Shobita Parthasarathy
@shobitap.org
Science & tech politics/policy incl patents. Author: next book on politics of inclusive innovation/tech for equity. #STS scholar. Prof & Director, Science, Technology, and Public Policy Program, U of Michigan. Expert Voices columnist, Science. shobitap.org
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Shobita Parthasarathy
@shobitap.org
· Sep 18
Beware the drive to scale technology
When it comes to technology, scalability—its capacity to be standardized and then distributed en masse and across contexts—is the ultimate goal. Scientists and engineers view scalability as the route ...
www.science.org
I am a new Expert Voices columnist @science.org and my first article just came out! In it, I argue that scaling technology has a dark side, particularly when it comes to alleviating inequality and injustice. And I suggest what scientists, engineers, and policymakers can do about it.
Reposted by Shobita Parthasarathy
New on H-Sci-Med-Tech:
Check out Joy Rohde (@umich.edu)’s review of Peter C. Grace (@universityofotago.bsky.social)’s book _The Intelligence Intellectuals: Social Scientists and the Making of the CIA_ pub 2026 @ Georgetown University Press
#hstm
Review available @hnetreviews.bsky.social
Check out Joy Rohde (@umich.edu)’s review of Peter C. Grace (@universityofotago.bsky.social)’s book _The Intelligence Intellectuals: Social Scientists and the Making of the CIA_ pub 2026 @ Georgetown University Press
#hstm
Review available @hnetreviews.bsky.social
January 12, 2026 at 3:56 PM
New on H-Sci-Med-Tech:
Check out Joy Rohde (@umich.edu)’s review of Peter C. Grace (@universityofotago.bsky.social)’s book _The Intelligence Intellectuals: Social Scientists and the Making of the CIA_ pub 2026 @ Georgetown University Press
#hstm
Review available @hnetreviews.bsky.social
Check out Joy Rohde (@umich.edu)’s review of Peter C. Grace (@universityofotago.bsky.social)’s book _The Intelligence Intellectuals: Social Scientists and the Making of the CIA_ pub 2026 @ Georgetown University Press
#hstm
Review available @hnetreviews.bsky.social
What also strikes me, based on the excellent analysis in this article, is that Beardsley is not a serious scholar. Which is a problem when you want to lead a serious academic institution (but American academia seems increasingly interested in these business types, sadly).
This seems to strongly suggest that the incoming president of UVA doctored his CV to the edge of outright dishonesty, and that the most recent changes came months before Jim Ryan was forced, as if they were made in anticipation in Ryan’s removal. augustafreepress.com/news/vanishi...
How UVA’s presidential search missed what took us an hour to find
Inside Higher Ed frames the controversy surrounding Scott C. Beardsley's appointment as the University of Virginia's president.
augustafreepress.com
January 11, 2026 at 8:18 PM
What also strikes me, based on the excellent analysis in this article, is that Beardsley is not a serious scholar. Which is a problem when you want to lead a serious academic institution (but American academia seems increasingly interested in these business types, sadly).
Is it just me, or have you seen a sharp increase in white manels over the last year or so? 🤔
January 11, 2026 at 7:59 PM
Is it just me, or have you seen a sharp increase in white manels over the last year or so? 🤔
Reposted by Shobita Parthasarathy
According to this FT article, Sir Paul Nurse says: “I’m afraid there’s many bad people around, but they have made scientific advances.”
The ‘but’ in this quote says it all…
So don’t blame us when we lose faith in institutions that regard integrity as irrelevant to designating scientific greatness.
The ‘but’ in this quote says it all…
So don’t blame us when we lose faith in institutions that regard integrity as irrelevant to designating scientific greatness.
Musk should remain member of UK Royal Society, says president ft.trib.al/tC0vaAa
Musk should remain member of UK Royal Society, says president
Paul Nurse tells FT that national science academy should avoid ‘making judgments’ about ‘character’ of fellows
ft.trib.al
January 11, 2026 at 5:14 PM
According to this FT article, Sir Paul Nurse says: “I’m afraid there’s many bad people around, but they have made scientific advances.”
