My research is inspired by wanting to understand different people’s experiences with digital technology, especially people who are not typically centered in research.”
Annika Pinch (she/her)
PhD Student in the Media, Technology, & Society Program
Annika Pinch is a PhD student in the Media, Technology, and Society Program in the School of Communication. Her research focuses on marginalized communities’ everyday experiences with digital technology, and the different ways they adapt technologies to their own needs. She is currently working on projects related to how people manage stigma online and is interested in digital inequalities, the ethics of the Internet, platforms and algorithms, and the impact of big data systems.
How would you describe your research and/or work to a non-academic audience?
I am researching how people disclose potentially stigmatizing information online, such as one’s LGBTQ+ identity, mental health information, or past criminal record. I primarily use qualitative and ethnographic methods to investigate questions and solutions around this and related topics.
What have been some of the most memorable twists and turns of your career?
When I first started my undergraduate degree at Cornell University, I was an undecided major, trying out a range of topics from astronomy to anthropology. Then, after taking some social psychology courses, I was sure I would become a psychologist. By chance, at the end of my sophomore year, I took one class in the Communication Department called “New Media & Society,” which completely changed my career path yet again. This class examined the culture of digital media through a sociological lens. It was fascinating to me, in a way previous topics hadn’t been. This is what led to me applying to my current program at Northwestern – fascinating how one class can be life-altering!
Tell us what inspired your research and/or work.
My research is inspired by wanting to understand different people’s experiences with digital technology, especially people who are not typically centered in research. Part of my research goal is to amplify these communities and tell their stories. I am a member of Moya Bailey's Digital Apothecary lab, which centers ideas around collective care and pushes back against capitalistic tendencies that do not center human beings, their worth, and their labor. This has inspired me to think about my own work, and how my research might center on social justice and challenge systems of oppression and injustice.
Additionally, my volunteer work in the Chicago community at a re-entry society for people who have been incarcerated and as a writing tutor and pen pal for people in prison has further inspired how I think about my work, and how I can make my research practical and relatable for the communities I study. I have long been inspired by the Bryan Stevenson quote, “You ultimately judge the civility of a society not by how it treats the rich, the powerful, the protected and the highly esteemed, but by how it treats the poor, the disfavored and the disadvantaged.”
Whom do you admire in your field and otherwise, and why?
There are so many people I admire! I look up to my advisers in my PhD program, Jeremy Birnholtz and Moya Bailey, who have both supported me in various ways and do fascinating work that I am lucky to be a part of. I also admire Brooke Duffy, my undergraduate mentor, who sparked my interest in this field and continues to be someone I can always go to for advice. I also admire the work of Safiya Noble, Ruha Benjamin, Sarah Lageson, Jenna Burrell, Malte Ziewitz, Tarleton Gillespie, and numerous others whose ideas have been fundamental in shaping my thinking.
What do you find both rewarding and challenging about your research and/or work?
My research projects have spanned many different topics and interests, which is both rewarding and challenging. It is challenging in that I find myself curious about so many ideas, which means I end up doing projects that can be very different. At the same time, this is rewarding as I get to try new projects and be part of a diverse range of research, which I really enjoy.
How do you unwind after a long day?
This year, I have gotten really into rock climbing. I love the mental focus climbing requires and it is a huge stress reliever for me.
What inspires you?
My family has always inspired me. My parents immigrated to the U.S. from Europe in the 1990s, and the rest of our family is back in Europe. It’s always been my dad, mom, sister, and me in the U.S. together. I have been privileged to have two parents in academia, which played a huge part in my pursuit of a PhD.
My late father inspired many of my research endeavors, helped me to become a better writer, and his love of teaching and mentoring has made me want to be a mentor for others. His mantra, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going” rings in my head during difficult times. My mom is someone whom I admire for her ability to forge a unique path for herself, doing global research and
teaching me the importance of questioning commonly held narratives and pushing back against historical power dynamics. She has also shown me the value of interdisciplinary work and approaching a problem from different angles. My sister has taught me a lot through her dedicated work ethic, support for other people, and love for her job as a chemical biologist. She has always been someone I look up to and I hope to one day find a job I am as passionate about as she is in her work.
Tell us about a current achievement or something you're working on that excites you.
I was recently interviewed for a Business Insider article about some of the work I did as an undergraduate at Cornell focused on the precarity of creative labor on social media. At Northwestern, my research with my adviser Dr. Jeremy Birnholtz on queer dating app use in India just came out in Social Media + Society! This work was a collaboration between Northwestern and Humsafar Trust, an NGO in Mumbai that promotes LGBTQ+ rights.
What are you most proud of in your career to date?
One of my proudest achievements was teaching a public speaking class to Northwestern undergraduates. I used to despise public speaking but have forced myself to do it and get better at it. Little did I know, one day I would be assigned to teach a public speaking class. My own anxieties about public speaking made me a better instructor and able to help those who also shared similar struggles.
Moreover, getting to work with and mentor undergraduates was really special and one of the best experiences at Northwestern so far!
To learn more about Annika, visit here website here.
Published: November 1, 2022
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