Stephen Kovats

Stephen Kovats is a Canadian cultural and media researcher with a background in architecture and urbanism, founding director of the 'r0g_agency for open culture and critical transformation', a transnational non-profit organisation that helps create open systems solutions for sustainable, open and hybrid forms of development in post-conflict and rapid transformation regions. From 2007 - 2011 he was artistic director of transmediale, Berlin's festival for art and digital culture, previously curating the international program at V2_Institute for the Unstable Media, Rotterdam. His interests are focused on open forms of digital collaboration, exploring the dynamic relationships between technological, political, and social space and their application in conflict stabilisation, countering disinformation and online incitement to violence, especially in support of grassroots, social activist and marginalised communities. These aims are pursued through r0g_projects including the #defyhatenow, #ASKnet and Migrant Media initiatives, as well as collaborations within networks such as the Global Innovation Gathering - GIG.