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Systemic sensitivity: on systemic oppression in socio-techical systems
Umeå University, Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Informatics.
2025 (English)Doctoral thesis, comprehensive summary (Other academic)Alternative title
Systemisk känslighet : systemiskt förtryck i socio-tekniska system (Swedish)
Abstract [en]

As technology becomes an integral part of everyday life for many, it also becomes a tool to facilitate harm and injustice towards communities who face marginalization.

To understand and address challenges of systemic oppression, the field of human–computer interaction (HCI) has moved towards framing larger questions of injustice and systemic issues. Through the growing area of social justice in HCI, researchers are collectively working to frame more just futures for communities that have experienced marginalization. 

However, the influence of systemic oppression on socio-technical systems can create hard-to-predict outcomes that ultimately lead to reproducing harmful practices towards marginalized communities. 

Through the included papers in this dissertation, on a range of topics from cultural heritage for Sámi communities, ageism reproduced through technology implementation, socio-political awareness to mitigate technology-facilitated sex trafficking, supporting women with experience of sexual violence to paths of justice, building a cohesive and fluid understanding of social justice in HCI, and critiquing interpersonal safety technologies, I present and discuss how the influence of systemic oppression creates hard-to-predict outcomes in the socio-technical systems we create. I show how these outcomes can lead to reproducing harmful practices towards marginalized communities and why it is important to actively work against this. 

To address the outcomes and harmful practices that I refer to as the “harm-reproduction loop,” I propose a theoretical lens called systemic sensitivity. Systemic sensitivity is a lens to support researchers in understanding the loop, addressing hard-to-predict outcomes and mitigating harmful practices. In doing so, we can more actively work against systemic oppression and work towards socio-political change and long-term contributions towards marginalized communities. 

This dissertation is a compilation dissertation, which means it is based on six papers in total. These papers are the foundation of the work produced, and all have been conducted within social justice in HCI.

Abstract [sv]

Allteftersom teknologi blir en större del av människors liv kan det även bli ett allt större verktyg för systemiskt förtryck av marginaliserade grupper. 

För att förstå och adressera detta har området Människa-datorinteraktion (HCI) börjat centrera frågor om orättvisa och systemiska utmaningar. Genom det växande området ”Social Justice” inom HCI, arbetar forskare tillsammans med grupper och individer som upplevt marginalisering för att främja en rättvisare framtid. 

Men inflytandet som systemiskt förtryck har på socio-tekniska system kan skapa oförutsägbara resultat som i slutändan leder till att skadliga praktiker reproduceras gentemot marginaliserade grupper. Utan att vara känslig inför dessa resultat och skadliga praktiker kan forskare, trots motsatt avsikt, bidra till systemiskt förtryck. 

Genom artiklarna som ingår i denna avhandling presenterar och diskuterar jag hur inflytandet av systemiskt förtryck skapar svårförutsägbara utfall inom de sociotekniska system vi skapar. Jag visar hur dessa resultat kan leda till att reproducera skadliga metoder gentemot marginaliserade grupper och varför det är viktigt att aktivt motarbeta detta.

Grunden till avhandlingens bidrag kommer från 6 artiklar som handlar om allt från tillgång till kulturellt arv för samiska grupper, ålderism som reproduceras via teknologisk implementering, vikten av socio-politisk medvetenhet för att minska teknologiskt-faciliterad sextrafficking, digitalt stöd för kvinnor som upplevt sexuella övergrepp, hur man främjar en sammanhållen förståelse för Social Justice inom HCI, till att kritisera personlig säkerhetsteknologi. 

Avhandlingens bidrag stöttar HCI forskare att förstå och adressera systemiskt förtryck samt främjar positiv socio-politisk förändring gentemot marginaliserade grupper på lång sikt. 

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Umeå: Umeå University, 2025. , p. 81
Series
Research reports in informatics, ISSN 1401-4572
Keywords [en]
Human-Computer Interaction, Socio-Technical Systems, Social Justice, Systemic Oppression, Justice
National Category
Human Computer Interaction
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-237745ISBN: 978-91-8070-678-0 (print)ISBN: 978-91-8070-679-7 (electronic)OAI: oai:DiVA.org:umu-237745DiVA, id: diva2:1952761
Public defence
2025-05-23, MIT.A.121, 13:00 (English)
Opponent
Supervisors
Available from: 2025-04-23 Created: 2025-04-16 Last updated: 2025-04-22Bibliographically approved
List of papers
1. Designing a Digital Archive for Indigenous People: Understanding the Double Sensitivity of Design
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Designing a Digital Archive for Indigenous People: Understanding the Double Sensitivity of Design
2020 (English)In: NordiCHI '20: Proceedings of the 11th Nordic Conference on Human-Computer Interaction: Shaping Experiences, Shaping Society, Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), 2020, article id 26Conference paper, Published paper (Refereed)
Abstract [en]

