College of Humanities and Social Sciences staff

Dr Sy Taffel staff profile picture

Contact details +6469517527

Dr Sy Taffel

Senior Lecturer

Doctoral Supervisor
School of Humanities Media and Creative Comm

Sy Taffel is a Senior Lecturer in Media Studies and co-director of the Political Ecology Research Centre at Massey University, Aotearoa-New Zealand. He is the author of Digital Media Ecologies (Bloomsbury 2019). His research focuses on digital technology and the environment, digital media and society, automation, media and materiality, and digital labour. Sy has published work in journals including Media Culture and Society, Convergence, and Cultural Politics. Sy has also worked as a filmmaker and photographer, and has been involved with media activist projects including Indymedia, Climate Camp, and Hacktionlab.

Professional

Contact details

  • Ph: 84527
    Location: 4.46, Sir Geoffrey Peren
    Campus: Turitea

Research Expertise

Research Interests

Digital Media

Social Media

Media Ecologies

Poltiical Economy of Digital Media

Digital Infrastructures

Political Ecology

Automation

Software Studies

Digital Media and Politics

Media and Materiality

Pervasive & Mobile Media

Critical Theory and Digital Media

Documentary Film

Digital Aesthetics

Thematics

21st Century Citizenship, Design – for Commerce, Community and Culture

Area of Expertise

Field of research codes
Applied Ethics (220100):
Communications Technologies (100500): Computer Communications Networks (100503):
Computer Gaming and Animation (190202):
Ethical Use of New Technology (e.g. Nanotechnology, Biotechnology) (220103):
Film, Television and Digital Media (190200): Interactive Media (190205):
Philosophy And Religious Studies (220000):
Studies In Creative Arts And Writing (190000):
Technology (100000): Video Communications (100509)

Research Projects

Summary of Research Projects

Position Current Completed
Project Leader 0 4

Research Outputs

Journal

Taffel, S. (2023). AirPods and the earth: Digital technologies, planned obsolescence and the Capitalocene. Environment and Planning E: Nature and Space. 6(1), 433-454
[Journal article]Authored by: Taffel, S.
Taffel, S. (2023). Data and oil: Metaphor, materiality and metabolic rifts. New Media and Society. 25(5), 980-998
[Journal article]Authored by: Taffel, S.
Taffel, S. (2021). Google’s lens: computational photography and platform capitalism. Media, Culture and Society. 43(2), 237-255
[Journal article]Authored by: Taffel, S.
Taffel, S. (2019). Automating Creativity. Screenworks. 10(1) Retrieved from http://screenworks.org.uk/archive/volume-10-1/automating-creativity
[Journal article]Authored by: Taffel, S.
Taffel, S. (2018). Hopeful extinctions? Tesla, technological solutionism and the anthropocene. Culture Unbound. 10(2), 163-184
[Journal article]Authored by: Taffel, S.
Taffel, S. (2016). Perspectives on the postdigital: Beyond rhetorics of progress and novelty. Convergence. 22(3), 324-338
[Journal article]Authored by: Taffel, S.
Taffel, S. (2016). Technofossils of the anthropocene: Media, geology, and plastics. Cultural Politics. 12(3), 355-375
[Journal article]Authored by: Taffel, S.
Taffel, SA. (2016). Technofossils of the anthropocene: Media, geology, and plastics. Cultural Politics. 12(3 November 2016), 355-375 Retrieved from http://culturalpolitics.dukejournals.org/content/12/3/355.abstract
[Journal article]Authored by: Taffel, S.
Taffel, S. (2015). Archaeologies of electronic waste. Journal of Contemporary Archaeology. 2(1), 78-85
[Journal article]Authored by: Taffel, S.
Taffel, SA. (2015). Towards an ethical electronics? Ecologies of Congolese conflict minerals. Westminster Papers in Communication and Culture. 10(1), 18-33 Retrieved from http://www.westminsterpapers.org/
[Journal article]Authored by: Taffel, S.
Taffel, SA. (2015). Archaeologies of Electronic Waste. Journal of Contemporary Archaeology. 2(1), 78-85 Retrieved from https://www.equinoxpub.com/home/
[Journal article]Authored by: Taffel, S.
Taffel, SA. (2015). Anti-Social | Asocial | Associated: Mapping the social in social media. Global Media Journal: Australian Edition. 9(1), online-online Retrieved from http://www.hca.uws.edu.au/gmjau/?p=1754
[Journal article]Authored by: Taffel, S.
Taffel, SA. (2015). We Have Never Been Open: Activism and Cryptography in Surveillance Societies. MediaNZ: Media Studies Journal of Aotearoa New Zealand. 14(2) Retrieved from https://medianz.otago.ac.nz/medianz/article/view/97/120
[Journal article]Authored by: Taffel, S.
Taffel, SA. (2015). Perspectives on the postdigital: Beyond rhetorics of progress and novelty. Convergence: The International Journal of Research into new Media. , 1-15
[Journal article]Authored by: Taffel, S.
Taffel, SA. (2013). Scalar Entanglement in Digital Media Ecologies. NECSUS: European Journal of Media Studies. (3) Retrieved from http://www.necsus-ejms.org/portfolio/spring-2013-the-green-issue/
[Journal article]Authored by: Taffel, S.
Taffel, SA. (2012). Ecologies of Machines: Commodities and Contribution. Nyx. (7) Retrieved from http://nyxnoctournal.org/back-issues/issue-7-machines/
[Journal article]Authored by: Taffel, S.
Taffel, SA. (2012). Escaping attention: Digital media hardware, materiality and ecological cost. Culture Machine. 13 Retrieved from http://www.culturemachine.net/index.php/cm/issue/view/24
[Journal article]Authored by: Taffel, S.

