The Evoke Lab continues a long tradition of simultaneously critical and empirical research on the racial, cultural, ethical, and political dimensions of computing—what earlier researchers called social informatics. We borrow from and contribute to disciplines such as human-computer interaction (HCI), science and technology studies (STS), media studies, Black studies, communication, literary criticism, and the humanities. Across the various sites and peoples we study, we challenge the assumption that data-intensive computation can be objective or neutral with an interest in power: how interested parties cite background cultural norms and shared visions of the future to invest technological life with meaning.

Kling, R. (2000). Learning about information technologies and social change: The contribution of social informatics. The Information Society, 16(3), 217–232. https://doi.org/10.1080/01972240050133661

Current Members

Roderic Crooks (PI); Somphou Saengsouvanna.

Former Affiliates

Andrew Hamann ; sam carter; Lucy Pei; Jina Hong; Uriel Serrano; Samuel Hultman; Arian Salimy; Brian Truitt.

Icons

Dr. Geoffrey C. Bowker; Dr. Judith Gregory.

Potential Students

Professor Crooks is currently accepting applications exclusively via UC Irvine’s Graduate Division for students who have relevant experience.