Name: Nathalie Maréchal
Year: Third, All But Dissertation
Hometown: Paris, France and Louisville, KY
Undergraduate/Graduate Institution: American University (BA, International Studies; MA, International Communication)
Research Area: Information controls, Internet policy, human rights
Dissertation Topic: The political economy of circumvention technology
Fellowship: I am a Senior Fellow in Information Controls at Ranking Digital Rights, which evaluates some of the world’s most powerful Internet and telecommunications companies on their disclosed commitments, policies, and practices that affect users’ freedom of expression and privacy.
As Senior Fellow, I am researching the impact of companies that produce software, devices and networking equipments on digital rights, and ways to evaluate individual companies’ commitment and performance in this regard; developing and coordinating a research network of NGOs and academics studying the impact of ICT companies on digital rights; and providing research and technical assistance to research partners around the world seeking to develop localized indices based on the RDR criteria.
Refereed Publications:
Maréchal, N. (2016). Ranking Digital Rights: Keeping the Internet Safe for Advocacy. The Fibreculture Journal 26, 299-305.
Maréchal, N. (2015). First They Came for the Poor: Welfare Recipients Trapped Between Surveillance and Invisibility. Media and Communication 3(3), 56-67.
Maréchal, N. (2015). COMPASS|Ranking Digital Rights: Human Rights, the Internet and the Fifth Estate. International Journal of Communication, 9, 10.
Maréchal, N. (2013). WikiLeaks and the Public Sphere: Dissent and Control in Cyberworld. International Journal of Technology, Knowledge and Society, 9(3).
Policy Papers:
Maréchal, N., MacKinnon, R., Bar, A., & Kumar, P. (2015). Theory and strategy for ranking ICT companies on freedom of expression and privacy. Washington, D.C: New America/Open Technology Institute. Available https://rankingdigitalrights.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/RDR-Theory-and-strategy- Feb2015.pdf
Maréchal, N., MacKinnon, R., Bar, A., Kumar, P., Mendes de Almeida Bottino, C. B., … Wanstreet, R. (2015). Case study research: Laying the groundwork for the methodology. Washington, D.C: New America/Open Technology Institute. Available https://rankingdigitalrights.org/wp-content/uploads/ 2015/02/RDR-Case-studies.pdf
Book Reviews:
Maréchal, N. (forthcoming, 2016). Shawn Powers and Michael Jablonski, The Real Cyber War, & Taylor Owen, Disruptive Power: The Crisis of the State in the Digital Age. Media, War & Conflict.
Maréchal, N. (2015). Nicole Starosielski, The Undersea Network. International Journal of Communication, 9, 5.
Maréchal, N. (2015). Tim Jordan, Information Politics: Liberation and Exploitation in the Digital Society. International Journal of Communication, 9, 5.
Maréchal, N. (2015). Gabriella Coleman, Hacker, Hoaxer, Whistleblower, Spy: The Many Faces of Anonymous. International Journal of Communication, 9, 5.
Academic Conferences:
Presentation, “First They Came for the Poor: Welfare Recipients Trapped Between Surveillance and Invisibility,” National Communication Association Annual Convention, November 2015. Las Vegas, NV.
Fishbowl discussion, “Crypto and the Academy,” Association of Internet Researchers Annual Conference, October 2015. Phoenix, AZ.
Presentation, “WikiLeaks en español: Spanish-Language Coverage of a Global Controversy.” Latin American Media Studies Association (ALAIC), May 2015. San Juan, PR.
Poster session, “Ranking Digital Rights: Human Rights, the Internet and the Fifth Estate.” International Communication Association Annual Conference, May 2015. San Juan, PR.
Poster session, “When the Internet Freedom Agenda Meets the Deep State: The Politics of Tor.” USC Annenberg Fellowship Research and Creative Project Symposium, April 2015. Los Angeles, CA.
Poster session, “Ranking Digital Rights.” Center for Nanotechnology in Society - University of California, Santa Barbara Democratizing Technologies Conference, November 2014. Santa Barbara, CA.
Poster session, “Framing Effects on Viewer Perceptions of the Snowden Leaks: National Security vs. Civil Liberties.” USC Annenberg Fellowship Research and Creative Project Symposium, March 2014. Los Angeles, CA.
Presentation, “WikiLeaks en español: Spanish-Language Coverage of a Global Controversy.” 10th International Conference on Technology, Knowledge and Society, February 2014. Madrid, Spain.
Activist and Practitioner Conferences:
Co-facilitator, “Ranking ICT Companies on Digital Rights: A “How To” Guide” (with Allon Bar). RightsCon, March 2016. San Francisco, CA.
Co-facilitator, “Ranking Tech Companies Part 2: Software, Devices and Networking Equipment” (with Allon Bar). RightsCon, March 2016. San Francisco, CA.
Panelist, “Holding Companies to Account: Advocating for Corporate Respect for Human Rights.” Internet Freedom Festival, March 2016. Valencia, Spain.
Co-facilitator, “Ranking ICT Companies on Digital Rights: A “How To” Guide” (with Allon Bar). Internet Freedom Festival, March 2016. Valencia, Spain.
Co-facilitator, “Ranking Tech Companies Part 2: Software, Devices and Networking Equipment” (with Allon Bar). Internet Freedom Festival, March 2016. Valencia, Spain.
Roundtable moderator, “Benchmarking ICT Companies on Digital Rights.” Internet Governance Forum, November 2015. João Pessoa, Brazil.
Co-facilitator, “Corporate Accountability for Digital Rights: Building a Global Research and Advocacy Network” (with Rebecca MacKinnon and Allon Bar). Internet Governance Forum, November 2015. João Pessoa, Brazil.
Presentation, “ICT Companies and Human Rights.” Annenberg-Oxford Media Policy Institute, July 2015. Oxford, UK.
Workshop, “Ranking Digital Rights, Together: Scaling Up.” University of Toronto Citizen Lab Summer Institute, June 2015. Toronto, ON.
Interactive session, “Ranking ICT Companies: How to do it and Why.” Circumvention Tech Festival, March 2015. Valencia, Spain.
Workshop, “Brainstorming a Ranking Digital Rights project for Iran.” Iran Cyber Dialogues (hosted by ASL19), March 2015. Valencia, Spain.
Presentation, “Ranking Digital Rights: An Update.” University of Toronto Citizen Lab Summer Institute, July 2014. Toronto, ON.
Student Research Groups: ACGSA (Annenberg Communication Graduate Student Association); Civic Paths; ARNIC (Annenberg Research Network on International Communication)
Website/Twitter: nathaliemarechal.net / @MarechalUSC
Favorite thing about USC Annenberg: The freedom and financial support to pursue my own interests, including when they take me far away from campus.