Our contemporary digital society: symposium on Digital Health and Well Being

Dr Maria Burke
Dr Maria Burke

The term “digital society” is a current perspective, a way of classifying this moment in time, a way of labelling technological interventions in the early 21st century. In order to achieve this understanding we require research that will help us to critically evaluate our new society. This ‘research of the digital society’ helps us to assess, to explore and to truly understand current situations. However, since the acceptance of the term “digital society”, there have been concerns about finding theoretical research frameworks that ‘fit’ the area and yet are flexible enough to be applicable for the variety of disciplines that are relevant to digital research.

Early sociology frameworks such as the socio-cultural schools of thought, had to take into account a newly changed and fast developing society. This resulted in frameworks that by their very nature had to be robust, yet had to maintain flexibility whilst taking account of changing lifestyles, changing technology and equality issues. Do new disciplines choose or formulate frameworks and if so, how does that happen? The lack of a readily available, tested, robust, theoretical model for digital research is a problem, as we have no readily available point of reference in order to grasp true meaning and implications of the subject.

Symposium on Digital Health and Well Being

A symposium is planned which will allow further discussion of these issues. Our contemporary digital society aims to be socially, economically, and environmentally sustainable in order to improve the health and well being of its citizens. This 2015 symposium on digital health will examine how Information Communication Technology (ICT) addresses challenges faced by citizens, businesses, and public health authorities.

Areas of discussion will include networked systems, smart devices, content sharing, online social networks, trust and reputation, computational analysis and the Internet of Things. The potential increase to the health information value chain is of critical importance to aid healthcare professionals and public health authorities to promote, and companies to invest in, digital health.

This EPSRC symposium, offers a unique platform to address the issues of digital health in the context of sustainable societies.

The one day Symposium on Digital Health and Well Being will be held at MediaCityUK on 12 February 2015.

Media City UK, University of Salford campus

Would you like to join us?

Please email me with your name and phone number so that we can add you to the early booking list. The official booking system will be released early November 2014. So, watch this space.

If you would like any further information about this event please contact:

  • T: 0161 295 5657
  • E: m.e.burke@salford.ac.uk
  • Twitter: @BurkeRia