Blog

The DARE blog is managed and updated by the DARE research team (Abby, Cath, Max & Nicola). Our intention is to use this public facing blog to provide updates on fieldwork, reflective pieces about the research process, quick, but thoughtful responses to topical matters concerning data in healthcare, as well as other ephemera related to the research project. The blog contains pieces written monthly, that are roughly 500-1,000 words in length and which are informal but intellectually considered. Our hope is that they provide moments of clarity, interest and a degree of transparency about the material and theoretical work of the project.

The Seattle Space Needle viewed from the Chihuly Garden and Glass Museum.

22 October 2025

4S Seattle Roundup

In September, Abby and Nicola joined the biennial Society for Social Studies of Science (4S) conference in Seattle and online to lead the DARE team’s panel on ‘Data, Care, and […]

Spider diagram produced during the first discussion on ‘Atmospheres of Knowledge Production’, mapping diverse theoretical streams participants connected to the topic.

14 August 2025

‘Atmospheres of Knowledge Production’ as a frame for exploring data in the home

Over the past few months, I’ve organised three sessions bringing together researchers from the University of Edinburgh’s Science, Technology and Innovation Studies (STIS) to think through how understandings of space […]

Black and white image of Max presenting at 'social science of database workshop'. Max is stood, gesturing, in front of a screen with the words 'database ontology' written in large font.

08 July 2025

Naming Things.

And if you swear that there’s no truth, and who cares. How come you say it like you’re right?--- Bright Eyes, We are Nowhere and it’s Now.In June we ran a […]

Image shows the outline of a map drawn on paper in coloured pen. A handful of dice are sitting on the map.

19 June 2025

A playful experiment in map-making: Safe havens, innovation highways, and the desert of missing data

As an interdisciplinary research team with quite different trainings and research foci, the DARE team takes a reflexive attitude towards collaboration and actively seeks new and creative ways to think […]

DARE Team: Nicola, Abby, Max, and Cath stood together in front of an illustrated graphic.

10 March 2025

Dialogues on Data: Who is Data-Driven Healthcare For?

On 31st January 2025, the DARE team, in association with the Centre for Biomedicine, Self and Society, hosted ‘Dialogues on Data: Who is Data-Driven Healthcare For?’ Catalysing conversation between academics, […]

Picture of the Scottish flag, a white cross on a blue background

29 November 2024

What do we mean by ‘Nation’?

I arrived in Edinburgh this summer to join the DARE team, and as 2024 starts to draw to a close I’ve been reflecting on how my work has been taking […]

Paper medical record files stored on a shelf.

28 October 2024

The Eternal Return of a Single Medical Record

Given my interests, the last few months have been interesting. The new Labour government has made healthcare one of its key areas of concern with Wes Streeting, regarded by many […]

Colour image of the DARE team's four researchers.

17 September 2024

August & September Update

We have now been a full team of four for two and a half months. We’ve each been moving forward with our individual work packages and have been coming together […]

11 September 2024

Announcement: Advisory Board

We are pleased to announce the formation of our Advisory Board: Professor Anna Harris, Professor Klaus Hoeyer, and Professor Christine Hine. Anna Harris is Professor of Anthropology and Medicine at […]

01 August 2024

Some reflections on a week in Amsterdam....

From 16th July –19th July 2024, academics from all over the world coalesced in Amsterdam for the European Association for the Study of Science and Technology (EASST) and the Society […]