Itziar Castelló Inaugural Lecture: The End of Common Ground? How Technology Is Shaping Collective Action and Democracy

At a time when global challenges such as climate change and artificial intelligence demand unprecedented levels of coordination, our shared understanding of the world appears increasingly fragmented. Post-truth, alternative facts and growing polarization, amplified by algorithmic technologies designed to maximize engagement and profit, are undermining our capacity to deliberate about what matters for society.

In her inaugural lecture, Professor Itziar Castelló draws on two decades of research into sustainability, social movements, digital platforms and democracy to explore how we construct, and lose, the common ground necessary for collective action. She examines how social media and algorithmic technologies are reshaping the public sphere and intensifying polarization. She critically examines why current governance initiatives and systems are failing and explores alternative approaches that can strengthen democracy and restore the processes through which common ground is built.

Speaker Bio:

Itziar Castelló Molina is Professor of Sustainability and Digital Economy at Bayes Business School (formerly Cass), City St George’s, University of London. She holds a PhD in Management from ESADE, Ramon Llull University. She is also Director of the MSc in Sustainable Management and Finance at Bayes.

Itziar’s research addresses some of the defining challenges of our time: sustainability, collective action, the growing power of digital platforms, and their implications for democracy. Across her research, she explores how narratives, technologies and governance structures shape our understanding of societal problems, enable people to mobilise for collective action, and create—or undermine—the common ground needed to address grand challenges. Her more recent work examines the impact of social media and algorithmic technologies on democracy and explores new infrastructures for democratic innovation.

Her research has been published in leading international management journals, including Academy of Management Journal, Research Policy, Journal of Business Venturing, Business Ethics Quarterly and Journal of Management Studies. The Financial Times has recognised her work among 100 management research studies with significant social impact, and her research and ideas have featured in media including the BBC, The Guardian, Financial Times and Huffington Post.

Alongside her academic career, Itziar has extensive experience advising companies and organisations on sustainability, corporate responsibility and stakeholder engagement. Before becoming an academic, she held roles at AccountAbility in the UK, PricewaterhouseCoopers and General Electric (GE), and has subsequently worked as an independent adviser.