What if Siri and Alexa Unionize? Disentangling Digital Feminist Technoscience, between Gender Bias and Self-determination

Abstract

This contribution takes shape from the conference track titled “Disentangling Digital Feminist Technoscience”, held in occasion of the VIII STS Italia Conference. The article discusses the main insights emerged from the research works presented in the track, identifying digital technologies as assemblages made up of relationships, cultural and social values, as well as imaginaries that can disambiguate, but also overturn, gender bias. The contributions presented reflect, and thus are summarized around, two central issues developed in the literature about feminist technoscience in digital domains, focusing on how digital technologies reproduce gender bias and power asymmetries, but can also generate responsible and conflictual interventions. Ultimately, the article reflects on the potential of technologies and design as important tools to develop a gender-sensitive reflexive stance towards cultures of technology, as well as to subvert gender clichés and create possibilities of transformations.