Private home rentals have been popular in Cuba since 1997, but the introduction of Airbnb in 2015... more Private home rentals have been popular in Cuba since 1997, but the introduction of Airbnb in 2015 has changed many aspects of the tourism landscape; for example, how hosts are able to advertise their listings, or how neighbors experience tourism in their everyday lives. In this preliminary study, we draw on ethnographic methods from fieldwork in Havana to argue that a proliferation of Airbnb listings places pressure on locals in the city- hosts and nonhosts alike- to perform emotional labor in the interest of accommodating and welcoming tourists and guests. In this way, Airbnb intensifies and extends the working day by enrolling local Cubans into the work of emotional labor.
Proceedings of the ACM on human-computer interaction, Jan 5, 2021
Venezuela is in the midst of a humanitarian crisis. In addition to food and medicinal shortages, ... more Venezuela is in the midst of a humanitarian crisis. In addition to food and medicinal shortages, violent crime has risen dramatically since 2014, spurring a mass exodus from the country. In order to cope with persistent material, informational, and digital infrastructural breakdowns that their friends and family in Venezuela are facing, members of the Venezuelan diaspora have turned to social media platforms to support people they left behind. Through semi-structured interviews and participant observation, I uncover the ways participants form a critical infrastructure for people in Venezuela. I describe participants' actions as infrastructural care --- infrastructural action as a form of caring for others at a distance through the ongoing management of resources, relationships, and infrastructures. Infrastructural care consists of relational, negotiated, and dialectic actions that provide critical support while also generating ongoing tensions as participants are geographically separated from the crisis and, through their involvement, are forced to confront their own experiences of trauma. In addition to proposing the lens of infrastructural care, this paper contributes to our understandings of the ways people cope with an ongoing humanitarian crisis at a distance and how social media platforms fit in with wider ecologies of efforts.
Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction
In order to sustain everyday life in India during pandemic induced lockdowns, home service gig pl... more In order to sustain everyday life in India during pandemic induced lockdowns, home service gig platforms materialized to provide essential services for urban society. As unemployment worsened, these gig platforms also emerged as key sources of paid work for gig workers, with some platforms promising an unusual degree of health and financial support for their gig workforce. Through semi-structured interviews, we examine how women beauty workers engaged with the infrastructural promise extended by home service gig platforms during the pandemic. While gig platforms promoted the potential of stable income and social security in the context of the Global South, we investigate the reality behind this image. We find that various breakdowns, from miscommunication around localized travel restrictions to limited platform helpline access, introduces day-to-day unpredictability for gig workers, hindering access to paid work as well as other platform extended benefits. We suggest that home servi...
Globally, nearly four billion people do not have access to the world wide web (WWW), and efforts ... more Globally, nearly four billion people do not have access to the world wide web (WWW), and efforts to expand WWW access are growing rapidly. Despite these initiatives, local and international barriers along political, economic, and social dimensions continue to limit meaningful Internet engagements for individuals in politically and resource-constrained contexts. I focus on the case of Havana, Cuba, where, until recently, WWW access was limited to 5 % of the population. Based on fieldwork and qualitative research conducted throughout 2014-2018, this dissertation provides an empirical study of how increasing access to the WWW interoperates with locally-configured information networks to form a “Cuban Internet.’’ Against the backdrop of international media narratives that frame Cuba as an “isolated” country, I investigate the emergence of grassroots information networks for knowledge-sharing through content sold on USB thumb drives (“El Paquete”) and an intranet custom-designed by citiz...
Companion of the 2018 ACM Conference on Computer Supported Cooperative Work and Social Computing, 2018
Private home rentals have been popular in Cuba since 1997, but the introduction of Airbnb in 2015... more Private home rentals have been popular in Cuba since 1997, but the introduction of Airbnb in 2015 has changed many aspects of the tourism landscape; for example, how hosts are able to advertise their listings, or how neighbors experience tourism in their everyday lives. In this preliminary study, we draw on ethnographic methods from fieldwork in Havana to argue that a proliferation of Airbnb listings places pressure on locals in the city- hosts and nonhosts alike- to perform emotional labor in the interest of accommodating and welcoming tourists and guests. In this way, Airbnb intensifies and extends the working day by enrolling local Cubans into the work of emotional labor.
