Chris Wiley's Preliminary Exam
PhD candidate Chris Wiley will present his dissertation proposal, "Black Queer and Trans Men Online: Information Practices, Visibility, and Platform Constraints." Wiley's preliminary examination committee includes Associate Professor Sarah Park Dahlen (chair); Assistant Professor Travis L. Wagner; Associate Professor Ghassan Moussawi, Department of Sociology; and
Associate Professor Andre Brock, School of Literature, Media, and Communication at Georgia Institute of Technology.
Abstract
Black trans men navigate digital spaces that simultaneously marginalize them and serve as vital sources of information, community, and identity formation. While existing research explores the online information practices of marginalized groups, limited scholarship specifically examines how Black trans men use digital platforms to construct identity, access resources, and build community.
This study investigates their digital information practices within sociotechnical systems that structure visibility, participation, and belonging. It addresses three core research questions:
- What are the digital information practices of Black trans men?
- What types of digital communities and technologies serve as information resources?
- How do online spaces influence identity formation, visibility, and engagement?
This research uses Critical Technocultural Discourse Analysis (CTDA) and semi-structured interviews to examine how Black trans men curate, share, and interpret information online. Overall, this work examines digital platforms contributions to discussions about race, gender, and information marginalization.
Question? Contact Sarah Park Dahlen.
This event is sponsored by iSchool