Philosophy Seminars - Digital Technologies, Critique and Society
"Skeptical Inertia and Resilience Against Misinformation"
Speaker: Suncem Koçer
Moderator: Emre Şan
In this seminar, we will explore the concept of "resilience" in the context of misinformation. We will begin by addressing why we use the term "resilience" instead of the more commonly associated term "endurance." By focusing on individuals' interactions with their environments, we will examine the challenges we must develop resilience against under the heading of the "post-truth" era. Longitudinal global media research reveals that many people are aware of being exposed to misinformation in the media they consume, yet they do not change their news consumption habits. Despite being aware of the polarized political climate and segmented news consumption, many users exhibit an indifference that shapes their daily and direct engagement with news. We will describe this situation using the concept of "skeptical inertia" and discuss the inherent hope that this situation involves, encouraging us to consider resilience against misinformation. After gathering our courage, we will discuss resilience against misinformation as a systemic issue, concluding with a discussion of the resilience and flaws of our own media ecosystem.
Suncem Koçer Ph.D., serves as an associate professor in the Koç University Media and Visual Arts Department. She earned her Ph.D. from Indiana University, where she double-majored in the Communication & Culture and Anthropology departments. Her current research, situated at the intersection of communication and anthropology disciplines, delves into political communication, news culture, digital media discourses, and misinformation.
* The seminar will be held in Turkish. To attend this seminar, you can create your registration by using the "Register" button on the page and receive your free event invitation. Registrations will open 1 week before the event date (10.04.2025, at 18:30) and the "Register" button will become visible. Participation is limited to a quota of 120 people.
** Participants who have completed the event registration and received their invitation are kindly requested to be at the venue at least 15 minutes before the event. The doors will be closed at the event starting time.