Sociology/Media: Is Social Media Rewriting Our Reality? Globalisation, Digital Communication & Social Inequality with Dr Naheem Jabbar from University of Portsmouth

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In his 2025 book World Builders, Bruno Maçães argues that power is no longer about owning land—it’s about building the worlds we live in. He says, “Each new world is a creation from nothing… and no one has control over the virtual space.” But if no one has control, why does it feel like we are being “programmed” by TikTok algorithms and “manosphere” influencers?

Why You Need to Join

• The Rise (2011): We’ll look back at how social media was once a “World Builder” for freedom, helping people across the Middle East unite during the Arab Spring to challenge the status quo.
• The Fall (Today): We’ll debate what went wrong. Why has the “infinite space” of the internet shifted from democratic hope to addictive short-form media and toxic subcultures?
• The AI Frontier: Is AI creating a new “Global Village” or just a more efficient way for elites to maintain an “intolerable status quo”?

Sociological Lens: What We’ll Cover

• Globalisation: How digital communication transcends borders but also creates “cultural homogenisation.”
• Social Control: Are algorithms the new form of surveillance?
• Inequality: Does AI bridge the digital divide or just build a “walled garden” for those already in power?

Come and join the conversation about who is building your world—and how we can start building our own.

Lecturer Profile: Dr Naheem Jabbar

Our events are designed so that a group of students can take part from a classroom or students and teachers can take part as individuals, either from school or from home. There is no charge to take part.

As a live, participative event, this session will not be recorded but slides and other resources will be shared after the event, where available.

Suitable for: Aged 16+ pre-university students studying, or thinking about studying, Sociology, Media and related subjects. Student groups as well as students and teachers joining individually are very welcome.

Preparation/Pre-Reading: Students may wish to consider the topic in advance and questions they have. Students can also think about questions about studying at university level.

The IT Setup: The event will be run on Zoom and participants will be able to join using laptops, tablets, and mobile devices. If you are joining as a school group, we recommend connecting with one device and projecting on to a whiteboard. You will be able to interact with the speaker via typed comments and questions and/or via a microphone. Full details will be sent to those who have registered (see below) prior to the event.

Booking a Place: This is free for schools and colleges. If you would like to take part in this event, please register your interest using the link to the registration form below:

Register here