Uploaded June 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago
At the heart of democratic theory lies a fundamental belief in the power of speech as essential to democratic engagement. This presentation shifts the focus from active participation and vocal citizenship to explore the critical role of silence within the context of digital infrastructures. In a landscape increasingly dominated by algorithms and platformed interfaces, the act of silence—often overlooked—offers a compelling alternative for understanding the boundaries and limits of democracy. This talk examines how silence interacts with and is shaped by the very digital environments designed to quantify all forms of interaction, including the silent gestures of skipping, scrolling, and hesitating. By investigating the affirmative potentials of silence in a society that prioritizes voice and speech, this talk examines how digital infrastructures impact and are impacted by silence, understood as a fundamental aspect of discourse.
At the heart of democratic theory lies a fundamental belief in the power of speech as essential to democratic engagement. This presentation shifts the focus from active participation and vocal citizenship to explore the critical role of silence within the context of digital infrastructures. In a landscape increasingly dominated by algorithms and platformed interfaces, the act of silence—often overlooked—offers a compelling alternative for understanding the boundaries and limits of democracy. This talk examines how silence interacts with and is shaped by the very digital environments designed to quantify all forms of interaction, including the silent gestures of skipping, scrolling, and hesitating. By investigating the affirmative potentials of silence in a society that prioritizes voice and speech, this talk examines how digital infrastructures impact and are impacted by silence, understood as a fundamental aspect of discourse.
