Dialogue and consultation on contentious societal issues in a new digital age (Informatics)

In this project, you will work on the project Dialogue and Consultation on Conflictual Societal Issues in a New Digital Age. We live in a time of rapid ecological and social change that redefines the boundaries between state, market and civil society.

Subject description

Information Systems focuses on the design and use of information technology in relation to people, organizations and societies.

Project description

We live in a time of rapid ecological and social change that redefines the boundaries between state, market and civil society. This applies not least to natural resource policy where the interface between industry and society has become an important political arena. There is a growing need for forums that bring these actors together in joint discussions about the future. Previous research has mainly focused on traditional forums for collaboration, while the contemporary debate mainly takes place online and in various digital platforms. Our knowledge of the obstacles and opportunities of digital communication on complex societal issues is currently very limited. The purpose of the project is therefore to examine how digital forums should be designed to support deliberation, contribute positively to the actors involved and result in more fact-based, and generally accepted, processes and decisions. The research is based on comparative case studies of consultation processes in the mineral sector and the forest sector. The project is multidisciplinary and is carried out in close collaboration between the disciplines of political science and information systems and with actors from industry and civil society.

The PhD student working on this project is Shaghayegh (Shay) Shirkhani from Iran. She has a Master of Science degree in Computer Engineering from Luleå University of Technology.

Why did you apply to the SUN Graduate School?

“There were several reasons, the strongest being my constant desire to learn more and my curiosity to be able to answer more complex questions scientifically. This opportunity allows me to use my skills in the most appropriate and meaningful way to make a profoundly positive impact on society. It also gives me a chance to achieve my personal development goals.”

The SUN Graduate School is composed of an interdisciplinary group of PhD students, what do you think about that?

“I find the interdisciplinary nature of the projects offered in the SUN Graduate School very interesting, especially because I have a multidisciplinary background myself. I think this is one of the main advantages of the SUN Graduate School and creates the potential for creative synergy between different groups.”

As a PhD student at SUN, how do you hope to contribute to the industrial and societal transition to achieve the global goals?

“As I mentioned earlier, I have a multidisciplinary background, where I benefit from both my business and organizational perspectives and technology management and technical (engineering) perspectives. This gives me the potential for a more comprehensive insight to be able to achieve the SDGs. I believe that this, together with the knowledge and experience of a wide range of high-profile professors and students within SUN with different backgrounds and completely new ideas, will be a great mix that will give great results.”

Please tell us something you know about Luleå and northern Sweden:

“Since I graduated as a student at Luleå University of Technology, I am familiar with its perfect, multinational and multicultural atmosphere. Obviously, this is a reflection of the whole society, which promises continued fruitful collaborations in various fields in the future.”