Ethnographic Approaches to Studying Technology

In this session, Dr Asiya Islam will present and discuss her scholarship on gendered inequalities and the promises of empowerment through work, which is rooted in critical feminist approaches to ethnography. She will examine the gendered digital divide as experienced by Indian women, reflecting on how ethnographic methods have enabled her to approach this subject, and the challenges it has entailed. There will also be space for more open discussion of ethnographic approaches to studying digital technologies, especially in Global South contexts.

Outcomes:

Participants will:

• Develop a better understanding of how ethnographic methods might be used to study the implications of digital technologies;
• Understand the challenges and opportunities of ethnographic research;
• Reflect on the specific challenges of researching digital technology adoption and usage in the Global South.

Contributors:

Dr Asiya Islam is an Assistant Professor in Gender, Development and Globalization at the London School of Economics. Her work focuses on gendered inequalities and the promises of empowerment through work, rooted in critical feminist approaches to ethnography. She is the author of ‘A Woman’s Job: Making Middle Lives in Urban India’ (Cambridge University Press), and has editorial roles at Feminist Review; New Technology, Work and Employment; and the ethnographic storytelling magazine ‘Otherwise’.

Professor Charles Umney is Professor of International Work and Employment at the University of Leeds, and Deputy Director of the WRDTP’s Space, Place Environment and Liveability (SPEL) Pathway.

Important:

• This is an in-person event at the University of Leeds (lunch will be provided).
• This event is open to members of WRDTP partner institutions and other ESRC DTPs.
• Bookings will close at 9.00am on Friday 8th May.
• When booking, we ask that you use your institutional (.ac.uk) email address and complete all fields of the booking form. Thank you for your understanding.

Please note: The WRDTP is committed to sustainability and to reducing the waste from excess catering at events. A key challenge here is non-attendance at events. From October 1st 2025, the WRDTP will be changing the way we manage the non-attendance of PGR students who have booked place/s at WRDTP Training events. Any PGR student who does not inform the WRDTP (via [email protected]) that they will not be able to attend a WRDTP event at least 3 working days before the event takes place will have the cost of their place deducted from their RTSG (if a WRDTP-funded student), or have this charged to their department (if not funded by the WRDTP). This will allow us to better plan for events and to avoid catering waste. Thank you in advance for your cooperation on this matter.

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