dr.mr. PEI (Paulan) Korenhof

I am an assistent professort at the Environmental Policy chair group (ENP) at Wageningen University & Research. Drawing on my background in philosophy, law, and art, I take a mixed research approach to critically examine digital technology in environmental governance, and in particular to unpack digital representations as sites of environmental governance and reform. Examples of these are Digital Twins and simulations of climate change, ecology, biodiversity and extreme weather. Connecting to the fields of philosophy of technology, critical data studies and information materialism, I examine the ontologies, assumptions, problem framing, and political pathways build into technology design. As digital technologies are layered technologies, I aim to identify the politics of these technologies at different levels, ranging from the infrastructure to the interface. Every layer gives rise to its own dynamics of (micro)power-relations, and I critically examine how these together lead up to ‘images if the world’ used for governance. 

My ultimate goal is to identify points for emancipatory design, implementation and use and thereby to contribute to the realisation of more sustainable and inclusive digital technology. To further this aim, I seek to empirically inform my research by experimenting with computer programming, low-(digital)tech alternatives, and approaches through the lens of art and play.