British Academy recognition for ‘digital children’ project

Goldsmiths, University of London academic Dr Veronica Barassi has been awarded a Mid-Career Fellowship by the British Academy.

Dr Barassi, a Lecturer in the Media & Communications department, is one of 47 researchers across the country who have been recognised for their distinguished publication record and excellent communication of their work.

Mid-Career Fellowships allow academics to focus on a major piece of research and to communicate their work to a wider audience, by obtaining time away from teaching and administration commitments.

Dr Barassi’s project, ‘Child, Data, Citizen’ will investigate how the expeience of childhood is being transformed by the production of personally identifying digital data.

It will analyse how families are reacting to the ‘datafication’ of children and how they understand digital surveillance and privacy.

Through this study, Dr Barassi aims to shed light on the fact that the question about children’s data traces runs parallel to new questions about digital citizenship.

She said: “I am truly delighted and honoured to have been awarded the Mid-Career British Academy Fellowship. This is the opportunity I have been dreaming of. The Fellowship will enable me not only to complete the project, but also to work on a programme of public communication and engagement that aims to raise critical questions about the complex relationship between children’s data traces, online privacy and social justice.” 

Dr Barassi will take up her award on 1 January 2018 and it will last for up to 12 months.

More information about the Child, Data, Citizen’ project is available here.