DERC applies cutting edge ethnographic approaches to better understand how digital tech impacts our present lives and potential futures.

Our researchers work alongside students, communities, governmental or nonprofit agencies, and corporate partners to explore the creative possibilities of digital technologies as well as the social, economic, and political impacts. Our expertise ranges from studies of everyday lived experience, workplace and organizational analysis, policy and strategy analysis, design ethnography, co-design workshops, and creative collaborations with communities of practice.

Hosted by RMIT in Melbourne, Australia, DERC offers world class training ground for PhD students. Ranked as one of the top two research centres in Australia focused on the social impact of digital media, DERC welcomes visiting artists, activists, and scholars from around the world.

News

image of speaker and title of talk

How Autoethnographic are you?

Annette Markham launches the 2021 Autoethnography PhD Summer School June 7, 2021, from 10:30-12:00 CET. Recording will be available on request

Events, News posted on June 3, 2021

DERC teams up with Roskilde University for the 2021 Autoethnography PhD Course

RMIT's Digital Ethnography Research Centre and Roskilde University in Denmark are collaborating to offer a PhD symposium and course in June 2021.

News posted on March 12, 2021

India Internship
India Internship

DERC / India Internship

The DERC Internship aims to extend the realm of digital research, questions, and methodologies to Indian students, particularly from regional universities.

News posted on February 8, 2021

DERC Researchers Rowan Wilken and James Meese awarded ARC Discovery Project

Rowan Wilken and James Meese have been awarded an Australian Research Council Discovery Project for their project 5G and the Future of Public Telecommunications.

News posted on November 14, 2020

DERC Researcher Haiqing Yu awarded ARC Future Fellowship

Haiqing Yu's project examines the development of the social credit system in China from a cultural and social perspective.

News posted on August 2, 2020

abstract image of corona virus

DERC’s research on COVID continues to surge ahead

We may have been in lockdown, but that didn’t stop DERC researchers from launching several projects to study the pandemic.

News posted on July 21, 2020

Tweets

11 Jun

Interested in locating "placeless" memories? A special issue of Memory Studies is exploring this theme and features @micronarrative article on mobile media, loss and data in life and afterlife. #digitalethnography #DigitalMethods @ResearchRMIT @dcpecp
http://ow.ly/Hy6A50F6XRj

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8 Jun

New DERC member @gemmasou’s paper argues that if researchers conceal their sexuality (or other identities) in fieldwork they silence & speak for research participants. #ethnographymatters @RGS_IBG @SGSC_RMIT http://ow.ly/5FuO50F1GcE

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3 Jun

How autoethnographic are you? DERC Prof @annettemarkham will give keynote on June 7 to launch the 2021 PhD summer school on Autoethnographic Research Approaches hosted in collaboration with @roskildeuni + @ResearchRMIT

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3 Jun

New article by DERC’s @jesshardley & @ingzing in @AFSJournal. This article explores how geo-locative & network functionality of mobile media impacts upon the perception of safety and risk at night.
http://ow.ly/vC2r50F1F5L

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24 May

Who makes games, who plays them, and what, how and where do we play? @ingzing @micronarrative & @huedavies explore the sites, genres, platforms, interfaces and contexts for games and gameplay.
http://ow.ly/dx0e50ETveS
@ResearchRMIT @dcpecp @media_comms

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