Introduction to Race and Technology

How do ideas about race get encoded in the design of new technology? How have science and technology shaped our understanding of race and identity? Drawing on research in anthropology, history, media studies, STS, and beyond, we will consider how technology can reinforce and amplify racial inequality. From the 'scientific' origins of the concept of race in the 18th century to contemporary algorithms that attempt to detect a person's race from their image, we will explore how social ideas about race are both embedded in and transformed by technology. We will also highlight how communities of color have resisted the encroachment of harmful technologies and developed alternatives that promote racial justice. Topics covered will include: algorithmic bias, policing and borders, surveillance, disinformation, data colonialism, and labor issues like micro-tasking and data annotation. This introductory course has no prerequisites and welcomes students of all disciplines.