Publications

Research at the Engagement Lab examines the role of technology and media on civic life. From participating in electoral politics, to assessing information quality, to self expression and group advocacy, the Engagement Lab examines how emerging technologies are transforming public life. We have particular strength in areas of media literacy and serious games, and we apply those lenses to civic smart cities, health advocacy, and engaged journalism.




2024

Collaborative critical making in higher education: a case study of a community-centred storytelling effort to transform harmful narratives of gun violence in Boston

Gordon, E., Gardner, R., Chéry, C., Sacks, C., & Masiakos, P. T. (2024). Collaborative critical making in higher education: a case study of a community-centred storytelling effort to transform harmful narratives of gun violence in Boston. CoDesign, 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1080/15710882.2024.2329559

2023

Applied Visual Art for Codesign: Three Case Studies of Emergent Practices

Harlow, J., Lewis, D., Ryvola, R., and Gordon, E. (under review). Applied Visual Art for Codesign: Three Case Studies of Emergent Practices. CoDesign.

Critical Making for the Liberal Arts: a case study of a collaborative storytelling effort to transform harmful narratives of gun violence in Boston

Gordon, E. and Gardner, R. (under review). Critical Making for the Liberal Arts: a case study of a collaborative storytelling effort to transform harmful narratives of gun violence in Boston. CoDesign. 

Data Discretion: Screen Level Bureaucrats and Municipal Decision Making

Gordon, E. and Harlow, J. (under review). Data Discretion: Screen Level Bureaucrats and Municipal Decision Making. Digital Government: Research and Practice.

2022

Activating Values in Urban Transitions: A Novel Approach to Urban Innovation in Romania

Gordon, E., Bulc, B., Guarna, T. (2022). “Activating Values in Urban Transitions: A Novel Approach to Urban Innovation in Romania,” Fondation Botnar Whitepaper, Switzerland.

Care-ful Governance in the Smart City

Gordon, E. and Guarna, T. (2022). “Care-ful Governance in the Smart City.” In G. Hallegua (Eds.) Media and the City. New York: Routledge.

Solving for Trust: Innovations in Smart Urban Governance.

Gordon, E & Guarna, T. (2022). “Solving for Trust: Innovations in Smart Urban Governance.” Knight Foundation White Paper.

Exploring the Impacts of Educational Simulations on The Development of 21st Century Skills and Sense of Self-Efficacy

Kensicki, A., Harlow, J, Akhilandeswari, J. Peacock, S., Cohen, J., Weissman, R., Gordon, E.  (2022). Exploring the Impacts of Educational Simulations on The Development of 21st Century Skills and Sense of Self-Efficacy, Journal of Political Science Education, DOI.

2021

Transformative Media Pedagogies

Mihailidis, P., Shresthova, S., Fromm, M. (2021) "Transformative Media Pedagogies."

Do media literacies approach equity and justice?

Mihailidis, P., Ramasubramanian, S., Tully, M., Foster, B., Riewestahl, E., Johnson, P., & Angove, S. (2021) "Do media literacies approach equity and justice?" Journal of Media Literacy Education.

Towards a Collaborative Smart City: A play-based urban living laboratory in Boston

Gordon, E., Harlow, J., Cristoforetti, E. & Teng, M. (2021) " Towards a Collaborative Smart City: A play-based urban living laboratory in Boston."

Therapeutic Virtual Reality in Prison: Participatory Design with Incarcerated Women.

Ludics: Play as Humanistic Inquiry

Gordon, E., Rapti, V. (2021) "Ludics: Play as Humanistic Inquiry."

2020

Meaningful Inefficiencies: Civic Design in an Age of Digital Expediency.

Gordon, E. & Mugar, G. (2020) "Meaningful Inefficiencies: Civic Design in an Age of Digital Expediency."

Toward Understanding Civic Data Bias in 311 Systems: An Information Deserts Perspective

Lee, M., Harlow, J., Gordon, E. Wang, J., Johnston, E., Janzen, S., Winter, S. (2020) "Toward Understanding Civic Data Bias in 311 Systems: An Information Deserts Perspective." Computer Supported Cooperative Work, Civic Technologies: Research, Practice and Open Challenges Workshop.

The Civic Potential of Memes and Hashtags in the Lives of Young People.

Mihailidis, P. (2020) "The Civic Potential of Memes and Hashtags in the Lives of Young People."

Digital Interventions in the Global South: A Case Study from Rural India.

Gordon, E. and Harlow, J. (2020) "Digital Interventions in the Global South: A Case Study from Rural India." Computer Supported Cooperative Work, Civic Technologies: Research, Practice and Open Challenges Workshop.

Case Study: Beta Blocks Report

Gordon, E., Harlow, J., Teng, M., Christoforetti, E. (2020). Case Study: Beta Blocks Report. Boston, MA: Emerson Engagement Lab (2020) "Case Study: Beta Blocks Report."

Designing Engagement in Local News: Using FOIA Requests to create inclusive Participatory Journalism practices.

Mihailidis, P. & Gamwell, A. (2020) "Designing Engagement in Local News: Using FOIA Requests to create inclusive Participatory Journalism practices."

2019

Building Engagement: Supporting the Practice of Relational Journalism

Lawrence, R., Gordon, E., Devigal, A., Mellor, C., Elbaz, J. (2019) "Building Engagement: Supporting the Practice of Relational Journalism."

Participatory Design of a Virtual Reality-Based Reentry Training with a Women's prison

Teng, M., Hodge, J., Gordon, E. (2019) "Participatory Design of a Virtual Reality-Based Reentry Training with a Women's prison."

Seamful Interfaces for a Community-Centered Smart City

Christoforetti, E., D'Ignazio, C., Gordon, E (2019) "Seamful Interfaces for a Community-Centered Smart City."

Meaningful Inefficiencies: Resisting the logic of technological efficiency in the design of civic systems

Gordon, E., Walter, S. (2019) "Meaningful Inefficiencies: Resisting the logic of technological efficiency in the design of civic systems."