This thesis examines how Colombian women within the city of Atlanta utilize Facebook as a paralle... more This thesis examines how Colombian women within the city of Atlanta utilize Facebook as a parallel public sphere, a cultural phenomenon through which the silenced use mediums of popular culture to discuss private and public dilemmas (Dewey 2009). Through ethnographic research in Atlanta, I analyze how these young women use Facebook as they negotiate their identity through the multiple contexts of their everyday lives. Drawing from feminist critiques, I explore whether Facebook provides an alternative to the traditional public sphere, while also investigating how power structures influence freedom of expression online. Through an international network of friends, these women tackle topics of discrimination, personal struggles, and individual accomplishments. By addressing pertinent issues, such as immigration reform policies, through a public forum, Colombian women become activists in order to disseminate information and educate others. This study explores the parallel public sphere,...
Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction, 2021
Venezuela is in the midst of a humanitarian crisis. In addition to food and medicinal shortages, ... more Venezuela is in the midst of a humanitarian crisis. In addition to food and medicinal shortages, violent crime has risen dramatically since 2014, spurring a mass exodus from the country. In order to cope with persistent material, informational, and digital infrastructural breakdowns that their friends and family in Venezuela are facing, members of the Venezuelan diaspora have turned to social media platforms to support people they left behind. Through semi-structured interviews and participant observation, I uncover the ways participants form a critical infrastructure for people in Venezuela. I describe participants' actions as infrastructural care --- infrastructural action as a form of caring for others at a distance through the ongoing management of resources, relationships, and infrastructures. Infrastructural care consists of relational, negotiated, and dialectic actions that provide critical support while also generating ongoing tensions as participants are geographically ...
Extended Abstracts of the 2019 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, 2019
This consolidation of 18 stories from students and researchers of human-centered computing (HCC) ... more This consolidation of 18 stories from students and researchers of human-centered computing (HCC) represent some of the diverse shades of feminism that are present in our field. These stories, our stories, reflect how we see the world and why, also articulating the change we wish to bring.
Conference Companion Publication of the 2020 on Computer Supported Cooperative Work and Social Computing, 2020
From tweeting, to blogging, to engagement with the media, scholars in CSCW engage in a variety of... more From tweeting, to blogging, to engagement with the media, scholars in CSCW engage in a variety of forms of public scholarship. Public scholarship can result in positive outcomes, such as community engagement, accessible research, and self-promotion. Further, public scholarship can support ethical research as a way to (1) reconnect with participants after data collection; and (2) increase the societal benefit of the research. However, despite these benefits there are also challenges and risks associated with engaging in public scholarship, particularly for early career researchers and those who are marginalized. This workshop will bring together those who already engage or are interested in this practice to discuss how to integrate public scholarship in our work, identify best practices for this type of work in the context of CSCW, including the ethical implications of outreach, and develop strategies to effectively support those most affected by the potential risks.
Proceedings of the 2018 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, 2018
Since 2014, Venezuela has experienced severe economic crisis, including scarcity of basic necessi... more Since 2014, Venezuela has experienced severe economic crisis, including scarcity of basic necessities such as food and medicine. This has resulted in over-priced goods, scams, and other forms of economic abuse. We present an investigation of Venezuelans' efforts to form an alternative, Solidarity Economy (SE) through Facebook Groups. In these groups, individuals can barter for items at fair prices. We highlight group practices and design features of Facebook Groups which support solidarity or anti-solidarity behaviors. We conclude by leveraging design principles for online communities presented by Kollock to present strategies to design more effective SEs in environments of low trust.
