Covid-19 and the enforced digitalization of academic life

The Covid-19 pandemic has affected people around the world and brought with it many challenges, beyond the obvious tragedy of lives lost and health issues. Closure has been an evident consequence; borders, societies, schools, universities. Face-to-face contacts have been replaced by digital ones.

In this special installment of the Geomedia Speaker Series we will focus on the consequences of closures and enforced digitalization in the wake of the pandemic, for academic life and conversations. We are particularly interested in questions of technological dependence vs. empowerment; precariousness vs. privilege, and altered perceptions of space/place and social relations.

The seminar will bring together three international colleagues in a discussion around the transformations of academic life during the Corona pandemic.

Paul Adams, professor of Human Geography, The University of Texas, Austin
Trine Syvertsen, professor of Media and Communication, University of Oslo
Karin Wahl-Jorgensen, Professor of Journalism Studies, Cardiff University, Geomedia guest professor, Karlstad University

Schedule

14.00-14.10 Introduction
14.15-14.45 Paul Adams, Teaching and Learning through the COVID-19 Crisis
14.50-15.20 Trine Syvertsen, Conflicting flows: Interrruptions, media overload and academic life during Covid-19 lockdown
15.20-15.40 Break
15.40-16.10 Karin Wahl-Jorgensen, Is there life on Zoom? Reflections on teaching and research in pandemic times
16.15-17.00 Panel discussion and Q&A