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Chloë Arkenbout (she/they)
researcher, editor, teacher, speaker

Through critical research and as a teacher, I hope to contribute to a world where everyone, regardless of their gender, sexual orientation & preference, skin color, religion, age, financial situation & profession, and physical & mental health, is treated equally. 
 

Researcher & Editor at the Institute of Network Cultures

 

The Institute of Network Cultures (INC) is an applied science research unit that specializes in digital culture, inside the Digital Media and Creative Industries faculty of the Amsterdam University of Applied Science. With a strong focus on the transdisciplinary nature of new media and its DIY and open source components, the INC gives equal attention to the artistic, political and technical aspects of the internet and other emergent media. As such, the INC’s area of research extends to design, activism, art, philosophy, political theory, and urban studies. The INC maintains that the internet can only be understood at the conjuncture of

these various fields.


As a Researcher & Editor I am responsible for actively giving direction to new research in the field of internet critique and digital culture. From writing fund applications to building & maintaining a network of relevant contacts (such as researchers, journalists, artists, and activists). During the production phase, I am responsible for leading the research team and coordinating the (hybrid) events & publications. 

I am interested in the tactics marginalized people use to change oppressive discourses in the digital public sphere - from social media comment wars and call-out culture to political memes - in the context of ethics, looking at how relationships of power and norms are shaped. I also co-edited the two INC Readers about critical meme research that were published in 2021 and 2022. 

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Teacher, Ethics and Diversity & Inclusion at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences


Next to my role as Researcher at INC, I work as a teacher at the Communication and Multimedia Design program at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences. I am involved in the Speculative Design and Designing the City for All electives, where I help students to think more theoretical about their digital designs and to reflect on their own bias, in the context of the society they live in and the future they would like to see. I also counsel students with their graduation projects. In addition to my role as a teacher, I am also a member of the university's Research Ethics Committee and I take part in a couple of Diversity & Inclusion workgroups. 
 

Academic Background  & Volunteer Work


I have a background in both Media Studies and Philosophy (BA, pre-MA and MA at the University of Amsterdam). 

 

During the Amsterdam City Council elections in 2022, I supported the Amsterdam BIJ1 communication team as a volunteer during the campaign. I was responsible for interviewing the first six candidates. This resulted in intimate video portraits and articles on the website. In the past, I have also volunteered for organizations such as Amnesty International NL, Voedselbank Amsterdam, and Rode Kruis Amsterdam.

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Culture & Society Copywriter 


Before this, I worked as a freelance Copywriter, Communications Consultant and Journalist for multiple years. 

I worked with clients in the cultural and social sector such as 113 Zelfmoordpreventie, Amsterdam Art Weekend, Amsterdam Dance Event, Amsterdam Light Festival, COC Nederland, Volkshotel, Friendly Fire, Gemeente Amsterdam, Museumnacht Amsterdam, CJP, Solidaridad, VICE, TEDxAmsterdamWomen and various electronic music events, urban developers and creative entrepreneurs.

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Publications & Appearances 

Topics I write and speak about include:

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(political) meme studies / the digital public sphere / social media comment discussions & call out culture / algorithmic censorship in social media platforms / intersectional justice & revolutionary philosophy / research ethics / speculative & social design / queer theory & experience 

 

2023
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  • Confessions of a Political Meme Maker in SWIPE by Mieke Gerritzen (Next Nature Network), 2023 (forthcoming).

  • Memes Beyond Images, SWIPE launch @ Next Nature Network, Evoluon (speaker), 2023 (forthcoming).

  • De meme als activistisch speculatief ontwerp @ Design Academy Eindhoven (gastlest), 2023 (forthcoming).

  • Memes as Political Tools for Radical Change: Reflections on Viral Image Culture @ Master Photography and Society, Royal Academy of Art The Hague (guest lecture), 2023 (forthcoming).

  • Memes as an Artistic Research Practice @ Research Creation: Merging the Critical and Creative, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (guest lecture with Laurence Scherz), 2023.

 

2022

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2021

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