Doing research on Technology and Policing
Call for applications: DIGIPOL Winter School
Contemporary policing is undergoing profound transformations driven by processes of digitalization. Technologies such as mobile data terminals, body-worn cameras, digital platforms and analytical software are increasingly embedded in everyday police work and organizational decision-making. While these developments are frequently framed in terms of efficiency, transparency and modernization, a growing body of research suggests that digital technologies may fundamentally reshape the nature of policing, professional discretion and police-citizen interactions (Ericson & Haggerty, 1997; Chan, 2001; Terpstra & Fyfe, 2015; Terpstra, Fyfe, & Salet, 2019). Much of the existing literature has focused on evaluating the effectiveness of specific technological tools or examining their implications for surveillance, accountability and privacy. However, less attention has been devoted to understanding how these technologies are integrated into everyday policing practices and how they transform the lived experience of police work. In particular, the increasing prevalence of technology-mediated interactions raises important questions about the organization of police work, the exercise of discretion, and the construction of police legitimacy (Aston et al., 2021). Studying these transformations requires interdisciplinary approaches combining insights from criminology, sociology, science and technology studies, and organizational research. The Winter School ‘Doing Research on Technology and Policing’ aims to bring together PhD researchers and early-career scholars interested in exploring theoretical frameworks, methodological strategies and empirical approaches for studying the digital transformation of policing.
Objectives of the Winter School
The course will focus on the theoretical and empirical work related to the winter school’s central
topic and will oƯer methodology workshops suited to address the ethical and methodological
challenges of researching policing settings. Participants will engage in theoretical discussions on
policing and technologies and learn how to implement innovative research methods in their own
work.
Key objectives include:
- Exploring theoretical frameworks relevant to the study of technology in policing (e.g., Science and Technology Studies, Actor-Network Theory, police legitimacy studies, digital criminology).
- Examining diƯerent strategies for collecting and analyzing data on technologically mediated policing practices.
- Discussing methodological challenges related to researching police, police technologies and digital infrastructures (getting access, ethical considerations etc.).
- Encourage participants to reflect on their research through workshops and interactive sessions and to receive constructive feedback on their ongoing research.
- Creating opportunities for networking and collaboration between scholars working on policing and technology.
The winter school will include:
- Keynote lectures by leading scholars in policing studies and technology research.
- Individual paper presentations by all participants, including comments provided by two members of the winter school team.
- Thematic sessions on theoretical and methodological approaches.
- Workshops, interactive sessions, with room for discussion and feedback, focusing on research design, data collection, analysis and publication.
- Networking opportunities with scholars from diverse institutions and countries.
Audience
The winter school is designed for PhD researchers and early-career scholars in criminology,
sociology and broader social sciences related fields who are working on or interested in research
involving the police, digital technologies, and security practices.
Application process
PhD researchers who are (interested in) researching technology and policing, are invited to apply.
Each applicant must submit a CV and an extended abstract (max. 1000 words) presenting their
research. After having received acceptance to the winter school, participants are expected to
write a first full draft prior to the event. They are also required to present their papers during the
event.
Key dates
- 1st June: deadline for submission of abstract (max. 1000 words) and CV
- 1st July: notification of acceptance,
- 1st November: deadline for sending the first full draft
- 1st - 2nd December: Winter school
For more information or to submit your application, please contact Lies Vande Meulebroucke :
Lies.Vande.Meulebroucke@vub.be