Each year a small portion of AoIR conference fees go toward several travel scholarships for junior scholars to attend the conference. We want to recognize our scholarship recipients and share with you a little bit about them and their research interests.
Who are you?
I am Esteban Morales. I am Colombian and am completing my Ph.D. at the University of British Columbia in Canada. You can follow me on Twitter @EstebanMoralesV
What is your background?
I am deeply interdisciplinary, connecting three areas in my research: peace and violence studies, education, and media studies. I came to these three disciplines due to the context where I grew up (as a Colombian), my studies (communication and education programs), and my experience working on various educational projects in Colombia and Canada.
What is your current area of study?
My doctoral study is focused on violence on social media. My study, located in Colombia, explores how digital platforms have transformed the ecologies of violence, how young adults experience it in their everyday lives, and how we can have transformative learning experiences around peace and violence in the digital sphere.
Describe the research you will present at #AoIR2022
I will be participating in two events at #AoIR2022. First, I will be at the doctoral colloquium, where I expect to work on my dissertation and learn how to navigate my post-graduation path. Second, I will present a paper on data colonialism in Latin America—based on work led by Dr. Katherine Reilley and civic organizations in Latin America. The presentation is titled “Subordinated by the algorithm: Exploring data colonialism among Latin American citizens.” I will be happy to chat with anybody about either of these projects at AoIR.
Have you presented at AoIR in the past? If yes, what has been your experience? If #AoIR2022 Dublin is your first AoIR conference, what made you choose this conference? What do you expect from it?
#AoIR2022 will be my first time attending AoIR. However, I have been part of the mailing list for some time, and I have great confidence that AoIR is a supportive and critical community where I will be able to grow as a scholar. My main expectation is to know people doing exciting work and find a community to learn and share.