Esther Hammelburg

Dr Esther Hammelburg is a senior lecturer and researcher at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences and Post-X Society. Her work is focused on the hybridization of our lifeworld and the implications thereof. As our realities are increasingly shaped by a mix of media and physical environments, the media we use have a thorough effect on how we experience the world and act in it. Esther looks at the role of social media in (perceived) polarization and the spread of disinformation, how digital technologies impact our relationship to the deceased and death (death-tech), and hybrid live experiences. Based on her more analytical work, Esther aims to have a societal impact by working on concrete alternatives for big tech social media (civic social media), advising government and policymakers on disinformation, helping event organizers and media makers with designing strong hybrid live experiences, and sharing her insights with broader audiences through op-eds, interviews, videos and podcasts. She is also the festival director of the Society 5.0 Festival in Amsterdam.