M. (Marc Esteve Del Valle) Esteve Del Valle, PhD

ECO-ANXIETY, SOCIAL MEDIA, AND YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE NETHERLANDS

Funded by: NWO-XS Open Competition

Abstract: Most young people learn about climate change through social media. This can evoke a variety of emotional responses, such as stress, fear, anger, and worry, a psychological phenomenon referred to as eco-anxiety. In this project, we will identify whether, and if so how, exposure to climate change information through social media relates to eco-anxiety in young people living in the Netherlands. Our work will provide educators and policymakers with crucial knowledge to build resilience against eco-anxiety. Furthermore, it will allow the applicant to start a new line of research that applies current media studies knowledge to the impacts of climate change.

Researchers: 

• Principal Investigator: Dr. Marc Esteve Del Valle
• Researcher: Klara Matusewicz

NO PLAN(ET)B: EXPLORING NEW POLICY-MAKING COLLABORATION BETWEEN CLIMATE CHANGE-RELATED SOCIAL MOVEMENTS AND POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS IN THE NORTHERN NETHERLANDS

Funded by: RUG Incentive fund for interdisciplinary projects

Abstract:  This project seeks to examine the social movements that have emerged in response to the issue of climate change in the Netherlands, specifically in the northern region and in and around Groningen (e.g. Fridays for Future, Extinction Rebellion, etc.). The study focuses on how these movements operate, and how their internal organisation and structure have evolved over time.

Researchers: 

• Principal Investigator: Dr. Marc Esteve Del Valle
• Co-applicants: Dr. F. Ruzzenenti, Dr. Q. Zhu, and MA Julia Meyer

THE NEW ONLINE PUBLIC SPHERE IN THE DELIBERATIVE SYSTEM: POLITICAL DELIBERATION ON TWITTER AND ON THE POLITICAL PARTIES' PLATFORMS IN SPAIN (2020-)

Funded by: Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation

Abstract:  Despite its consequences for democracy, little research has been devoted to the empirical study of deliberation in social media platforms. The main goal of this project is to study new forms of deliberation occurring in the Spanish political Twittersphere and in the online platforms of Spanish political parties.

Researchers: 

• Principal Investigators: Dr. Rosa Borge (Open University of Catalonia, and Internet Interdisciplinary Institute) and Dr. Joan Balcells (Open University of Catalonia, and Internet Interdisciplinary Institute).
• Co-applicants: Dr. Albert-Padró Solanet (Open University of Catalonia, and Internet Interdisciplinary Institute), Òscar Barberà (University of Valencia), Dr. Marc Esteve Del Valle (University of Groningen), Dr. Eleonore Fournier-Tombs (Mc Guill University), Pablo Aragón (EURECAT-Centre Tecnlològic de Catalunya), and Ludovic Terren (Open University of Catalonia, Internet Interdisciplinary Institute).

TOWARDS AND ALGORITHM FOR AN AI-ENABLED STUDENT FEEDBACK (2019-)

Funded by: Center for Digital Humanities and RIS/Data Science Centre

Abstract: With more active learning approaches being used at University of Groningen, the amount of texts students submit via assignments, reports and reading tasks increases. For learning, giving feedback on these texts is vital. Data is available from three projects: Perusall, digital exams, and Short Answer Method (SAM). This data contains open text comments and annotations of students and an assessment of quality, either via an AI algorithm or as graded by lecturers. Through the analysis of the data from these three projects we aim to reach a model of how text fragments are associated with quality. In the future, we expect this model to support lecturers in selecting relevant text fragments for feedback. Furthermore, we want to make AI enabled feedback available for a wide range of open ended written assignments. 

Researchers: 

• Principal Investigators: Prof. dr. Pablo Valdivia (University of Groningen), Dr. Koos Winnips (University of Groningen), and Dr. Hans Bedhuis.
• Co-Applicants: Prof.dr.Malvina Nissim (University of Groningen), Prof. dr. Niels Taatgen (University of Groningen), Dr. Marc Esteve Del Valle (University of Groningen), Dr. Berber Hagerdoorn (University of Groningen), and Dr. Muirme Paap (University of Groningen).

