Rianna Walcott
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riannawalcott.bsky.social
Rianna Walcott
@riannawalcott.bsky.social
1.5K followers 1.3K following 76 posts
Researcher of social media, so I am contractually obliged to shitpost

Assistant prof @ UMD
Associate director of BCaT Lab
Black Brit abroad, Londoner for life 🇬🇧🇯🇲🇧🇧
MASSIVE hater
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riannawalcott.bsky.social
Rianna Walcott @riannawalcott.bsky.social · Nov 15
Hello! I’m Rianna, an assistant professor of communication at university of Maryland.

I research Black (British) identity, community, and communication practices on social media and our relationship to the broader Black diaspora!

I wrote this in April 🔮 just-tech.ssrc.org/field-review...
#RIP Twitter: The Conditions of Black Social Media Platform Migration
ABSTRACT Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter on October 31, 2022 has left Black Twitter reeling in the wake of over a year of turbulence, with constantly changing affordances rendering the...
just-tech.ssrc.org
Reposted by Rianna Walcott
jwyg.bsky.social
Public Data Cultures is out today on @politybooks.bsky.social! 📗🎊 jonathangray.org/2025/10/23/p...
It aims to nurture critical and creative engagements with public data as cultural material, medium of participation and as site of transnational politics. Happy to see it out in the world! 🦔🌌💜
unboxing Public Data Cultures book Copies of the book on a train in Totoro bag. Front and back cover of Public Data Cultures with quotes and book blurb.
October 23, 2025 at 5:21 PM
riannawalcott.bsky.social
White men starting to approach with interest, time to say farewell to these braids 😪
June 18, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Reposted by Rianna Walcott
thereal3ccentric.bsky.social
Frank Ocean and hotdog water are the same name if you really think about it
June 7, 2025 at 1:48 AM
Reposted by Rianna Walcott
couldrynick.bsky.social
Huge pleasure to meet members of the DISCO network (Aaron, Jeff, Kevin and Rianna) in London last night to celebrate their really important book Technoskepticism!!!
May 23, 2025 at 11:04 AM
Reposted by Rianna Walcott
digitalculturekcl.bsky.social
✨ book launch ✨ – join us to celebrate "Technoskepticism: Between Possibility and Refusal" by @disconetwork.bsky.social on 21st May, 5:30pm 🎊📖
www.kcl.ac.uk/events/techn...

with @riannawalcott.bsky.social @drdavidadelman.bsky.social @lnakamura.bsky.social
@lidazeitlinwu.bsky.social & more
Technoskepticism: Between Possibility and Refusal
The Department of Digital Humanities and the Centre for Digital Culture at King’s College London are delighted to host the launch of the DISCO Network’s Technoskepticism: Between Possibility and Refus...
www.kcl.ac.uk
May 13, 2025 at 6:37 PM
Reposted by Rianna Walcott
kingsdh.bsky.social
📚 Join us at King’s College London on 21 May for the launch of Technoskepticism: Between Possibility and Refusal, a book by @disconetwork.bsky.social exploring the possibilities that technoskepticism can create.

📍 Strand Campus and online, 17:30
🔗 Sign up: www.kcl.ac.uk/events/techn...
Technoskepticism: Between Possibility and Refusal
The Department of Digital Humanities and the Centre for Digital Culture at King’s College London are delighted to host the launch of the DISCO Network’s Technoskepticism: Between Possibility and Refus...
www.kcl.ac.uk
April 16, 2025 at 11:48 AM
Reposted by Rianna Walcott
disconetwork.bsky.social
UPCOMING: A panel discussion of Technoskepticism coming soon to a King's College London near you!

This is a hybrid event, to be held on Wednesday, May 21st from 5:30-7 PM (BST).

View details below, thank you to @kingsdh.bsky.social & @digitalculturekcl.bsky.social for hosting 7 of our co-authors.
Promotional image for a book launch for Technoskepticism: Between Possibility and Refusal. On the left, the book cover features a pale blue background with abstract dark shapes at the bottom. To the right, the words "BOOK LAUNCH" stand prominently in large, blue capital letters above details for the event.
April 15, 2025 at 9:18 PM
Reposted by Rianna Walcott
disconetwork.bsky.social
Link to event page & registration below: www.kcl.ac.uk/events/techn...

