Investigating Structural Articulations of Power in Information Creation: A Constructivist Grounded Theory Study of Queer-Created Fanfiction, presented by Dr. Diana Floegel

Abstract: Online spaces such as social media platforms have been lauded for their potential to be “great equalizers,” but in reality, they reify existing oppressions. Our understanding of how oppression manifests online is largely limited to how “Big Tech” platforms like Facebook and Twitter operate. However, many other types of platforms exist on the internet, and some of these spaces explicitly try to be inclusive of people with traditionally marginalized identities. My research explores queer people’s participation in online media fandoms as a context through which to examine how connections between people’s practices and platforms’ policies produce marginalization within seemingly inclusive digital environments. My dissertation specifically focuses on how structural power dynamics including racism, homophobia, and colonialism relate to inequitable dimensions of a) creative practices, b) community formations, and c) platform governance structures. My findings bolster our understanding of online environments writ large and help us consider ways to develop more just and liberatory social media platforms in the near future.

Bio: Diana Floegel earned their doctorate in Communication, Information, and Media at the Rutgers School of Communication and Information. They currently work as a Senior Regulatory Analyst at the Institutional Review Board at the University of Pennsylvania. Their research focuses on equity in online creative communities, information practices, and information institutions like libraries.