Diverse Sci-Fi Wikipedia Hackathon

I will be leading a series of science fiction workshops in conjunction with Catch: Center for Art, Design, and Technology as well as Artsformation around my recent solo exhibition exploring diverse works of sci-fi. Free to attend, the ‘Digital Alchemy: Workshop Series will explore how we can learn and grow in our understandings of technology by exploring works of science fiction written by diverse perspectives. The first event is a Wikipedia hackathon where we consider the role of Wikipedia as a source of knowledge by examining the entries for science fiction and science fiction technologies.

There has been a long and rich history between science fiction and the development of new technologies. From virtual reality to teleconferencing, science fiction has left its ongoing influence on our present day device-driven world. But technologies are not neutral: they are imbued with the values and interests of their creators. What are the implications, then, if many of the works of science fiction which we see attributed to modern technologies were penned by white cisgender heteronormative male authors? What are the implications if the same dominant voices are overwhelmingly centered in the design and development of new technology products? Who gets a voice in creating the future and who is excluded?

In the workshop we will work together to collectively decide and develop wikipedia entries around the subject of diverse works of science fiction. No prior experience with editing wikipedia is required. Sign up information can be found at Artsformation: https://artsformation.eu/news/science-fiction-hackathon/

Science Fiction Workshops: Registrations open for the first Hackathon!