The ‘but’ in this quote says it all…
So don’t blame us when we lose faith in institutions that regard integrity as irrelevant to designating scientific greatness.
The ‘but’ in this quote says it all…
So don’t blame us when we lose faith in institutions that regard integrity as irrelevant to designating scientific greatness.
Reposted by Shobita Parthasarathy
We evacuated our kids out of Minneapolis this weekend and my spouse reports that as she drove them out of town she saw "multiple freeway exits where people are being pulled over." It feels like the Twin Cities is being subjugated by a hostile occupying force.
January 10, 2026 at 1:47 AM
We evacuated our kids out of Minneapolis this weekend and my spouse reports that as she drove them out of town she saw "multiple freeway exits where people are being pulled over." It feels like the Twin Cities is being subjugated by a hostile occupying force.
Reposted by Shobita Parthasarathy
Apropos of absolutely nothing to do with the masked men with no visible agency insignia carrying crates of who knows what out of the shooter's house, but HBO just released an amazing documentary into DHS "shadow units" whose job was to destroy evidence of Border Patrol's crimes
HBO documentary sheds light on Border Patrol’s now-defunct ‘shadow units’
“Anastasio was tragically tortured, beaten, kicked, stomped, and killed by border agents,” said Guerrero. “Unfortunately, that was only the first part of the story, the second par…
www.borderreport.com
January 9, 2026 at 9:35 PM
Apropos of absolutely nothing to do with the masked men with no visible agency insignia carrying crates of who knows what out of the shooter's house, but HBO just released an amazing documentary into DHS "shadow units" whose job was to destroy evidence of Border Patrol's crimes
Reposted by Shobita Parthasarathy
YES, this. How many years did these same orgs refuse to call a lie a lie, and then all we have are lies and they're like ... why does no one trust us?
It's not some failure of middle-school civics teachers. People hate being lied to maybe hate it more when you know it's a lie but refuse to say so.
It's not some failure of middle-school civics teachers. People hate being lied to maybe hate it more when you know it's a lie but refuse to say so.
I think nothing makes people lose trust in news organizations as much as when they’ve seen something with their own eyes — and then see news coverage that doesn’t comport with what they themselves experienced. presswatchers.org/2026/01/why-...
Why would anyone trust a news organization that treats obvious truths as debatable? | Press Watch
The ICE agent who killed Renee Nicole Good was the aggressor, not the victim. That’s not a hard one.
presswatchers.org
January 9, 2026 at 9:57 PM
YES, this. How many years did these same orgs refuse to call a lie a lie, and then all we have are lies and they're like ... why does no one trust us?
It's not some failure of middle-school civics teachers. People hate being lied to maybe hate it more when you know it's a lie but refuse to say so.
It's not some failure of middle-school civics teachers. People hate being lied to maybe hate it more when you know it's a lie but refuse to say so.
Reposted by Shobita Parthasarathy
Any person running for office at any level should be asked the following questions:
1. What will you do in the short term to protect civil rights and US democracy?
2. What will you do to end wealth inequality in the US?
3. What systemic reforms will you push to ensure this never happens again?
1. What will you do in the short term to protect civil rights and US democracy?
2. What will you do to end wealth inequality in the US?
3. What systemic reforms will you push to ensure this never happens again?
January 9, 2026 at 7:18 PM
Any person running for office at any level should be asked the following questions:
1. What will you do in the short term to protect civil rights and US democracy?
2. What will you do to end wealth inequality in the US?
3. What systemic reforms will you push to ensure this never happens again?
1. What will you do in the short term to protect civil rights and US democracy?
2. What will you do to end wealth inequality in the US?
3. What systemic reforms will you push to ensure this never happens again?
Reposted by Shobita Parthasarathy
January 9, 2026 at 3:30 AM
The thing about these tech bros is that they think they are better than us: they get, and think they deserve, the benefits of government (grants, contracts, tax breaks) but refuse the obligations of citizenship.
