Social Justice and the Digital

A cross-disciplinary cluster exploring how digital systems shape power, inequality, and social change. We bring critical perspectives to digital life and work towards more just, inclusive, and democratic futures.

Abstract image showing scales of justice and figures of people

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About our work

The cluster brings together critical, interdisciplinary research on how digital systems shape power, inequality, labour, representation, and social change. It creates a shared space for colleagues and PGRs across information studies, journalism and communication, urban innovation, and related fields, with strengths in qualitative, ethnographic, participatory, discourse-based, and mixed-methods research.

Our interests include digital justice and inequality; platforms and data; digital labour and creative work; smart technologies and the city; digital cultures and everyday life; media and social change; and alternative digital futures, including democratic, cooperative, and public-interest models. We are particularly interested in work that challenges dominant assumptions about technology and innovation, centres marginalised voices and lived experiences, and connects scholarship to public debate, policy, practice, and impact.

Within the School, the cluster provides a home for critical dialogue, conceptual development, and collaboration across disciplines. It supports paper development, grant capture, external partnerships, and researcher development, especially for PGRs and ECRs.

Our activities

Fortnightly one-hour meetings focused on discussion, exchange, and planning around shared research interests and ongoing research (activities).
Themed sessions on paper development, funding opportunities, impact, and conceptual or methodological discussion.
“Critical friends” sessions to support works in progress, from early ideas to draft papers and proposals.
PGR- and ECR-focused activities, including mock vivas, confirmation reviews, conference presentations, and writing support.
External-facing activities such as guest speakers, joint webinars, cross-faculty collaborations, and an annual cluster away day.
Summer activities, e.g. Cluster Away Day.

Get involved with our work

The Social Justice and the Digital cluster is co-led by Dr Jun Zhang (j.zhang3@sheffield.ac.uk) and Professor Laurence Brooks (l.brooks@sheffield.ac.uk). If you are a member of the School of Information, Journalism and Communication and wish to join the cluster, or you work in a related field and wish to collaborate, please get in touch.