Study group with Shorenstein fellow, Rakoen Maertens

The Behavioral Insights Student Group (BISG) is excited to host a study group with Dr. Rakoen Maertens on Countering Disinformation using Behavioural Science. 

Dr. Rakoen Maertens is a behavioral scientist from the University of Oxford specialized in countering-disinformation strategies.  He is currently on a Shorenstein Fulbright Fellowship at the Harvard Kennedy School focusing on translating his research into policy insights for decision-makers, sharing best practices for countering misinformation. He earned his PhD from the University of Cambridge and has published in leading journals such as Nature Communications. His applied work includes collaborations with Google, Meta, the UN, the European Commission, and the UK Cabinet Office. He is also a reservist in the Belgian Army and has represented three NGOs at the United Nations, including the Society for Personality and Social Psychology (SPSP).

Our democracies have entered the post-truth era: emotions often get the upper hand over truth. This 90-minute study group will explore the latest behavioral insights and know-how to tackle the problem of misinformation from a variety of angles using a behavioral lens. The format will be interactive, with for each topic a short lecture followed by a discussion. We will explore four key themes:

1) What is Mis- and Disinformation?

2) Countering Misinformation: Individual-Level Interventions 

3) Countering Misinformation: System-Level Interventions

4) Disinformation & Foreign Interference

Please see the registration form for recommended readings.

Study Group questions to prepare:

1) Are we wasting too much time on individual-level interventions with a low impact (i.e., should we focus more on system-level interventions)?

2) Can we tackle the disinformation problem while adhering to absolutist views on free speech?

3) How can we de-politicize the topic of "fake news"?

4) Can democracies survive when we are no longer in charge of the information environment?

This is a student-organized event co-sponsored by the Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy.

Food will be provided. This event is open to all students and staff at Harvard University.