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Aarushi Bhandari

Assistant Professor of Sociology, Davidson College
My current research trajectory focuses on the attention economy; the economies constructed for information and communication technologies (ICTs), especially the internet and social media. My book Attention and Alienation: Reflections on the Many promises of ICTs for Social Progress is under contract with Columbia University Press. This book presents quantitative data on internet and mobile penetration across the world from 1990-2020 to unpack the historical impacts these technologies have had on different elements of global change, including international development and social movements. Throughout the book, I weave narratives about my own experiences growing up as a young millennial girl during the Nepali Civil War. These narratives provide the contexts, positions and perspectives that inspire my analysis of the data.

Expanding on my interests in the phenomena of technology and attention, my newer projects focus on the study of meditation and mindfulness as radical tools to reclaim our attention from “big tech” firms and social media platforms. As a teacher, I am especially keen to uncover this line of inquiry to support my students for whom digital and social media are integral aspects of living. My next book project will be at the nexus of the study of attention, mindfulness and the future of technology.

Finally, I am also continuing my work on communication technologies and society through interdisciplinary collaborative projects on the social dimensions of rapidly evolving Artificial Intelligence (AI) and language models.

Taylor Swift and the end of the Hollywood writers strike – a tale of two media narratives

Sep 29, 2023 01:55 am UTC| Entertainment

This fall, Ive been starting my sociology classes by asking my students to share some uplifting news theyve come across. On Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023, they were abuzz about Taylor Swifts appearance at the Kansas City...

Economy

Vietnam, U.S. Firms Plan 29 Deals Across Energy, Tech and Aviation

Vietnamese and U.S. companies are expected to announce a broad package of commercial agreements covering energy, technology, aviation and financial services next week as Vietnamese leader To Lam visits New York. An...

UK Inflation Rises to 3.1% Ahead of BoE Rate Decision

UK inflation accelerated in August, adding pressure on households and policymakers just one day before the Bank of England is expected to announce its latest interest rate decision. Official figures released Wednesday...

Asian Currencies Subdued as Yen Slides Ahead of Fed, BOJ Decisions

Asian currencies traded mostly cautiously on Wednesday as the Japanese yen weakened to a one-week low and the U.S. dollar remained near multi-week highs ahead of key Federal Reserve and Bank of Japan policy decisions. The...

Saudi Arabia Raises Security Alerts as Houthi Attacks Threaten Oil Routes

Saudi Arabia issued widespread security alerts on Tuesday, including in Mecca and Jeddah, as attacks by Iran-aligned groups intensified and raised fresh concerns over Middle East oil supplies and Red Sea shipping. The...

Hong Kong Unveils First Five-Year Plan to Boost Finance, Tech and Housing

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee unveiled the citys first five-year development plan on Wednesday, outlining measures to strengthen its status as a global financial hub, improve residents livelihoods and deepen...

Politics

US Confirms Weapons in Orbit as Space Tensions Rise

The United States has publicly acknowledged operating weapons in Earths orbit, marking a major shift in how the Pentagon discusses military capabilities in space as competition with China and Russia intensifies. U.S. Air...

South Korea’s Cho Hyun to Meet Rubio in Washington

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun will travel to Washington this week for talks with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, as Seoul and Washington seek to maintain close coordination on their bilateral alliance, the...

Ovechkin Faces Scrutiny Over United Russia Campaign Video

Washington Capitals star Alexander Ovechkin has drawn renewed attention over his political ties after appearing in a campaign video connected to United Russia, the ruling party backed by Russian President Vladimir Putin....

U.S. Imposes New Visa Restrictions Over South Africa Policies

The United States has announced a new visa restriction policy targeting certain foreign nationals from South Africa, marking another deterioration in relations between Washington and Pretoria. U.S. Secretary of State Marco...

UK PM Andy Burnham Set for First Trump Meeting in New York

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham is expected to meet U.S. President Donald Trump for the first time next week in New York, marking their first face-to-face talks since Burnham took office. The meeting is expected to...

Science

Blue Origin New Glenn Explosion Could Delay Launch Operations Until 2028

Blue Origin is facing a significant setback after a dramatic explosion involving its New Glenn rocket severely damaged a launch pad at Cape Canaveral, Florida. According to NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, repairs to the...

Blue Origin New Glenn Rocket Explodes During Launch Pad Test, Delaying Space Ambitions

Blue Origin suffered a major setback after its uncrewed New Glenn rocket exploded during a launch pad test in Florida on Thursday, raising new challenges for Jeff Bezos space company as it competes with Elon Musks SpaceX...

SpaceX Delays Starship V3 Launch Ahead of Potential Record IPO

SpaceX on Thursday postponed the highly anticipated launch of its 12th Starship rocket test from Texas after technical issues interrupted the final countdown. The company now plans to attempt the Starship V3 launch again...

Trump Administration Releases New UFO Files and Apollo Mission Records

The U.S. Defense Department has released dozens of previously classified UFO-related files following an order from President Donald Trump, sparking renewed debate over unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) and government...

China vs. NASA: The New Moon Race and What's at Stake by 2030

The space race is back and this time, its a direct competition between the United States and China for dominance on the lunar surface. NASAs Artemis II mission recently made history when four astronauts flew farther into...

Technology

Databricks to Invest $350 Million in Singapore AI Expansion

Databricks plans to invest more than $350 million in Singapore over the next three years, expanding its presence in the city-state as demand rises for its data and artificial intelligence products. The privately held data...

SK Hynix, Intel Discuss U.S. Memory Chip Production Deal

SK Hynix is reportedly in discussions with Intel over a potential agreement to manufacture memory chips in the United States, a move that would mark the South Korean semiconductor giants first U.S.-based memory production....

DOJ Will Investigate AI-Related Crimes, Attorney General Blanche Says

U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche said the Department of Justice will investigate individuals or companies connected to artificial intelligence when there is evidence they have violated federal criminal law, while...

Meta CEO Zuckerberg Backs Independent AI Safety Reviews Over Development Slowdown

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has argued that artificial intelligence companies should prioritize independent safety evaluations and stronger alignment rather than slowing the pace of AI development. Zuckerberg said AI...

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang Expected at Trump-Xi State Dinner

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is expected to attend a state dinner hosted by U.S. President Donald Trump for Chinese President Xi Jinping next week, placing one of the technology industrys most prominent executives at the center...