In this paper we present our work on the design and evaluation of a web-based digital archive. The aim of this research project was to explore ways of enabling easy access to materials about their cultural heritage for indigenous people. In this project we worked in close collaboration with the Sami people across brainstorming sessions, design workshops, prototype development, and user tests. During this process we became aware of two intertwined sensitivities, i.e. a cultural sensitivity and a design sensitivity - and we refer to this as a “double sensitivity”. The data recorded from the interviews and the participants' interaction with the prototype were analyzed using thematic analysis as the methodological approach. Our results pointed at five main code clusters including: tonality of the design, usability, sociability, ethical considerations and technical errors. In this paper we discuss these findings, and we suggest that our results, and the proposed notion of “double sensitivity” contributes important research on human computer interaction (HCI) design for indigenous people.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), 2020
Keywords
Cultural sensitivity, design sensitivity, digital archive, indigenous people
National Category
Information Systems, Social aspects
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-178997 (URN)10.1145/3419249.3420174 (DOI)001334839200111 ()2-s2.0-85123043181 (Scopus ID)978-1-4503-7579-5 (ISBN)
Conference
11th Nordic Conference on Human-Computer Interaction: Shaping Experiences, Shaping Society, NordiCHI 2020, Virtual, Online, October 25-29, 2020.
Available from: 2021-01-22 Created: 2021-01-22 Last updated: 2025-04-24Bibliographically approved
2. A social justice-oriented perspective on older adults technology use in HCI: three opportunities for societal inclusion
Open this publication in new window or tab >>A social justice-oriented perspective on older adults technology use in HCI: three opportunities for societal inclusion
2023 (English)In: Human Aspects of IT for the Aged Population. HCII 2023: Proceedings, Part II / [ed] Gao, Q., Zhou, J., Springer, 2023, p. 519-532Conference paper, Published paper (Refereed)
Abstract [en]

There is a growing strand of research on social justice in HCI. While many contemporary HCI studies are being conducted and analyzed in a social justice context, still few studies examine how this plays out among older adults and their use of technology. In this paper, three streams of HCI and HCI-connected research are mapped out describing personal characteristics, economic benefits, and age-related vulnerability at the forefront of older adults’ technology use. Through an empirical study and a social justice-oriented perspective, I establish how HCI research on older adults’ technology use fails to include important societal factors and misses out on valuable insights such as how societal structures can affect senior’s life and technology use. Contributions posit three opportunities into how a social justice-oriented perspective can benefit research regarding older adults’ technology use in HCI.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Springer, 2023
Series
Lecture Notes in Computer Science, ISSN 0302-9743, E-ISSN 1611-3349 ; 14043
Keywords
Ageism, HCI, Older adults, Social Justice
National Category
Human Computer Interaction Information Systems, Social aspects
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-215231 (URN)10.1007/978-3-031-34917-1_35 (DOI)2-s2.0-85172988254 (Scopus ID)9783031349164 (ISBN)9783031349171 (ISBN)
Conference
9th International Conference on Human Aspects of IT for the Aged Population, ITAP 2023, held as part of the 25th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, HCII 2023, 23-28 July 2023, Copenhagen, Denmark
Available from: 2023-10-18 Created: 2023-10-18 Last updated: 2025-04-16Bibliographically approved
3. Mapping the digital injustices of technology-facilitated sex trafficking
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Mapping the digital injustices of technology-facilitated sex trafficking
2023 (English)In: Human-Computer Interaction – INTERACT 2023. INTERACT 2023 / [ed] Abdelnour Nocera, J., Kristín Lárusdóttir, M., Petrie, H., Piccinno, A., Winckler, M., Springer, 2023, p. 523-527Conference paper, Published paper (Refereed)
Abstract [en]

