[Air-L] Critical Realism and Digital Technologies: Platforms, AI and Human Agency

[Mark Carrigan]

*Critical Realism and Digital Technologies: Platforms, AI and Human
Agency *January
19th, 1pm GMT, Online

What does it mean to be human in an age of generative AI and ubiquitous
platforms? This joint book launch brings together two new works that draw
on critical realism to interrogate digital technologies and their
implications for education, selfhood and society. Jérémie Bouchard
presents Humanising
Language Education in the Generative Artificial Intelligence
<https://www.routledge.com/Humanising-Language-Education-in-the-Generative-Artificial-Intelligence-Age-A-Critical-Realist-Approach/Bouchard/p/book/9781041135678>
Age, examining GenAI's presence in language education through a social
realist lens. Mark Carrigan presents Platform and Agency: Becoming Who We
Are
<https://www.routledge.com/Platform-and-Agency-Becoming-Who-We-Are/Carrigan/p/book/9781032895970>,
exploring how platforms shape personal and collective reflexivity across
biographical timescales. Following the authors' presentations, responses
from Helen Beetham, Dave Elder-Vass, Clive Lawson and Angela Dy will open
up a broader conversation about critical realism's contribution to
understanding digital life.

Register here: https://forms.gle/hGohMitRAqXTJA2L8


Dr Mark Carrigan FRSA
Senior Lecturer in Education
Manchester Institute of Education
University of Manchester

www.markcarrigan.net



*I occasionally send e-mail outside of normal hours as my preferred way of
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*Latest book: *Platform & Agency - Becoming Who We Are
<https://www.routledge.com/Platform-and-Agency-Becoming-Who-We-Are/Carrigan/p/book/9781032895970>
*Latest paper*: Teacher agency and generative artificial intelligence
<https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17439884.2025.2575993>
*Latest chapter: *Generative AI and the next phase of the platform
university
<https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781003442264-9/generative-ai-next-phase-platform-university-mark-carrigan-sylvia?context=ubx&refId=84a3cb31-7633-429e-9bf3-f8e07ab03c39>
*Latest guest blog: *A new academic year has begun, but UK universities are
still struggling to respond to AI
<https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsocialsciences/2025/09/26/a-new-academic-year-has-begun-but-uk-universities-are-still-struggling-to-respond-to-ai/>