Dr Son Vivienne

Son is a Lecturer in Digital Media at Flinders University of South Australia. Recent projects, undertaken as a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow based at the University of Queensland’s Centre for Communication and Social Change (CfCSC), include scoping research in Free and Open Source Software and Digital Citizenship in India and Australia; and development of a hybrid online/face to face teaching space exploring ICTs and Community Media in Development contexts.

Son undertook their doctorate based at ARC Centre of Excellence for Creative Industries and Innovation (CCi) at Queensland University of Technology, where their research explored Digital Storytelling as a tool for Everyday Activism, focusing particularly on the problems of Voice, Queer Identity and Networked Publics. This research explored intersecting theory and practice in the form of participation in and facilitation of 3 substantial case studies with data sourced via ethnographic observation, interviews with participants and facilitators, and analysis of the Digital Story texts that were produced. Their research has made a valuable contribution in capturing experiences of social marginalisation and documenting the complex journeys people take towards acquiring agency. Son has recently written their first book, called 'Digital Identity and Everyday Activism: sharing private stories with networjked publics', published by Palgrave Macmillan.

In years previous, Son worked as writer/director/producer of drama and documentaries, tackling subjects as diverse as youth suicide; drug culture in Vietnamese communities; and lesbian personal columns. As creative principal of ‘Incite Stories’, Son also produced and co-directed ‘Wadu Matyidi’, a kids animation and documentary package exploring the rejuvenation of the Adnyamathanha language and culture of the Flinders Ranges.