This is fine, actually. Let them move to Nevada. And then once they get to Nevada, folks there should impose their own wealth tax. Hunt them until they decide to move to Russia. Good riddance. www.nytimes.com/2026/01/09/t...
Google Guys Say Bye to California
www.nytimes.com
January 9, 2026 at 6:43 PM
The thing about these tech bros is that they think they are better than us: they get, and think they deserve, the benefits of government (grants, contracts, tax breaks) but refuse the obligations of citizenship.
Reposted by Shobita Parthasarathy
Clearly in my feels on this one: I'd love to see the outpouring of media and interest for state schools being stripped of academic freedom the way we breathlessly looked at funding coersion against the ivies. Florida, Ohio, and Texas educate exponentially more students.
Given the news, I just want to say Im proud of the feminist and liberatory curriculum and training I received in Texas A&M's English Department. The work I produced there has won awards. I was tenured based on that preparation and their faculty's right to self-determine content.
January 8, 2026 at 10:56 PM
Clearly in my feels on this one: I'd love to see the outpouring of media and interest for state schools being stripped of academic freedom the way we breathlessly looked at funding coersion against the ivies. Florida, Ohio, and Texas educate exponentially more students.
This is a cautionary tale for social scientists who tend to rush to incorporate the newest tech.
I am old enough to remember when a paper on the genetics of party affiliation made it into APSR. Then there was mTurk, then big data, now AI. (Please listen to science/sts colleagues who say it’s BS!)
I am old enough to remember when a paper on the genetics of party affiliation made it into APSR. Then there was mTurk, then big data, now AI. (Please listen to science/sts colleagues who say it’s BS!)
“These findings provide clear evidence that data collected on MTurk simply cannot be trusted.”
January 8, 2026 at 8:57 PM
This is a cautionary tale for social scientists who tend to rush to incorporate the newest tech.
I am old enough to remember when a paper on the genetics of party affiliation made it into APSR. Then there was mTurk, then big data, now AI. (Please listen to science/sts colleagues who say it’s BS!)
I am old enough to remember when a paper on the genetics of party affiliation made it into APSR. Then there was mTurk, then big data, now AI. (Please listen to science/sts colleagues who say it’s BS!)
Reposted by Shobita Parthasarathy
DHS Warns Any Action By Americans Will Be Treated As Domestic Terrorism https://theonion.com/dhs-warns-any-action-by-americans-will-be-treated-as-domestic-terrorism/
January 8, 2026 at 6:57 PM
DHS Warns Any Action By Americans Will Be Treated As Domestic Terrorism https://theonion.com/dhs-warns-any-action-by-americans-will-be-treated-as-domestic-terrorism/
Reposted by Shobita Parthasarathy
We've removed the paywall from this guide so everyone can access it. 👇 Stay safe.
Just days into 2026, the killing of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good by a federal immigration officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota, has sparked protests around the US.
If you’re planning to protest, here’s how to safeguard your digital security.
If you’re planning to protest, here’s how to safeguard your digital security.
How to Protest Safely in the Age of Surveillance
Law enforcement has more tools than ever to track your movements and access your communications. Here’s how to protect your privacy if you plan to protest.
www.wired.com
January 8, 2026 at 6:35 PM
We've removed the paywall from this guide so everyone can access it. 👇 Stay safe.
Reposted by Shobita Parthasarathy
my immediate thought is they are sending vance out to eat shit for the administration
January 8, 2026 at 7:05 PM
my immediate thought is they are sending vance out to eat shit for the administration
Reposted by Shobita Parthasarathy
if trump thought he had a winning hand here he would be the first person in front of the press. they know it’s bad so they send their little pig man out to gobble up the slop
January 8, 2026 at 7:12 PM
if trump thought he had a winning hand here he would be the first person in front of the press. they know it’s bad so they send their little pig man out to gobble up the slop
Reposted by Shobita Parthasarathy
Just days into 2026, the killing of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good by a federal immigration officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota, has sparked protests around the US.
If you’re planning to protest, here’s how to safeguard your digital security.
