Janet Lawler

Ph.D. Candidate in Political Theory in the Department of Politics, University of Virginia

I am Ph.D. Candidate in Political Theory in the Department of Politics at the University of Virginia. My focus is on democratic theories of digital media and new technologies with a secondary interest in its feminist intersectionality. I am especially motivated by questions concerning how to structure digital spaces to better suit the norms of democratic discourse and public resources. My dissertation captures the implications of the many ways digital spaces organize, change, and curate our public activity, articulating a new conceptualization of physicality which understands social media sites as infrastructurally governed discursive spaces. By theorizing on algorithmic justice, employing critical theory, and feminist thought, I argue for more public governance of digital spaces to avoid algorithmically reifying social inequities online. In addition, I am also greatly interested and have taught in Ancient Greek and Roman political thought.