Human Agency in Data-Intensive Surveillance
Name of applicant
Anders Albrechtslund
Title
Professor
Institution
Aarhus University
Amount
DKK 9,990,883
Year
2023
Type of grant
Semper Ardens: Accomplish
What?
This project explores the digital surveillance in our lives, focusing on the health domain. It challenges the notion that surveillance is hierarchical and only imposed externally, instead emphasising the active role individuals play. By investigating the “who” of surveillance, it seeks to understand how people experience it, the impact on privacy, and the possibilities for human agency.
Why?
In an increasingly digitised world, understanding the complex relationship between technology and individuals is crucial. This project addresses the urgent need to examine the impact on society of data-intensive surveillance, from privacy concerns to power dynamics. By focusing on the “who” of surveillance and human agency, it aims to provide a nuanced understanding of this evolving landscape.
How?
The project combines established techniques with cutting-edge methods to capture how people experience surveillance within the health domain, categorise what surveillance technologies can do, and explore how individuals exercise their agency. Through case studies in healthcare and daily life, it aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the interplay between technology and society.