Race After Technology: Abolitionist Tools for the New Jim Code

If you had the task of designing an algorithm, how would you avoid perpetuating the New Jim Code?

Benjamin explores words’ multiple meanings, like “fix,” “glitch,” “exposure,” and “code.” What are other words that Benjamin could have teased out to shed light on the connection between race and technology?

Consider the benefits and drawbacks of using technology to solve problems. How does the New Jim Code add nuance to that debate?

Benjamin conceptualizes the human/robot relationship as a metaphor for the master/slave relationship. What other metaphors do you see between technology and humanity? What might they mean?

Benjamin explains that technology reflects our human biases. Do you think that unbiased technology can exist? Why or why not?

Think of a technology or an algorithm that you interact with on a daily basis. How might your experience with it be affected by the New Jim Code?

Benjamin repeatedly refers to the “abolitionist tool kit.” What does this mean and how exactly might Race After Technology be a tool in this kit?

Although Race After Technology is largely the New Jim Code, Benjamin inserts details about herself, her children, and her students. What role do these first-person details play in an otherwise third-person text? Why do you think that Benjamin included them?