Co-authors in attendance: @riannawalcott.bsky.social, A. Joseph Dial, Kevin C. Winstead, Jeff Nagy, @drdavidadelman.bsky.social, @lnakamura.bsky.social, & @lidazeitlinwu.bsky.social
Technoskepticism: Between Possibility and Refusal
The Department of Digital Humanities and the Centre for Digital Culture at King’s College London are delighted to host the launch of the DISCO Network’s Technoskepticism: Between Possibility and Refus...
www.kcl.ac.uk
April 15, 2025 at 9:18 PM
Reposted by Rianna Walcott
disconetwork.bsky.social
Join us one week from today in celebrating the publication of Technoskepticism: Between Possibility and Refusal! We'll be hosting a panel and AI workshop with seven out of fourteen brilliant co-authors on February 14th from 1:30-4:30 PM (EST).

For more info and link to register: myumi.ch/W5m4R
Event poster for the “Technoskepticism Book Launch Party” event on Friday, February 14, 2025 at Weiser Hall 10th Floor & Zoom. Transcribed text: Lunch with the Authors | 12:30 - 1:30 PM Join us for lunch and conversation with seven co-authors. Author Panel | 1:30 - 3:00 PM Huan He (Vanderbilt University), Rayvon Fouché (Northwestern University), Rianna Walcott (University of Maryland), M. Remi Yergeau (Carleton University), Lida Zeitlin Wu (Old Dominion University) Co-authors of Technoskepticism will discuss their new book about how marginalized communities have navigated the tension between embracing and rejecting emerging technologies. They will also explore how to reconfigure writing in the humanities into a collective practice. This panel will be moderated by Oliver Haimson and Wells Lucas Santo. Workshop | 3:00 - 4:00 PM Jeff Nagy (York University) and Lisa Nakamura (University of Michigan) In this interactive workshop, attendees will apply the principles of technoskepticism to current and emerging technologies, with a special focus on AI. About Technoskepticism: Between Possibility and Refusal: From Munchausen by TikTok to wellness apps to online communities to AI, the DISCO Network explores the possibilities that technoskepticism can create. This is a book about possibility and refusal in relation to new technologies. Though refusal is an especially powerful mode—particularly for those who have historically not been given the option to say no—people of color and disabled people have long navigated the space between saying yes and saying no to the newest technologies. Technoskepticism relates some of these stories to reveal the possibilities skepticism can create. Register to attend on Zoom: https://myumi.ch/W5m4R
February 7, 2025 at 10:36 PM
Reposted by Rianna Walcott
disconetwork.bsky.social
Co-authors in attendance: @lnakamura.bsky.social, Jeff Nagy, @lidazeitlinwu.bsky.social, @remiyergeau.bsky.social, @riannawalcott.bsky.social, Rayvon Fouché, and @huandirection.bsky.social

@stanfordpress.bsky.social
February 7, 2025 at 10:36 PM
Reposted by Rianna Walcott
thespacearts.bsky.social
In a world of increasingly polarised online spaces, what are the challenges when building communities online?

👨‍👨‍👦‍👦 Join us at Digital Culture Talks 2025 - our panel will discuss this - and provide timely advice:

@rowiek.bsky.social
@riannawalcott.bsky.social

https://buff.ly/3Cw7kzR
February 3, 2025 at 3:32 PM
riannawalcott.bsky.social
Hyping myself to meet my new class by mumbling ‘they’re more scared of you than you are of them’

doesn’t work as well on public speaking as it does on spiders, but they seem very nice 🫶🏾
January 28, 2025 at 7:54 PM
riannawalcott.bsky.social
Updated my Macbook and seeing the Apple Intelligence integration, wanted to know what I'm up against so I can 'AI proof' my Spring teaching where possible and all I can say is this is all getting impossibly more annoying.
January 20, 2025 at 3:13 PM
Reposted by Rianna Walcott
politybooks.bsky.social
“A meditative, lyrical work – Owusu encourages us to be and think outside our current possibilities in favor of a belief in, and commitment to, making the intentions & dreams of the marginalized tangible.”

