Digital Culture & Society (DCS): Vol 8, Issue 1/2022 - Coding Covid-19: The Rise of the App-Society

Code is a computer-based language used to program software and organize administrative processes, visualize information, perform behavior control, and reinforce shared imaginaries based on surveillance and dread. This special issue of Digital Culture & Society explores the concept of code in relation to the Covid-19 crisis, highlighting how it has become intertwined with other forms of coding and is structuring a new way of being in and seeing reality.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 144 pages
Publication date: 27 May 2023
Publisher: Transcript Verlag

The code, a versatile and powerful tool, serves as both a computer-based language for programming software and a functional and visual language for organizing administrative processes, visualizing information, performing behavior control, and reinforcing shared imaginaries based on surveillance and dread. In this remarkable special issue of Digital Culture & Society, we delve into the intricate relationship between code and the Covid-19 crisis. The contributions in this issue challenge the notion that these two forms of coding have undergone a profound intertwining during the pandemic, shaping a novel way of being and perceiving reality. They explore the emerging practices of data-driven surveillance and representation of the pandemic's evolution at various levels, including real-time epidemiology, sensor technologies, science policies, push media, and the diverse counter-discourses that seek to challenge and subvert these practices.

The contributions in this special issue shed light on the ways in which code has become an integral part of our lives during the pandemic. They highlight the ways in which code is used to track and monitor individuals, monitor public health, and implement policies and interventions. They also explore the ethical and societal implications of these practices, including concerns about privacy, surveillance, and the potential for discrimination and harm.

Furthermore, the contributions in this issue examine the role of code in shaping our understanding of the pandemic and its evolution. They explore the use of data visualization, machine learning, and other computational techniques to track and analyze the spread of the virus, as well as the development of vaccines and treatments. They also consider the ways in which these technologies have been used to perpetuate misinformation and conspiracy theories, and the challenges associated with combating these phenomena.

In conclusion, this special issue of Digital Culture & Society provides a comprehensive exploration of the concept of code in relation to the Covid-19 crisis. The contributions in this issue challenge our understanding of the relationship between code and society, and offer valuable insights into the ways in which code is shaping our world in the wake of this unprecedented pandemic.

Dimension: 24 x 16 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783837659030