Book

Taffel, S. (2023). 5 is for 5G. In MH. Picard, A. Brenchat-Aguilar, T. Carroll, J. Gilbert, & N. Miller (Eds.) Wastiary A bestiary of waste. : UCL Press
[Chapter]Authored by: Taffel, S.
Taffel, S. (2023). POLITICAL AND APOLITICAL ECOLOGIES OF DIGITAL MEDIA. In The Routledge Handbook of Ecomedia Studies. (pp. 59 - 66).
[Chapter]Authored by: Taffel, S.
Taffel, S., & Grünberger, N. (2023). Politics, Sustainability and Post-Digitality – The role of political actors for a more sustainable digitality. In A. Beinsteiner, N. Grünberger, T. Hug, & S. Kapelari (Eds.) Ökologische Krisen und Ökologien der Kritik. : innsbruck university press
[Chapter]Authored by: Taffel, S.
Taffel, S., Bedford, L., & Mann, M. (2022). Ecocide Isn’t Ethical: Political Ecology and Capitalist AI Ethics. In T. Phan, J. Goldenfein, D. Kuch, & M. Mann (Eds.) Economies of Virtue: The Circulation of 'Ethics' in AI. (pp. 59 - 86). Amsterdam: Institue of Network Cultures
[Chapter]Authored by: Taffel, S.
Farrelly, T., Taffel, S., & Shaw, I. (2021). Introduction: Our Plastic Inheritance. In T. Farrelly, S. Taffel, & I. Shaw (Eds.) Plastic Legacies: Pollution, Persistence, and Politics. (pp. 1 - 22). Edmonton, Canada: Athabasca University Press
[Chapter]Authored by: Taffel, S.Edited by: Taffel, S.
Farrelly, T., Taffel, S., & Shaw, I. (Eds.) (2021). Plastic Legacies: Pollution, Persistence, and Politics. Edmonton, Canada: Athabasca University Press
[Edited Book]Edited by: Taffel, S.
Taffel, S.(2019). Digital Media Ecologies: Entanglements of Content, Code and Hardware. New York, United States of America: Bloomsbury Academic
[Authored Book]Authored by: Taffel, S.
Taffel, SA. (2017). Digital Places: Globalising Identity and Citizenship. In R. Shaw, E. Kahu, & T. Cain (Eds.) Turangawaewae Identity and Belonging in Aotearoa New Zealand.
[Chapter]Authored by: Taffel, S.
Venkateswar, S. (2017). In different voices: Engaging with human–nonhuman entanglements. In N. Holm, & S. Taffel (Eds.) Ecological Entanglements in the Anthropocene. (pp. 125 - 140). Maryland, United States of America: Lexington Books, Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
[Chapter]Authored by: Venkateswar, S.Edited by: Taffel, S.
Taffel, SA. (2016). Invisible bodies and forgotten spaces: Materiality, toxicity, and labour in digital ecologies. In H. Randell-Moon, & R. Tippet (Eds.) Security, race, biopower: Essays on technology and corporeality. (pp. 121 - 141). London: Palgrave Macmillan
[Chapter]Authored by: Taffel, S.
taffel, SA. (2016). Mapping the Anthropocene. In NHF. holm, & SA. taffel (Eds.) Ecological Entanglements in the Anthropocene. (pp. 219 - 240). Lanham: Lexington Books
[Chapter]Authored by: Taffel, S.Edited by: Taffel, S.
taffel, SA., & holm, NHF. (2016). Ecological crises, nonhumans and the age of man. In NHF. Holm, & SA. Taffel (Eds.) Ecological entanglements in the anthropocene. (pp. ix - xxv). : Lexington Books
[Chapter]Authored by: Holm, N., Taffel, S.Edited by: Holm, N., Taffel, S.
Taffel, SA., & Holm, NHF. (Eds.) (2016). Ecological entanglements in the Anthropocene. Lanham: Lexington Books
[Edited Book]Edited by: Holm, N., Taffel, S.

