From many viewpoints, these days we live in a matrix. Our lives sometimes seem as if they are only intersections of cross-cutting pressures ranging from governmental mandates that help control global pandemics to individualized fears of missing out on activities. The very same online communities that keep us connected with friends and family can also be rife with threats and lurking dangers to our safety and sanity.  Streaming media that lightened our dark days may have redeeming powers that we are only beginning to understand. And with the rise of artificial intelligence and voice-activated environments, we may wonder who exactly is in control of our lives.

As we experience this matrix of intersecting forces, many questions arise about the precise nature of our contemporary lives. To what extent are we able to exercise control over our own lives? What are our responsibilities to care for others? How can we protect ourselves from proliferating threats? As we face institutional pressure for conformity, how can we continue to exercise our individual autonomy? All these questions are intimately connected with social media and emerging communication technologies.

This conference brings together a diverse array of innovative scholars to share their research on the intersection of these various concerns and forces and what they mean for the deeper level of issues. The implications of their research extend across a matrix covering international relations, community activism, online behavior, and even to our internal moods. Come to our conference to join in the exploration of our matrix.