Sean Doody is a Senior Researcher at the START consortium at the University of Maryland, College Park and a sociology Ph.D. candidate at George Mason University. A computational sociologist, Doody’s research uses machine learning, natural language processing, and network methods to study the discourses and community structures of “alternative” online political communities.
His dissertation research focuses on the epistemological challenges and the social, cultural, and political conflicts arising from social media and digital technology. Doody explores these themes by studying online fan communities of the “Intellectual Dark Web”–a controversial network of contrarian public intellectuals, podcasters, and social media influencers–to understand how individuals come together to make sense of the contemporary world and collectively determine what they see to be true or false in our historical context of informational surplus, participatory media, and alternative networks of information and disinformation.
Background
- George Mason University, Ph.D. in Sociology, Presidential Scholar, Expected 2022
- Virginia Commonwealth University, M.S. in Sociology, 2016
- Virginia Commonwealth University, B.A. in Political Science, Magna Cum Laude, 2014
- Finalist, 3-Minute Thesis Competition, George Mason University, 2021
- Presidential Scholarship, George Mason University, 2016-2020
- High Pass in Sociology Comprehensive Exam (Highest Honors), Department of Sociology & Anthropology, George Mason University, 2018
- Graduate Teaching Scholarship, Virginia Commonwealth University, 2014-2016
- Outstanding Student in Political Science Award, Virginia Commonwealth University, 2014
- Graduate Research Assistant, George Mason University, 2016-2022
- Lecturer in Sociology, George Mason University, 2021
- Graduate Teaching Assistant, Virginia Commonwealth University, 2014-2016