Creative Work

Taffel, SA., & Anderson, L.(2016). Loaves. Ashhurt LEAP AGM
[Film or Video]Authored by: Taffel, S.
Taffel, SA., & Environment Network Manawatu, .(2015). Connect to the Heartland. [documentary film]. Reel Earth Environmental Film Festival, Palmerston North
[Film or Video]Authored by: Taffel, S.
Taffel, SA.(2013). iDocs 2012.
[Film or Video]Authored by: Taffel, S.
Taffel, SA.(2013). The Lost Cinemas of Castle Park. Marriott Hotel, Bristol
[Film or Video]Authored by: Taffel, S.
Taffel, SA.(2012). Curzon Memories Research Documentation. MeCCSA 2012 Conference
[Film or Video]Authored by: Taffel, S.
Taffel, SA.(2012). Curzon Memories. Curzon Cinema Clevedon
[Film or Video]Authored by: Taffel, S.
Taffel, SA.(2012). The Pervasive Media Cookbook. Watershed, Bristol
[Film or Video]Authored by: Taffel, S.
Taffel, SA.(2012). Being Reactive. AHRC Knowledge Exchange Hub Launch, London
[Film or Video]Authored by: Taffel, S.
Taffel, SA.(2011). Paying Attention: Digital Media Cultures and Generational Responsibility. Watershed, Bristol
[Film or Video]Authored by: Taffel, S.
Taffel, SA., & Gumbrell, I.Carrying our Future.
[Film or Video]Authored by: Taffel, S.

Thesis

Taffel, SA. (2013). Media ecologies: Ethics scale and agency in contemporary media systems. (Doctoral Thesis, University of Bristol, England) Taffel, SA. (2013). Media ecologies: Ethics scale and agency in contemporary media systems. (Doctoral Thesis)
[Doctoral Thesis]Authored by: Taffel, S.

