This project dissects audiovisual images of digitization, surveillance, and control found in contemporary documentary films such as Citizenfour (Laura Poitras, US 2014), Democracy (David Bernet, D, FR 2015), and Field of Vision – Project X (Henrik Moltke and Laura Poitras, US 2016). Focusing on aspects of expertise, access, and translational processes, it investigates the production of knowledge in terms of big data and media infrastructures – in, with, and through the moving image. This research relies on theories and methods from textual analysis, discourse analysis, and anthropology, as well as science and technology studies.

Rebecca Puchta studied Literature and Economics at the University of Erfurt and “Studies in European Culture“ at the University of Konstanz and Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India. She has taught in Erfurt an Konstanz, at the Salem College, and at the University of Vienna. From September 2017 to 2020, she has been a PhD candidate in the Graduiertenkolleg “Configurations of Film” at the Goethe University Frankfurt am Main. She is currently working in research funding with a focus on digitalization and open science practices.

repu[at]posteo.de