As technology and social media develop and expand, technology-facilitated sex trafficking becomes increasingly difficult to take action against and prevent. Technology-facilitated sex trafficking implies the use of digital tools such as social media platforms to coordinate trafficking and (mis)lead persons into sexual exploitation, e.g., commercial sex. To address and prevent sex trafficking as it expands through technology, legal frameworks can both help and interfere with the work provided by aid organizations and authorities. We present an expert interview study with six professionals from authorities, women shelters and NGO organizations working alongside the Swedish (governance) Model. Our findings show that digital technology is useful yet heavily challenging for anti-trafficking organizations and authorities in their fight against sex trafficking, exploitation, and digital child abuse. More resources and tools are needed to mitigate the (mis)use of technology and prevent abuse. To do this, we discuss the need to recontextualize efforts against trafficking within the structural conditions and legal model of Swedish society that facilitate exploitation. Furthermore, we propose a series of risk-mitigating approaches which centers four questions for the HCI community working towards anti-trafficking efforts.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Springer, 2023
Series
Lecture Notes in Computer Science, ISSN 0302-9743, E-ISSN 1611-3349 ; 14145
Keywords
Sex Trafficking, Social Justice, Technology Facilitated Farm
National Category
Other Social Sciences not elsewhere specified
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-215239 (URN)10.1007/978-3-031-42293-5_66 (DOI)001290148900069 ()2-s2.0-85172994100 (Scopus ID)9783031422928 (ISBN)9783031422935 (ISBN)
Conference
19th IFIP TC 13 International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, INTERACT 2023, 28 August-1 September 2023, York, UK
Available from: 2023-10-16 Created: 2023-10-16 Last updated: 2025-04-24Bibliographically approved
4. Technological pathways towards justice and change: exploring digital support and socio-political structures of gendered violence with victim-survivors of sexual abuse
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Technological pathways towards justice and change: exploring digital support and socio-political structures of gendered violence with victim-survivors of sexual abuse
(English)Manuscript (preprint) (Other academic)
National Category
Human Computer Interaction
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-237800 (URN)
Available from: 2025-04-17 Created: 2025-04-17 Last updated: 2025-04-17Bibliographically approved
5. Social justice in HCI: current streams, considerations, and ways forward
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Social justice in HCI: current streams, considerations, and ways forward
2025 (English)In: Interacting with computers, ISSN 0953-5438, E-ISSN 1873-7951Article in journal (Refereed) Epub ahead of print
Abstract [en]

The expanding interest in justice-oriented HCI focusing on critical perspectives, structural oppression, and marginalization—often referred to as social justice—is reflected in a growing number of publications over the past few years. Through the continuous growth of social justice in HCI, we argue that now is a good time to provide an overview of the ongoing and current streams of social justice research. We introduce social justice as it has grown in HCI during the last 15 years followed by the most commonly framed theoretical tenets. Secondly, we construct a corpus of 60 HCI articles building on social justice as the main concept. Through our corpus we summarize and present 4 currently ongoing streams of research to further a cohesive, yet fluid understanding of how social justice is shaped and understood within HCI. Describing these interconnected streams also gives us the possibility to frame and describe the current development and move forward as a research community. Based on our study and discussions, we suggest 6 considerations for HCI researchers seeking to work with social justice as a concept, and we emphasize the need for long-term engagement in justiceoriented research to foreground and enable societal change and social good. Through this study, we contribute to the ongoing growth of social justice research in HCI by providing an overview of current streams and ways forward.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Oxford University Press, 2025
Keywords
HCI; Social justice; HCI theory; Concepts and models
National Category
Human Computer Interaction
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-237453 (URN)10.1093/iwc/iwaf009 (DOI)001454762800001 ()
Available from: 2025-04-10 Created: 2025-04-10 Last updated: 2025-04-16
6. "The safest woman alive": a reflection on interpersonal safety technologies for gendered violence protection
Open this publication in new window or tab >>"The safest woman alive": a reflection on interpersonal safety technologies for gendered violence protection
2025 (English)In: CHI '25 Content, 2025Conference paper, Oral presentation with published abstract (Refereed)
Abstract [en]

We tell a story of a woman getting ready to go for a walk, using a plethora of personal safety technologies designed and reported on by HCI researchers to ensure her own safety against public gendered violence (GV). To reflect on this approach, we elicit the Four Domains of Power, highlighting HCI’s over-engagement with interpersonal safety technologies when seeking to intervene in GV.In later parts of the paper, we discuss two main contributions for HCI: (1) The Complexities of Designing for GV as an Interpersonal Problem and (2) Complexities of Designing for Normative Understandings of GV to highlight the potential harm in employing interpersonal technological solutions to socio-political issues. Coming back to the four domains of power, we ultimately argue that HCI-researchers and designers can use the framework to analyse their technological interventions to address GV in more nuanced ways so as to not re-produce shortsighted, solutionist, or victim-blaming technologies. 

National Category
Human Computer Interaction
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-237741 (URN)
Conference
CHI 2025, Yokohama, Japan, April 26 - May 1, 2025
Available from: 2025-04-16 Created: 2025-04-16 Last updated: 2025-04-28Bibliographically approved

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