Conference

Holm, N., Taffel, S., & Farrelly, T.(2018, November). Feral: a nearly carbon neutral conference. .
[Conference]Authored by: Holm, N., Taffel, S.
Taffel, S.Hopeful extinctions? Tesla, technological solutionism and the Anthropocene. . Lancaster University, UK
[Conference Paper]Authored by: Taffel, S.
Farrelly, TA., & Taffel, S.(2018, June). The Lives and Afterlives of Plastic. Online at http://perc.ac.nz/wordpress/the-lives-and-afterlives-of-plastic/. Retreived from http://perc.ac.nz/wordpress/the-lives-and-afterlives-of-plastic/
[Conference]Authored by: Taffel, S.
Taffel, SA., & Farrelly, T.(2017, June). The Lives and Afterlives of Plastic. .
[Conference]Authored by: Taffel, S.
Taffel, SA., Holm, N., Duncan, P., Veale, K., Huffer, I., & Randell-Moon, H.(2017, December). Cultures of Capitalism: CSAA 2017. .
[Conference]Authored by: Duncan, P., Holm, N., Huffer, I., Taffel, S., Veale, K.
Taffel, SA., & Farrelly, T.Toxity and Technofossils. . Massey/Online
[Conference Paper]Authored by: Taffel, S.
Taffel, SA. (2017, December). Hopeful Extinctions? Critical Future Studies and Political Ecologies of Technology. Presented at CSAA 2017: Cultures of Capitalism. Wellington.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: Taffel, S.
Taffel, SA. (2015, December). Becoming Major and the Anthropocene. Presented at Cultural Studies Association of Australasia. University of Melbourne.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: Taffel, S.
Taffel, SA. (2014, December). Invisible Bodies and Forgotten Spaces: Materiality, Toxicity and Labour in Digital Ecologies. Presented at Space, Race, Bodies: Geocorpographies of the City, Nation and Empire. University of Otago.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: Taffel, S.
Taffel, SA. (2014, October). Postdigital Constellations: Ubiquitous Computing and Code/Spaces. Presented at Media Ubiquity: Spaces, Places and Networks. University of Auckland.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: Taffel, S.
Taffel, SA. (2014, August). Arch|Ecologies of Ewaste. Presented at Loops and Splices. Victoria University Wellington.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: Taffel, S.
Taffel, SA. (2014, July). Antisocial | Asocial |Associated: Mapping the Social in Social Media. Presented at Australia and New Zealand Communications Association 2014. Swinburne University, Melbourne.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: Taffel, S.
Taffel, SA. (2014, January). Contesting Control in Surveillance Socieites. Presented at Surveillance Copyright Privacy: The End of the Open Internet?. University of Otago.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: Taffel, S.
Taffel, SA. (2013, April). (in)visible Bodies: Labour Toxicity and Digital Have-Nots. Presented at Journeys Across Media: The Body and the Digital. University of Reading.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: Taffel, S.
Taffel, SA. (2012, April). Technics Temporality and Attention in Digital Culture. Presented at Journeys Across Media: Time Tells. University of Reading.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: Taffel, S.
Taffel, SA. (2012, May). The Material Impacts of Virtual Images. Presented at Beyond Representation: Photography Humans and Computers. London South Bank University.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: Taffel, S.
Taffel, SA. (2011, March). Media Materiality and the Environment: Exploring the Ethics and Sustainability of Hardware. Presented at Mediating Environmental Change: Exploring the Way Forwards. Bournemouth University.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: Taffel, S.
Taffel, SA. (2011, October). Technology Agency and Walled Gardens. Presented at McLuhan's Message. Watershed, Bristol.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: Taffel, S.

Other

Marston, K., Taua, A., Hartendop, K., Moewaka Barnes, H., Eich, E., Yessilth, S., . . . Walker, B. (2018). Cultures of Capitalism. (pp. 667 - 831). Taylor & Francis Group
[Other]Authored by: Marston, K., Moewaka Barnes, H.Edited by: Huffer, I., Marston, K., Taffel, S.
Taffel, SA. (2016, May). Measuring the Anthropocene. Presented at Takapuna Library.
[Oral Presentation]Authored by: Taffel, S.
taffel, SA. (2016, May). Mapping the Anthropocene. Presented at Palmerston North.
[Oral Presentation]Authored by: Taffel, S.
taffel, SA. (2016, June). Defining the Anthropocene. Presented at Palmerston North City Library.
[Oral Presentation]Authored by: Taffel, S.
Taffel, SA. (2015, April). We Have Never Been Open: Activism and Cryptography in Surveillance Societies. Presented at Victoria University of Wellington.
[Oral Presentation]Authored by: Taffel, S.
Pearson, E., taffel, SA., Madill, B., Wengenmeir, M., Chin, K., Phillips, H., . . . Urbano, M. (2014). Media Studies 101 ~ A Creative Commons Textbook. (pp. 1 - 182). The Media Text Hack Group
[Other]Authored by: Taffel, S.
Taffel, SA. (2014, April). Contesting Control: Activism Surveillance and Cryptography.
[Oral Presentation]Authored by: Taffel, S.
Taffel, SA. (2013, February). Modes of Commons and Peer-to-Peer Architechtures. Presented at Cube Microplex, Bristol.
[Oral Presentation]Authored by: Taffel, S.
Taffel, SA. (2012, August). Being (post)digital? Cultural Transformations in Contemporary Code/Spaces. Presented at Pervasive Media Studio, Bristol. : Digital Cultures Research Centre, University of the West of England.
[Oral Presentation]Authored by: Taffel, S.

Teaching and Supervision

Summary of Doctoral Supervision

Position Current Completed
Main Supervisor 1 0
Co-supervisor 0 1

Current Doctoral Supervision

Main Supervisor of:

  • Lisa Vonk - Doctor of Philosophy
    Ageing in the smart place: The impact of networked, digital technologies on the community care relationship.

Completed Doctoral Supervision

Co-supervisor of:

  • 2023 - Amanda Bastos Mareschi Aggio - Doctor of Philosophy
    YouTube's Modulatory Apparatus: Children's participation in the YouTube's political economy

Media and Links

Other Links