Geert Lovink

Geert Lovink (born 1959, Amsterdam) is a Dutch media theorist, internet critic, and activist. He is the founding director of the Institute of Network Cultures (INC),^[1] which organizes events, publishes research, and facilitates dialogue^[2] around new media and digital culture. Lovink has played a key role in shaping critical discourse around the internet and its sociopolitical impact.

Geert Lovink
Geert Lovink in 2010
Born	1959 (age 65–66)
Nationality	Dutch
Alma mater	University of Amsterdam, University of Melbourne, University of Queensland
Occupation	Media Theorist
Employer	Hogeschool van Amsterdam
Website	networkcultures.org networkcultures.org/geert laudanum.net/geert/

Since 2004, Lovink has been a researcher with the Faculty of Digital and Media Creative Industries at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences (HvA), where he leads the Institute of Network Cultures. In December 2021, Lovink was appointed Professor of Art and Network Cultures in the Art History Department at the University of Amsterdam. From 2004 to 2013, he was an associate professor of new media at the University of Amsterdam.^[3] From 2007 to 2017, he taught media theory at the European Graduate School, where he supervised five PhD students. In December 2021, he was appointed professor of art and network cultures at the University of Amsterdam Art History Department. The chair is supported by the Hogeschool van Amsterdam (one day a week). Lovink earned his master's degree in political science at the University of Amsterdam, holds a PhD from the University of Melbourne, and was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Queensland.^[4]

Activities

Since the early 1980s, Lovink has participated in a range of projects and initiatives at the intersection of media, art, and technology:

• In 1983, he joined the media theory collective Adilkno (Foundation for the Advancement of Illegal Knowledge).
• From 1989 to 1994, he was an editor for Mediamatic^[5], a Dutch magazine focused on media art.
• In 1993, he co-founded Press Now^[6], a support campaign for independent media in Southeast Europe.
• In 1994, Lovink co-founded the Digital City^[7] (De Digitale Stad), one of the first online community networks in Amsterdam. In 1994 he also co-founded desk.nl, an internet workspace and content provider for the arts.
• In, 1995 he co-founded the international mailing list nettime, alongside Pit Schultz, in 1995.
• From 1996 to 1999, he worked as a public researcher at De Waag^[8] (Society for Old and New Media).
• In 1996, he coordinated projects and taught annually at the IMI media school^[9] in Osaka, Japan, beginning in 1996.
• In 2000, he organized the Tulipomania Dotcom conference on internet culture.
• Between 2000 and 2008, he was a consultant and editor for the cultural exchange program between Waag Society and the Sarai New Media Centre in Delhi.
• In 2001, he co-founded FibreCulture^[10] , an Australian forum on internet research and culture, in 2001.
• In 2002, he co-organized Dark Markets^[11] , a conference in Vienna exploring media and democracy during times of crisis.
• In 2003, he co-organized Uncertain States of Reportage^[12] in Delhi.
• In 2004, together with Trebor Scholz, he co-organized Free Cooperation^[13] , a conference on online collaboration held at SUNY Buffalo.
• On 31 May 2010 Geert Lovink took part in Quit Facebook Day and deleted his Facebook account.^[14]

In 2020, two archival collections of Lovink's work were preserved and made available via the Institute of Network Cultures (INC) website: The Adilkno/Bilwet archive, once hosted by desk.nl Archived 2019-04-24 at the Wayback Machine (1990-1999): https://networkcultures.org/bilwet-archive/ and the text archive of geertlovink.org (2000-2010): https://networkcultures.org/geertlovink-archive/.

Theories

Lovink is considered one of the key theorists behind the concept of tactical media, which refers to the use of media technologies as a tool for critical theory to become artistic practice. He described tactical media as "a deliberately slippery term, a tool for creating 'temporary consensus zones' based on unexpected alliances. A temporary alliance of hackers, artists, critics, journalists and activists."^[15] He has also contributed to critical debates on digital culture through co-founding the early web mailing list, nettime, and other initiatives that explore networked communication. ^[16]

Bibliography

The cover of the book "Critical Point of View: A Wikipedia Reader" published in 2011 by the Institute of Network Cultures and edited by Geert Lovink.

• Lovink, Geert. Dynamics of Critical Internet Culture (1994-2001), PhD thesis, English Department, The University of Melbourne, 2002.
• Lovink, Geert. Dark Fiber: Tracking Critical Internet Culture, Cambridge Mass.: MIT Press, 2002. ISBN 0-262-12249-9
• Lovink, Geert. Uncanny Networks, Cambridge Mass.: MIT Press, 2002.
• Lovink, Geert. My First Recession, Rotterdam: NAi/V2_Publishing, 2003.
• Lovink, Geert. The Principle of Notworking, Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press, 2005.
• Lovink, Geert. "New Media, Art and Science: Explorations Beyond the Official Discourse", in Scott McQuire and Nikos Papastergiadis (eds), Empires, Ruins + Networks: The Transcultural Agenda in Art, Melbourne: University of Melbourne Press, 2005.
• Lovink, Geert. Tactical Media, the Second Decade, Brazilian Submidialogia, 2005.
• Lovink, Geert and Rossiter, Ned. "Dawn of the organized networks", Fibreculture Journal 5 2005.
• Lovink, Geert. Zero Comments: Blogging and Critical Internet Culture, London and New York: Routledge, 2007.
• Lovink, Geert. Networks Without a Cause: A Critique of Social Media, Cambridge and Malden: Polity, 2012. ISBN 9780745649689.
• Lovink, Geert and Rasch, Miriam (eds), Unlike Us Reader: Social Media Monopolies and Their Alternatives, Amsterdam: Institute of Network Cultures, 2013. ISBN 978-90-818575-2-9, paperback, 384 pages.
• Lovink, Geert. Social Media Abyss, Critical Internet Cultures and the Force of Negation, Cambridge and Malden: Polity, 2016. ISBN 978150950776-4.
• Lovink, Geert, Tkacz, Nathaniel, and de Vries, Patricia (eds), MoneyLab Reader: An Intervention in Digital Economy, Amsterdam: Institute of Network Cultures, 2015. ISBN 978-90-822345-5-8.
• Gloerich, Inte, Lovink, Geert, de Vries, Patricia, MoneyLab Reader 2, Overcoming the Hype, Amsterdam: Institute of Network Cultures, 2017.
• Lovink, Geert, Rossiter, Ned, Organization after Social Media, Brooklyn: Minor Compositions, http://www.minorcompositions.info/?p=857.
• Lovink, Geert, Sad by Design, Eurozone, January 2019, https://www.eurozine.com/sad-by-design/.
• Lovink, Geert, Sad by Design, On Platform Nihilism, London: Pluto Press, 2019.
• Gerritzen, Mieke, Lovink, Geert, Made in China, Designed in California, Criticized in Europe, Amsterdam: The Image Society, 2019, https://networkcultures.org/blog/publication/amsterdam-design-manifesto/.
• Lovink, Geert, Stuck on the Platform, Reclaiming the Internet, Amsterdam: Valiz, 2022.
• Lovink, Geert, Extinction Internet, UvA inaugural speech, November 2022, https://networkcultures.org/blog/publication/extinction-internet/.