From everyday apps to complex algorithms Ruha Benjamin cuts through tech-industry hype to
understand how emerging technologies can reinforce White supremacy and deepen social
inequity.Benjamin argues that automation far from being a sinister story of racist programmers
scheming on the dark web has the potential to hide speed up and deepen discrimination while
appearing neutral and even benevolent when compared to the racism of a previous era. Presenting
the concept of the New Jim Code she shows how a range of discriminatory designs encode
inequity by explicitly amplifying racial hierarchies by ignoring but thereby replicating
social divisions or by aiming to fix racial bias but ultimately doing quite the opposite.
Moreover she makes a compelling case for race itself as a kind of technology designed to
stratify and sanctify social injustice in the architecture of everyday life.This illuminating
guide provides conceptual tools for decoding tech promises with sociologically informed
skepticism. In doing so it challenges us to question not only the technologies we are sold but
also the ones we ourselves manufacture.If you adopt this book for classroom use in the
2019-2020 academic year the author would be pleased to arrange to Skype to a session of your
class. If interested enter your details in this sign-up sheet: https: buff.ly 2wJsvZr
