How come that certain technologies are rapidly adopted whilst others are not, despite their being perfectly viable from a technical and financial standpoint? How do aspects of users’ identity such as gender, age, and social background contribute to their acceptance or rejection? Do pre-existing technologies aid or hinder the adoption process? And can we discern longue durée patterns and socio-cultural mechanisms, which can help us predict how easily a new technology will be adopted today?

The Technological Innovation Network aims to provide answers to these and related questions by bringing together researchers interested in technological innovation from a plurality of disciplinary and theoretical standpoints. The network intends to foster inter- and cross-disciplinary dialogue between the humanities and social sciences and a broad spectrum of subjects including, but not limited to, information technologies, engineering, design, and the medical sciences. Along with researchers from Newcastle and Northumbria, we intend to work with other stakeholders based in the Northeast such as science centres, medical research institutes and private enterprise, as well as museums, archives and heritage sites.

The network has been established in 2017 thanks to generous support from the Newcastle University Humanities Research Institute (NUHRI). It promotes interdisciplinary dialogue and debate through seminars, workshops, and other events, and supports bids to fund research on technological innovation. To be part of the network, or if you have any queries, please contact the coordinators. 

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