Organised by Research Area 5: "Building Digital Communities".

Presentation by Dario Rodighiero (University of Groningen/Fellow in Research Area 2: "Travelling Matters"): A Latourian Trajectory from Digital Design to Science and Technology Studies

One of the most underestimated aspects of Bruno Latour's laboratory, the Sciences Po médialab, was its remarkable ability to bring together sociologists and engineers through design. The médialab fostered a unique collaboration by integrating data, graphics, and interaction designers to mediate between social science researchers and engineers. This fruitful partnership has been nurtured by a longstanding relationship with Density Design, an information design laboratory based in the Polytechnical School of Milan, founded by Paolo Ciuccarelli.

In this presentation, Dario Rodighiero will delve into two key projects that have shaped his trajectory, propelling him to assume the role of Assistant Professor of Science and Technology Studies, despite his background in digital design. The first project revolves around "An Inquiry Into Modes of Existence" (AIME), where an experimental close-reading interface was developed to navigate the book’s references and indexes. The second project, known as Weather Maps, seeks to visualise public debates by analysing many newspaper articles, drawing inspiration from synoptic charts, and aligning with Latour's pedagogical method of controversy mapping. These two projects not only bear witness to Dario Rodighiero’s personal academic journey but also underscore Latour's endeavour to utilise design as a bridge between sociology and engineering, particularly within the realm of digital humanities. As highlighted by Latour during the Digital Humanities Conference in 2014, "at a certain point, you need an Italian designer." This presentation will delve into this remarkable contribution to the field, exploring the significance of design in fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and understanding.

Online participation is possible via Cisco WebEx Meetings:
https://fu-berlin.webex.com/fu-berlin/j.php?MTID=mf253dc08412f3deb90f1a596e3898b3e