials as well as hands-on work for telling stories with data. There is also a programme of keynote speakers. It is intended for advanced Master’s students, PhD candidates and motivated scholars who would like to work on (and complete) a digital methods project in an intensive workshop setting. For a preview of what the event is like, you can view short video clips from previous editions of the School.

Dates: 1-12 July 2024

More information here:
https://wiki.digitalmethods.net/Dmi/SummerSchool2024

https://summerschool.uva.nl/content/summer-courses/digital-methods-summer-school/digital-methods-summer-school.html

5G, de vijfde generatie draadloze technologie, staat aan de vooravond van een revolutionaire verschuiving in de manier waarop we communiceren, werken en leven. Deze geavanceerde technologie belooft niet alleen ultrasnelle mobiele connectiviteit, maar biedt ook een breed scala aan toepassingen die onze samenleving zullen transformeren. Maar is dit wel iets wat we moeten willen? En wat heeft 5G de consument te bieden?

Sprekers:

Aina Seerden

Imme Raurus

Niels ten Oever

Website

Tickets

Join us on Friday, June, 14th when Niels ten Oever will be speaking about his recent paper ‘Internet Sanctions on Russian Media: Actions and Effects‘ at Workshop session 3.

The 2024 Politicologenetmaal (or: Annual Political Science Workshops of the Low Countries) will be held in Maastricht, bringing together political scientists from over 40 universities for two days of inspiring workshops, thought-provoking discussions, and valuable networking opportunities.

Please check the event website for more information and the programme.