Please join us for a special research presentation by visiting scholar, Jasmine Banks, hosted by Temi Odumosu. 

Jasmine Banks 

Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Psychology, University of Michigan 

Current RUA Scholar visiting the iSchool 

“If You Know, You Know”: Researching the Characteristics of Black Digital Culture 

Please note: Jasmine’s talk will ONLY be available via Zoom.

Abstract: In an era where digital technologies and media have become integral to our everyday lives, understanding the nuanced ways in which these tools and platforms are utilized by various communities has become increasingly important. Particularly within Black communities in the US, there is a rich tapestry of social and emotional experiences that are specifically navigated and communicated through digital media. In this talk Jasmine Banks describes her doctoral research on the ways Black culture is expressed and negotiated in the digital environment for emerging adults aged 18-29. From the outcomes of focus group interviews, she chronicles how the characteristics of Black identity discourses, intimacies, and community-building online, inform relational dynamics in wider virtual and real-world communities. As an interdisciplinary scholar working at the intersection of psychology, media and communication, black studies, and critical data studies, Banks will also detail the urgent ethical considerations involved in making marginalized and vulnerable communities visible in research, as well as navigating issues of trust, potential misuse of data, and sensitivities around privacy and publicness in digital spaces. The overall aim is to show how Black digital culture is charting vital steps towards more inclusive and equitable futures. 

Speaker Bio: Jasmine Banks is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Psychology and a Center for Racial Justice Graduate Fellow, and a DISCO Graduate Fellow at the University of Michigan. Jasmine examines the intricacies of Black digital culture at the intersection of race, identity, and technology, focusing on the digital manifestations of African-American traditions, meaning-making processes, and individual and collective identity development. In addition, she explores the experiences of Black women in online dating 

Research Keywords: Black digital culture, online dating, race, digital studies, cultural studies, identity development, social justice