Private home rentals have been popular in Cuba since 1997, but the introduction of Airbnb in 2015... more Private home rentals have been popular in Cuba since 1997, but the introduction of Airbnb in 2015 has changed many aspects of the tourism landscape; for example, how hosts are able to advertise their listings, or how neighbors experience tourism in their everyday lives. In this preliminary study, we draw on ethnographic methods from fieldwork in Havana to argue that a proliferation of Airbnb listings places pressure on locals in the city- hosts and nonhosts alike- to perform emotional labor in the interest of accommodating and welcoming tourists and guests. In this way, Airbnb intensifies and extends the working day by enrolling local Cubans into the work of emotional labor.
Proceedings of the ACM on human-computer interaction, Jan 5, 2021
Venezuela is in the midst of a humanitarian crisis. In addition to food and medicinal shortages, ... more Venezuela is in the midst of a humanitarian crisis. In addition to food and medicinal shortages, violent crime has risen dramatically since 2014, spurring a mass exodus from the country. In order to cope with persistent material, informational, and digital infrastructural breakdowns that their friends and family in Venezuela are facing, members of the Venezuelan diaspora have turned to social media platforms to support people they left behind. Through semi-structured interviews and participant observation, I uncover the ways participants form a critical infrastructure for people in Venezuela. I describe participants' actions as infrastructural care --- infrastructural action as a form of caring for others at a distance through the ongoing management of resources, relationships, and infrastructures. Infrastructural care consists of relational, negotiated, and dialectic actions that provide critical support while also generating ongoing tensions as participants are geographically separated from the crisis and, through their involvement, are forced to confront their own experiences of trauma. In addition to proposing the lens of infrastructural care, this paper contributes to our understandings of the ways people cope with an ongoing humanitarian crisis at a distance and how social media platforms fit in with wider ecologies of efforts.
Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction
In order to sustain everyday life in India during pandemic induced lockdowns, home service gig pl... more In order to sustain everyday life in India during pandemic induced lockdowns, home service gig platforms materialized to provide essential services for urban society. As unemployment worsened, these gig platforms also emerged as key sources of paid work for gig workers, with some platforms promising an unusual degree of health and financial support for their gig workforce. Through semi-structured interviews, we examine how women beauty workers engaged with the infrastructural promise extended by home service gig platforms during the pandemic. While gig platforms promoted the potential of stable income and social security in the context of the Global South, we investigate the reality behind this image. We find that various breakdowns, from miscommunication around localized travel restrictions to limited platform helpline access, introduces day-to-day unpredictability for gig workers, hindering access to paid work as well as other platform extended benefits. We suggest that home servi...
Globally, nearly four billion people do not have access to the world wide web (WWW), and efforts ... more Globally, nearly four billion people do not have access to the world wide web (WWW), and efforts to expand WWW access are growing rapidly. Despite these initiatives, local and international barriers along political, economic, and social dimensions continue to limit meaningful Internet engagements for individuals in politically and resource-constrained contexts. I focus on the case of Havana, Cuba, where, until recently, WWW access was limited to 5 % of the population. Based on fieldwork and qualitative research conducted throughout 2014-2018, this dissertation provides an empirical study of how increasing access to the WWW interoperates with locally-configured information networks to form a “Cuban Internet.’’ Against the backdrop of international media narratives that frame Cuba as an “isolated” country, I investigate the emergence of grassroots information networks for knowledge-sharing through content sold on USB thumb drives (“El Paquete”) and an intranet custom-designed by citiz...
Companion of the 2018 ACM Conference on Computer Supported Cooperative Work and Social Computing, 2018
Private home rentals have been popular in Cuba since 1997, but the introduction of Airbnb in 2015... more Private home rentals have been popular in Cuba since 1997, but the introduction of Airbnb in 2015 has changed many aspects of the tourism landscape; for example, how hosts are able to advertise their listings, or how neighbors experience tourism in their everyday lives. In this preliminary study, we draw on ethnographic methods from fieldwork in Havana to argue that a proliferation of Airbnb listings places pressure on locals in the city- hosts and nonhosts alike- to perform emotional labor in the interest of accommodating and welcoming tourists and guests. In this way, Airbnb intensifies and extends the working day by enrolling local Cubans into the work of emotional labor.