MAPPING THE ECOLOGIES OF THE ENERGY TRANSITION DEBATE IN THE DUTCH DIGITAL PUBLIC SPACE

Funded by: Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research; EMMA; DUiDT

Abstract: This project aims to map the ecologies of the energy transition debate occurring in the Dutch digital public space. It will develop an empirical understanding of the forces of the Dutch energy transition debate and of their network evolution processes. For 12 months we will collect hyperlink networks (Rogers, 2013) that have Dutch civil society and the media in the area of energy transition as their seeds. We will assess the authorities of these networks using Kleinberg’s authority measure (Kleinberg, 1999) and trace the dynamics that affect the network evolution processes using temporal exponential random graph models -TERGMs- (Hunter, Handcock, Butts, Goodreau & Morris, 2008). The ultimate goal of the project is to better understand how new media affect citizens’ opinion formation on energy transition issues.

Researchers: 

• Principal Investigator: Dr. Marc Esteve Del Valle (University of Groningen)
• Co-Applicant: Dr. Franco Ruzzenenti (Energy and Environmental Studies, University of Groningen)

AUTOMATED ANALYSIS OF ONLINE BEHAVIOR ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Funded by: Netherlands eScience Center; Center for Digital Humanities and RIS/Data Science Centre

Abstract: This project studies which discursive practices politicians and journalists use on Twitter and how these have changed, and to what extent institutional difference between agents still matter, or even exist, now they all have the power to publish on social media.

Researchers: 

• Principal Investigator: Prof. Marcel Broersma (Center for Media and Journalism Studies, University of Groningen)
• Co-Applicant: Dr. Marc Esteve Del Valle (University of Groningen)
• Researchers: Herbert Kruitbosch (Data Scientist- Center for Information Technology, University of Groningen)

PLATFORM POP: SPOTIFY’S ROLE AS AN INTERMEDIARY IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY

Funded by: Center for Digital Humanities and RIS/Data Science Centre

Abstract: This project investigates the types of artists and playlists that Spotify promotes through Twitter. It employs machine learning to analyze the content of the tweets of the Spotify Twitter account and statistical analysis to understand what type of playlists Spotify promotes and how these playlists are promoted. It combines this with a social network analysis of the intensity of the communication flows between Spotify’s Twitter account and the major record labels or independent artists.

Researchers: 

• Principal Investigator: Dr. Robert Prey (Center for Media and Journalism Studies, University of Groningen)
• Co-Applicant: Dr. Marc Esteve Del Valle (University of Groningen)
• Researchers:  Leslie Zwerwer and Dimitrious Soudis (Data Scientists- Center for Information Technology, University of Groningen)

LEARNING ANALYTICS FOR THE SOCIAL MEDIA AGE (2013-2018)

Funded by: Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada

Abstract: This major five-year (2013-2018) research initiative is designed to address the question “How do social media networks influence educational models?” The project involves developing novel learning analytics for the social media age. One of the primary goals of this initiative is to devise new theoretical and technical solutions that will help educators and researchers to study learning processes in social media. Another goal of the initiative is to provide educators and learners with tools that will help them to determine whether their particular use of social media is beneficial to their teaching or learning.

Researchers:

• Principal Investigator: Dr. Anatoliy Gruzd (Ryerson University); Dr. Caroline Haythornthwaite (Syracuse University); Dr. Luanne Freund (University of British Columbia)
• Doctoral Students: Drew Paulin (University of Berkley); Sarah Gilbert (University of British Columbia); Jammes Lannigan (University of Toronto)
• Collaborators: Dr. Marc Esteve Del Valle (University of Groningen); Dr. Mark Klein (MIT); Dr. Regina Collins (New Jersey Institute of Technology)