If you’re planning to protest, here’s how to safeguard your digital security.
How to Protest Safely in the Age of Surveillance
Law enforcement has more tools than ever to track your movements and access your communications. Here’s how to protect your privacy if you plan to protest.
www.wired.com
January 8, 2026 at 6:25 PM
Just days into 2026, the killing of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good by a federal immigration officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota, has sparked protests around the US.
If you’re planning to protest, here’s how to safeguard your digital security.
If you’re planning to protest, here’s how to safeguard your digital security.
I'm coming around to the idea of a general strike. If we strike en masse then maybe our employers will start to pressure the administration to stop the lawlessness.
January 8, 2026 at 7:06 PM
I'm coming around to the idea of a general strike. If we strike en masse then maybe our employers will start to pressure the administration to stop the lawlessness.
"When do things stop being about politics, and start being about human decency?"
January 8, 2026 at 3:22 AM
"When do things stop being about politics, and start being about human decency?"
Reposted by Shobita Parthasarathy
The sheer number of videos of the shooting is horrific, but in the vein of what @prisonculture.bsky.social has been saying, it proves how many people cared enough to show up where ICE was and record them. It wasn't just one or two legal observers, and when Good was shot, they didn't abandon her.
January 8, 2026 at 12:19 AM
The sheer number of videos of the shooting is horrific, but in the vein of what @prisonculture.bsky.social has been saying, it proves how many people cared enough to show up where ICE was and record them. It wasn't just one or two legal observers, and when Good was shot, they didn't abandon her.
Reposted by Shobita Parthasarathy
If you are running as a Democrat in the 2026 or 2028 elections, ask yourself, do you really want to be running to the right of Bill Kristol in terms of dismantling an authoritarian police state?
Abolish ICE. Really.
Trump: "I have just viewed the clip of the event which took place in Minneapolis. It is a horrible thing to watch. The woman screaming was, obviously, a professional agitator, and the woman driving the car was very disorderly, obstructing and resisting ... "
January 7, 2026 at 10:19 PM
If you are running as a Democrat in the 2026 or 2028 elections, ask yourself, do you really want to be running to the right of Bill Kristol in terms of dismantling an authoritarian police state?
Reposted by Shobita Parthasarathy
The era of snake oil is back.
This is a catastrophe.
1. Devices are as important to regulate as pharmaceuticals.
2. The market is notoriously bad at determining safety, accuracy, and which technologies are in the public interest.
3. Even when the market does tell us when a tech is bad, it does so *after it has caused harm*.
1. Devices are as important to regulate as pharmaceuticals.
2. The market is notoriously bad at determining safety, accuracy, and which technologies are in the public interest.
3. Even when the market does tell us when a tech is bad, it does so *after it has caused harm*.
“FDA Commissioner Marty Makary indicated that one of the agency’s priorities is fostering an environment that’s good for investors… The new approach appears to open the door to the unregulated use of generative AI products for certain medical tasks, such as summarizing a radiologist’s findings.”
January 7, 2026 at 3:48 PM
The era of snake oil is back.
It’s no accident that this announcement came right after the FDA said it will not regulate AI-assisted medical devices.
OpenAI launches ChatGPT Health, encouraging users to connect their medical records
OpenAI launches ChatGPT Health, encouraging users to connect their medical records
But it’s “not intended for diagnosis or treatment.”
buff.ly
January 7, 2026 at 7:26 PM
It’s no accident that this announcement came right after the FDA said it will not regulate AI-assisted medical devices.
Reposted by Shobita Parthasarathy
Canada's federal gov has a new program to bring researchers to Canada & my uni is starting an internal nomination process for chairs. If you are a full or associate prof working on AI/democracy/community engagement/environmental justice and you may be interested in moving to Canada, dm me
January 7, 2026 at 6:27 PM
Canada's federal gov has a new program to bring researchers to Canada & my uni is starting an internal nomination process for chairs. If you are a full or associate prof working on AI/democracy/community engagement/environmental justice and you may be interested in moving to Canada, dm me