@riannawalcott.bsky.social on Melz Owusu’s powerful new book ↓‬‬‬
tinyurl.com/57parbc4
January 20, 2025 at 9:14 AM
riannawalcott.bsky.social
It’s lonely at the top of your game. 😮‍💨🙏🏾
Mushroom and tofu curry and naan
January 19, 2025 at 11:53 PM
riannawalcott.bsky.social
I’ve perfected my naan. 😮‍💨
It’s over for the hoes, I fear. All I do is win 😔
Homemade garlic and cheese naan next to six balls of dough
January 19, 2025 at 11:33 PM
Reposted by Rianna Walcott
dradambanks.bsky.social
It's always a good day when I can introduce students to the dope work happening through the www.bcatlab.org! Also hyped to be reading/discussing Jessica Liu's and @steelecat717.bsky.social crucial article "Joy Is Resistance: Cross Platform Resilience and (re)Invention of Black Oral Culture Online.
Black Communication & Technology Lab
www.bcatlab.org
January 9, 2025 at 5:16 PM
Reposted by Rianna Walcott
foddery.bsky.social
A gentle reminder that new year resolutions don’t have to be about positive changes. You can commit to be more petty, seek revenge, and disrespect your enemies.
January 1, 2025 at 9:53 PM
riannawalcott.bsky.social
how much egg you fry??

EIGHT BOMBARASSCLAAT EGGS??? YU NYAM EIGHT EGG??
EIGHT eggs in a bowl
December 21, 2024 at 4:24 PM
riannawalcott.bsky.social
Everyone is so lucky I’m getting such a warm family welcome in Jamaica (first visit since 2008) because I tell you I would have worked up such an unbearable poetry chapbook about diaspora, identity and the price of ackee

You’re LUCKY I’m not trying to rhyme ‘hurricane beryl’ right now
Family picture with auntie and cousins- Told Dijonay (age 10) ‘trust me this picture will be important to you in about twenty years’ Dad with cousins Worrel and Dennis - Learning about what a MENACE my dad (middle) was when he visited as a boy, surprised a klaxon didn’t go off when his plane landed
December 14, 2024 at 3:45 AM
riannawalcott.bsky.social
Asynchronous winter course for 3 credits - COMM498A/AASP498Q Black Discourse in Digital Communication, open to undergrad and grad students, syllabus link in alt-text, and feel free to email with any questions!

(pls reskeetskeet)

@bcatlab.bsky.social
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_XVjfrIcrdYJPmbXtyQAO_6fyy6LeATy In this course, we will explore the history of Black discourse and orality and how the unique communicative traditions of African diasporic people in the U.S. were formed in relation to technological skill. In this process, we will discuss how the parallel development of racism and Black cultural traditions have equipped Black users to wield digital technology skills in ways that often outpace and differ from the dominant group. We will interrogate manifestations of this use by reading/exploring digital technologies and academic writings about them. Students will investigate the different mechanisms by which communication researchers can study Black users and discourse with a specific emphasis on critical cultural studies methods and digital humanities tools. Finally, we will together design a digital artifact that demonstrates our increased knowledge on the subject and makes this knowledge accessible to a public of our choosing. We will be focused on the communicative practices and technology use of the Black community both in the U.S. and beyond, in the broader Black diaspora. By necessity, we will explore concepts like race, gender, power, and class. We will also engage deeply with Black cultural expression making sure that earnest academic inquiry guides our discussion.
December 12, 2024 at 4:03 PM
Reposted by Rianna Walcott
sjjphd.bsky.social
My own work focuses on counterpublics, and yes, at every point in history folks excluded from the so-called public sphere created their own spaces for political deliberation and influence. It's why the abolitionist press existed in the 1800s, the Black press, the feminist press, etc, etc.
December 8, 2024 at 3:47 PM
Reposted by Rianna Walcott
sjjphd.bsky.social
And here is where, again, we need to stop talking about "the public sphere" as if it ever existed. There were always multiple publics - some w/ more power & access to mainstream spaces like media where political deliberation happens - there are dominant publics, counterpublics, and more.
December 8, 2024 at 3:47 PM
Reposted by Rianna Walcott
sjjphd.bsky.social
While new media extended the boundaries of the public sphere to some extent, old problems have always persisted. Elite capture, anti-democratic radicalization, marginalization, access, etc were never not issues on the old Twitter even when more and more groups were using it to insist on being heard
December 8, 2024 at 3:47 PM
Reposted by Rianna Walcott
sjjphd.bsky.social
I likely missed the discourse around this. There are some sentiments I agree w/ here, but since my own work is the critical study of the all too often lauded concept of "the public sphere" I'd like to say a few things about the opening claim here that people fleeing X are "giving up" on that ideal
Opinion | Bluesky Is Different From X. For Now. (Gift Article)
Users are looking for a more curated experience on a platform that is not constantly trying to get them to interact with brands.
www.nytimes.com
December 8, 2024 at 3:46 PM