This thesis examines how Colombian women within the city of Atlanta utilize Facebook as a paralle... more This thesis examines how Colombian women within the city of Atlanta utilize Facebook as a parallel public sphere, a cultural phenomenon through which the silenced use mediums of popular culture to discuss private and public dilemmas (Dewey 2009). Through ethnographic research in Atlanta, I analyze how these young women use Facebook as they negotiate their identity through the multiple contexts of their everyday lives. Drawing from feminist critiques, I explore whether Facebook provides an alternative to the traditional public sphere, while also investigating how power structures influence freedom of expression online. Through an international network of friends, these women tackle topics of discrimination, personal struggles, and individual accomplishments. By addressing pertinent issues, such as immigration reform policies, through a public forum, Colombian women become activists in order to disseminate information and educate others. This study explores the parallel public sphere,...
Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction, 2021
Venezuela is in the midst of a humanitarian crisis. In addition to food and medicinal shortages, ... more Venezuela is in the midst of a humanitarian crisis. In addition to food and medicinal shortages, violent crime has risen dramatically since 2014, spurring a mass exodus from the country. In order to cope with persistent material, informational, and digital infrastructural breakdowns that their friends and family in Venezuela are facing, members of the Venezuelan diaspora have turned to social media platforms to support people they left behind. Through semi-structured interviews and participant observation, I uncover the ways participants form a critical infrastructure for people in Venezuela. I describe participants' actions as infrastructural care --- infrastructural action as a form of caring for others at a distance through the ongoing management of resources, relationships, and infrastructures. Infrastructural care consists of relational, negotiated, and dialectic actions that provide critical support while also generating ongoing tensions as participants are geographically ...
Extended Abstracts of the 2019 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, 2019
This consolidation of 18 stories from students and researchers of human-centered computing (HCC) ... more This consolidation of 18 stories from students and researchers of human-centered computing (HCC) represent some of the diverse shades of feminism that are present in our field. These stories, our stories, reflect how we see the world and why, also articulating the change we wish to bring.
Conference Companion Publication of the 2020 on Computer Supported Cooperative Work and Social Computing, 2020
From tweeting, to blogging, to engagement with the media, scholars in CSCW engage in a variety of... more From tweeting, to blogging, to engagement with the media, scholars in CSCW engage in a variety of forms of public scholarship. Public scholarship can result in positive outcomes, such as community engagement, accessible research, and self-promotion. Further, public scholarship can support ethical research as a way to (1) reconnect with participants after data collection; and (2) increase the societal benefit of the research. However, despite these benefits there are also challenges and risks associated with engaging in public scholarship, particularly for early career researchers and those who are marginalized. This workshop will bring together those who already engage or are interested in this practice to discuss how to integrate public scholarship in our work, identify best practices for this type of work in the context of CSCW, including the ethical implications of outreach, and develop strategies to effectively support those most affected by the potential risks.
Proceedings of the 2018 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, 2018
Since 2014, Venezuela has experienced severe economic crisis, including scarcity of basic necessi... more Since 2014, Venezuela has experienced severe economic crisis, including scarcity of basic necessities such as food and medicine. This has resulted in over-priced goods, scams, and other forms of economic abuse. We present an investigation of Venezuelans' efforts to form an alternative, Solidarity Economy (SE) through Facebook Groups. In these groups, individuals can barter for items at fair prices. We highlight group practices and design features of Facebook Groups which support solidarity or anti-solidarity behaviors. We conclude by leveraging design principles for online communities presented by Kollock to present strategies to design more effective SEs in environments of low trust.
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Papers by Michaelanne Thomas