Technology Panel
Shahana Sheikh (Speaker) (Zoom)
Crowds as Content: Party Campaign Strategy in the Digital Age
Abstract: Internet-based communication technologies have reduced the costs of voter outreach for political parties. Yet, parties continue to organize expensive in-person mass campaign rallies. What explains the puzzling persistence of such rallies, even as lower cost online alternatives for party-voter communication become increasingly available? Drawing on intensive qualitative fieldwork in India, I develop a theory that emphasizes content-complementarity: a mutually reinforcing relationship between physical and digital modes of campaigning. Social media creates a demand for online content and in-person mass campaign rallies supply valuable content to parties. The anticipated effects of rally content also alter how parties conduct rallies. Empirically, I test key implications of my theory with observational data from party social media accounts, original survey experiments with approximately 4,000 voters, and a novel survey of approximately 400 party functionaries. I show the centrality of rallies to the digital campaigns of major parties in north India. I demonstrate that content about the size and composition of rally crowds shapes voter perceptions and voter mobilization. In the digital age, parties transcend the limits of place and time through online rally content, and exposure to this content influences voters.
Biography: Dr. Shahana Sheikh is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Center for the Advanced Study of India at the University of Pennsylvania. She studies political parties, political behavior, and party-voter linkages, with a regional focus on South Asia. Her research agenda is centered on how party strategy, campaigns, and political participation in developing democracies are shaped by significant transformations associated with development—especially, shifts in media and communication technology, urbanization, and environmental degradation. Shahana completed her Ph.D. in Political Science from Yale University. Prior to her Ph.D., Shahana was a policy researcher in the areas of urban governance and public finance in India.
Trisha Ray (Speaker)
India’s Digital Trilemma: Growth, Autonomy and Partnerships
Abstract: India is making strides on digital governance. The country’s data protection law, long in the making, is finally here. The government is flexing its regulatory muscle, but its emphasis remains on economic competitiveness and innovation. What kind of digital future does India want? This talk will explore the fault lines shaping India’s approach to data and platform governance. It will examine how its policies attempt to strike the balance between user rights, a thriving digital economy, and a competitive market. Finally, it will outline how its policies build into India’s approach to digital sovereignty.
Biography: Trisha Ray is an associate director and resident fellow at the Atlantic Council’s GeoTech Center (GTC). She writes on the intersection of geopolitics and emerging technologies and leads GTC’s AI portfolio. Prior to this, Ray was a deputy director and fellow at Observer Research Foundation in India, where worked on India’s technology policies and partnerships in AI, data protection, platform governance, cybersecurity, among others. She also chaired ORFs flagship technology conference, CyFy. Ray has published with The Diplomat, Hindustan Times, The Wire and the Indian Express. Ray has also provided commentary for media outlets such as BBC, CNN-IBN, Nikkei Asia, Financial Times, Voice of America, The Economist, among others. Ray completed her MA in security studies from the Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University and a BA (honors) in journalism from Lady Shri Ram College, Delhi University.
Akanksha Golchha (Speaker)
Role of Global South Partnerships in Accelerating EV Transition
Abstract: The rapid growth of transport sector in developing economies like India is closely linked to economic development, job creation, and trade facilitation. However, transportation is also a major contributor to fastest growing sources of pollution, air toxins, and smog, accounting for about 25 percent of energy related CO2 emissions, globally. While many countries in the Indo-Pacific and Africa have set policy mandates for electric vehicle (EV) adoption, significant bottlenecks persist in three key areas: economic feasibility, manufacturing ecosystem, and market development. This paper examines the role of Global South partnerships in overcoming these barriers by fostering collaboration in policy and technology exchange. It explores how joint efforts can drive advancements in areas such as retrofitting, battery circularity, and innovative charging models to address supply-side and infrastructure constraints. On the policy front, the paper draws lessons from successful approaches in India and the U.S., including fiscal incentives, supply-side regulations, and consumer-driven initiatives, which could be adapted to Global South context. By leveraging cooperative frameworks, these partnerships can enhance EV adoption, stimulate sustainable economic growth, create employment opportunities, and contribute to global climate goals.
Biography: Akanksha Golchha is a fellow with the Chair on India and Emerging Asia Economics at CSIS, where she leads projects on Global South collaboration in electric vehicles and clean energy. With nearly a decade of experience, she has deep expertise in the areas of renewable energy, climate change and gender equity. Previously, she led NRDC India’s RE program, focusing on energy security and gender. At Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation, she designed programs to advance distribution sector reforms and improve energy access in India. An avid researcher, Akanksha has published in leading journals and digital platforms. She holds a master’s degree in regulatory governance from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences in Mumbai and is a qualified chartered accountant.
Kelsey Larsen (Moderator)
Biography: Dr. Kelsey L. Larsen is an Assistant Professor in the School of Politics, Security, and International Affairs (SPSIA), and the Associate Director of UCF’s Intelligence Community Center for Academic Excellence (IC-CAE). Her inter-disciplinary research explores the intersection of stress, trauma, and national security decision-making, with a focus on the feelings and behaviors of American service-members, veterans, analysts, peacekeepers, and leaders. Her work is funded by the National Science Foundation, and published in peer-reviewed journals including Political Psychology, Frontiers in Psychology, Military Medicine, International Peacekeeping, Medical Education, and Armed Forces & Society. She has also published book chapters in the fields of veterans’ mental health and mindfulness programs.