During its Dies Natalis (on 9 February) Leiden University will award Safiya Umoja Noble an honorary doctorate in recognition of her outstanding contributions to science, education and society. During her visit to Leiden, Noble will engage with Leiden scholars and share insights from her research at a special Masterclass, organised by LeidenGlobal and Cultural Anthropology & Development Sociology at Leiden University (CAOS):
Algorithms of Oppression – 8 Years Later
Who controls knowledge in the Age of AI?
Masterclass for PhD candidates and (Research) Master Students
Date: February 11th, 2026
Time: 14:30-16:30 (walk-in 14:00)
Location: KITLV Conference Room, Herta Mohr Building (1.30), Witte Singel 27A Leiden
Registration: via mail: events@leidenglobal.nl
In this masterclass, Safiya Umoja Noble, globally recognised scholar and pioneer in the study of digital inequality and algorithmic discrimination, revisits the themes of her groundbreaking book Algorithms of Oppression: How Search Engines Reinforce Racism, published eight years ago. Noble will reflect on how algorithmic systems have evolved since the book’s release and examines what has changed- and what has not - in the governance, design and societal impact of digital technologies.
The session offers a critical exploration of how seemingly neutral tools such as search engines and AI systems continue to shape access to knowledge, opportunity and rights, often reinforcing existing power structures and inequalities. Drawing on recent research and real-world examples, Noble will connect past insights to today’s rapidly shifting digital landscape.
The masterclass concludes with an interactive discussion in which students are invited to reflect on how algorithms feature in their own work, whether as objects of study or as everyday tools, and how they critically engage with their social, ethical and political implications.
Programme
14:00 – 14:30 Walk-in
14:30 – 15:30 Lecture by Safiya Umoja Noble
15:30 – 16:30 Discussion with Students
16:30 Conclusion & Drinks
About the speaker
Safiya Umoja Noble has earned global recognition as a pioneer in digital inequality, algorithmic discrimination and the impact of technology on minority groups. She holds the David O. Sears Presidential Endowed Chair at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). With her book Algorithms of Oppression: How Search Engines Reinforce Racism, she set an international standard for critical research on digital systems.
Discussants are dr. Nurul Huda Binte Abdul Rashid and dr. Rodrigo Ochigame, both from Cultural Anthropology & Development Sociology at Leiden University.
Registration: Send and email to events@leidenglobal.nl, providing us your 1. name, 2. email address, 3. faculty, 4. advisor and 5. study area.