Nada Mousa

PhD thesis:

Interlocked Algorithmic Architectures of Genocidal Violence

Research interests:

1. Technology, Power and Politics
2. Digital Infrastructures, Mass violence and Warfare
3. Technology, Law and Accountability
4. Political Economy of Tech

My PhD research introduces the analytical framework "Interlocked Algorithmic Architectures of Violence" to examine how AI targeting systems, surveillance technologies, and algorithmic content moderation tools operate as mutually reinforcing infrastructures within a shared supply chain ecosystem. This approach challenges the conventional view of these technologies as isolated instruments of power.

Palestine is conceptualized as an epistemic site, rather than solely a case study, where these technological arrangements converge with exceptional density and persistence. This positioning enables a nuanced analysis of the dispersion of responsibility, the elusiveness of accountability, and the conditions under which mass violence may approach genocidal thresholds.

The project employs a forensic methodology to reconstruct system logics, infrastructural interdependencies, and supply-chain relations by tracing publicly available socio-technical artefacts, including technical documentation and procurement contracts. Expert interviews are conducted to address targeted evidentiary gaps, rather than serving as testimonial evidence.

Who or what inspired you to pursue your research interests?

My research interests grew from nearly two decades of work at the intersection of technology and social justice in the MENA region. As an Egyptian activist who participated in the 2011 Egyptian Uprising, I have long questioned how infrastructures designed to organise and govern can also become instruments of control and violence. In 2023, following unprecedented tech militarisation in the region and beyond, I decided to focus my academic and practical work on challenging AI warfare. I trace the actors and infrastructures involved and pursue pathways to accountability.