Jörgen Rahm-Skågeby

Rahm-Skågeby is an associate professor (docent) in media studies at Stockholm university. He holds a PhD in informatics geared towards interaction design and Human-Computer Interaction; a BSSc in information and media science (including behavioural sciences and systems development); and is completing a MSSc in gender studies. Skågeby’s research bridges media studies, design studies and informatics and envelops for example material interactions theory, media archaeology and norm-critical design. Methods of choice include ethnography, interaction criticism, semiotics, policy analysis, artefact studies et c. Current projects concern material-discursive studies of home computing and the politics of design. Publications include both innovative open access journals and high impact traditional journals.

Rahm-Skågeby works in areas where HCI, media studies, and informatics overlap. Specifcally, he is interested in the continuities and disruptions that can be explored in the relation between temporally separated media technologies and designs. Examples of such research areas are media archaeology, humanistic HCI, posthumanism, and design fiction. He also sustains a recurring interest in media sharing and how it has traveled over different technologies.

Rahm-Skågeby is currently developing two projects: one more historical, and one more futuristic. In the Media archaeology of home computing project we explore both historic and contemporary uses and specificities of so-called home computers. Key concepts are archiving, retrocomputing, t(h)inkering, and artistic practices.

In the Coactive media technologies project, we aim to explore smart technologies from a humanistic HCI perspective. Key concepts are user experience, interaction criticism, discourse analysis, transdisciplinarity, and media genealogies.