Joe Litobarski (J.S.A.)
I am a PhD candidate in the history of public cybernetics at the History Department and the Science, Technology, and Society Studies Research Programme of Maastricht University's Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. I'm currently researching the transnational history of electronic democracy from the 1960s to the 1990s. I’m also interested in the history of cybernetics, information theory, neoliberalism, cyberspace and virtual public space, as well as in contemporary public debate around the future of digital democracy, social media and AI.
Expertises
Broadly speaking, my expertise is in science and technology studies, the history of democracy, and the history of cybernetics and information theory. More specifically, my research focuses on the transnational history of technologically-mediated deliberative and participatory democracy in the 20th century, particularly where emerging discourse on “electronic democracy” intersected with cybernetics, neoliberalism, information theory, or the early history of Artificial Intelligence and neural networks.
Career history
Before starting my PhD, I worked professionally in European online deliberative democracy for over a decade; connecting citizens with experts and policymakers via digital tools and facilitated virtual group discussions, as well as planning and moderating online panels and workshops.
I have over 15 years of experience as a facilitator; earning a BA (Hons) in Conflict Resolution from the University of Bradford in 2006, then training in facilitative mediation with the Peace and Reconciliation Group (PRG) in Derry / Londonderry in 2005-6, then with Portsmouth Mediation Service in 2007.