Erin McElroy

@erinmcel.bsky.social

902 Followers 385 Following

Associate Professor of Geography at University of Washington https://www.erinmcelroy.net; Anti-Eviction Mapping Project https://antievictionmap.com/; Silicon Valley Imperialism https://www.dukeupress.edu/silicon-valley-imperialism

Technofeudal fever dreams - talk in Montreal
Silicon Valley Imperialism: Techno Fantasies & Frictions in Postsocialist Times Erin McElroy. Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 2024, 296 pp. $27.95 paper (ISBN 978-1-4780-3021-8); $104.95 cloth (ISBN 978-1-4780-2596-2); $27.95 electronic (ISBN 978-1-4780-5921-9)
In this response essay, I reflect upon how some of the central themes of my book Silicon Valley Imperialism: Techno Fantasies and Frictions in Postsocialist Times (Duke University Press, 2024) speak to the contemporary technofascist moment, as well as ongoing practices of attempting to de–siliconize the future. I also offer fascist transformations currently transpiring on both sides of the former Iron Curtain, as well as the landscapes of gentrification upon which they take place, a deeper and transnational genealogy–one rooted in historic technologies of racial banishment, heteromasculinism, and anticommunism. At the same time, I celebrate the ongoing freedom struggles against fascism, racial banishment, and genocidal technologies that organizers in both the United States and Romania continue to commit themselves to, all in an interconnected effort to unbecome Silicon Valley. Throughout this essay, I engage with the insightful comments made by Kavita Dattani, Michele Lancione, Manissa M. Maharawal, Nassim Parvin, Gillian Rose, and Daniela Rosner here, each of whom offer brilliant interventions and generous reflections in this forum.
Wednesday, October 29 Political Technology: Silicon Traps and Cartographic Contradictions By UC San Diego Design Lab Design@Large is a UC San Diego course powered by The Design Lab that is open to the public. Wednesday, October 29 · 4 - 5pm PDT About Political Technology: Silicon Traps and Cartographic Contradictions In this talk, McElroy will explore the hopes and struggles of the Anti-Eviction Mapping Project-- a data visualization, counter-cartography, and digital media collective that produces tools, maps, reports, murals, zines, oral histories, and more to further the work of housing and spatial justice. While the collective emerged to design research that could be mobilized to combat gentrification and racial banishment resulting from Siliconization, it nevertheless has continually been forced to navigate the contradictions and complexities inherent in mobilizing data, digitality, and software to organize against Silicon Valley-instigated geographies of dispossession. As we have found, even attempts to create “open” technology and mapping projects often end up reproducing Silicon Valley dynamics. In this talk McElroy discusses the technological and technocultural tensions, visions, and ecosystems inherent in navigating these spaces in today’s techno/racial capitalist conjuncture, historicizing these struggles within a longer arc of attempts to craft anticapitalist and anti-imperial politically grounded technology projects.
Technofascist Fever Dreams. Talk at the Tenley-Friendship Neighborhood Library Oct 9th 3-4:30pm
Technocreep and the politics of things not seen
WRDTP 14th Annual Conference: Social Science, Care and Hope Where? The Wave, University of Sheffield. When? Tuesday June 17th 2025 (see the bottom of this page for a summary of the event programme).
Contesting Technofascisms Now!
Silicon Valley Imperialism Reading Group. Book talk May 12 12-1:30pm
Beyond Molotovs
Technopoltical Futures
Seattle times article https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/education/uw-students-visas-revoked-by-trump-administration-without-notice/
Silicon Valley Imperialism book cover featuring a burning house and a red monster. Illustration by Alex Horghidan
photo of Erin McElroy with text about the workshop and and talk We are excited to invite you to attend two upcoming events in honour of our 2025 Distinguished Lecturer, Dr. Erin McElroy, from the University of Washington.⁠ ⁠ Their work focuses upon intersections of gentrification, technology, digitality, empire, and racial capitalism in the US and in Romania, alongside housing justice organizing, countermapping, and transnational solidarities. ⁠ ⁠ The events are as follows:⁠ ⁠ Workshop: Narrative Mapping: Displacement and Resistance⁠ February 6, 2025 | 2 – 4 pm⁠ SFU’s Centre for Engaged Research Initiatives (CeRI)⁠ ⁠ Using their experience as co-founder of the Anti-Eviction Mapping Project , Dr. McElroy will facilitate this community-centred and community-engaged workshop. ⁠ ⁠ REGISTER https://events.sfu.ca/event/42859-distinguished-speaker-dr-erin-mcelroy-from-the. Spots are limited.⁠ _______⁠ ⁠ Distinguished Lecture: Silicon Valley Imperialism: Frictions of Technocapitalism in Gentrifying Times⁠ February 6, 2025 | 6 pm⁠ Labatt Hall at SFU’s Harbour Centre campus⁠ ⁠ Dr. McElroy’s lecture will chart how technocapitalist aspirations invoke gentrification, racial dispossession, and anticommunism. Drawing from their recently-published book, McElroy investigates the mechanisms through which Siliconization cannibalizes socialist-era technocultures, infrastructure, and visions in the name of progress. ⁠ ⁠ Refreshments will be served following the lecture. Registration not required.⁠ ⁠ See you there!⁠