I'm Adrien, a PhD candidate and teaching assistant in political science at the University of Geneva. I am trying to understand how people make sense of what is happening around them and how that shapes their beliefs. I am particularly interested in the role that online tools play in this process. I use both qualitative and quantitative methods and focus on the American context. You can find my resume at the bottom of this page if you wish to know more. 

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After obtaining my M.A. in political science at the University of Geneva in August of 2022, I joined the political science and international relations department of the same institution in September of 2022. There, I teach two bachelor seminars: Introduction to scientific reasoning and Internet and Politics: Social Media and the Digital Public Sphere. I am also supervising students in a seminar as they develop and write their bachelor’s theses.

 

My dissertation is a case study of Burlington, Vermont’s largest city. I decided to focus on Burlington because it is home to a unique online platform, Front Porch Forum (FPF). FPF was created in 2006 to help neighbors connect and has grown into a community favorite and offers a wealth of uses, from finding lost cats to learning about what the City Council will discuss at the next meeting. This tool, coupled with a very civically minded population makes for a thriving and unique public sphere. By taking an in-depth look at how it functions I hope to contribute to research on social media by exploring the impact of a small platform at the local level. My study uses a wide range of methods: extensive fieldwork (+6 months in the field), semi-structured interviews (40+) and a survey (over 800 respondents).

 

My fieldwork was made possible thanks to the University of Massachusetts Amherst which sponsored my research scholar visa. At UMass, I joined the Initiative for Digital Public Infrastructure lab led by my co-supervisor, Ethan Zuckerman. I am also a visiting fellow at the Center for Research on Vermont at the University of Vermont.

 

Most of my free time is dedicated to learning new things about America. I find joy in exploring American literature, music, history, politics and popular culture. If I am not in Geneva, you’re likely to find me in a used books store somewhere between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. I also love to hike in the Swiss Alps. 

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Feel free to reach out, I love meeting new people! 

 

Thanks for your visit!

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078 204 83 59

adrien.sabathier@unige.ch