TRANSCIENCE

Volume 15, Issue 2 (2024)

Decentralization of power Council democracy and the Social Contract in North and East Syria
Christopher Wimmer
In the course of the Syrian civil war, the predominantly Kurdish-dominated regions in North and East Syria declared their autonomy from the Syrian state. The “Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria” (AANES), as it is now officially known, controls at present around a third of Syrian territory. Various ethnic and religious groups now live together there largely peacefully based on principles of grassroots democracy, equal rights and women’s liberation. This paper examines the political system of the AANES. It presents the historical and ideological background for the current project in the Syrian periphery. Theories on council democracy are discussed as well as the oppression of the Kurds in Syria and their uprising in July 2012. However, the main focus of the paper is on the question of how or whether it is possible to speak about a decentralization of power in North and East Syria through the numerous councils and committees at the grassroots level. In addition, an indepth analysis of the region’s new Social Contract – a kind of constitution – published at the end of 2023 will answer the question of whether the political system of the AANES is an anti-state model. By answering these questions, I hope to contribute to an accurate and honest understanding of the social conditions on the ground in North and East Syria, which for many leftists fromWestern countries represent the projection of a “liberated society”. The tense contradiction between the grassroots democratic aspirations that the region has formulated for itself, and the concrete reality runs through this paper.

Algorithmic Bargaining: Negotiating Identity with Artificial Intelligence
Mary Jones
Social media has become a ubiquitous feature of postmodern life, impacting important fields such as the economy, politics, and interpersonal communication. Over the past eight years, TikTok has emerged as a front runner in the social media platform ecosystem; part of its unparalleled success lies in the unique precision of its AI-informed algorithm. This research is concerned with the lesbian community on TikTok, specifically its semantic decision-making and communicative behaviors. This population serves as a case study of how the anticipation of algorithmic outcomes, such as visibility and content moderation, affect how lesbians address their sexual orientation on TikTok. The result of this inquiry finds that in addition to using humor, storytelling, and various descriptors when addressing their sexual orientation, lesbians on TikTok engage in algorithmic bargaining to achieve their content creation goals. Furthermore, this research demonstrates how algorithms learn and perpetuate social marginalization through the normalization of shallow self-expression and user algorithmic bargaining.

Algorithmic Coloniality? The Case of Chinese Artificial Intelligence Technology and Zimbabwean Surveillance
L. Travers
This paper examines the development and deployment of Chinese Artificial Intelligence (AI) surveillance technology in Zimbabwe through the lens of algorithmic coloniality. Focusing particularly on facial recognition technology, this research primarily draws upon concepts developed by Mohamed et al. (2020) to establish a novel analytical method. It traces questions of algorithmic oppression, algorithmic exploitation, and algorithmic dispossession using data collected through semi-structured interviews and surveys conducted with Zimbabwean experts and desk research. The study reveals that the adoption of Chinese AI surveillance technology in Zimbabwe is driven by the ruling party’s aim to consolidate political power using oppressive facial recognition systems. This technology reinforces systems of repression, resulting in the subordination of different social groups including members of the ZANU-PF. Turning from algorithmic oppression to exploitation, ethical concerns arise as Chinese companies establish opaque agreements with the Zimbabwean government, leading to the illicit transfer and misuse of citizen data for their own benefit. The acquisition and extraction of biometric data replicate historical patterns of colonial exploitation, positioning Zimbabwe as a testing ground for Chinese technological advancements. Labour exploitation worsens as Zimbabwean workers face low wages, long hours, and limited agency. Examining policies related to algorithmic dispossession, the paper posits the finding that the importation of Chinese AI technology hampers the development of a thriving domestic AI industry, deepening Zimbabwe’s dependence on China. Insufficient legal policies and oversight mechanisms further exacerbate the situation. By employing the concept of algorithmic coloniality, this paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the risks, power dynamics, and inequalities associated with Chinese AI surveillance technology in Zimbabwe. Ultimately, it emphasises the importance of responsible and ethical AI development and deployment that protects individual rights and works to remedy existing inequalities.

Torture in the Postcolony of Papua, Indonesia
Budi Hernawan
Drawing on Achilles Mbembe’s concept of postcolony and long-term field research in Papua since 1998, I argue that torture in Papua, Indonesia, constitutes an integral part of construction of Papua as a postcolony by the Indonesian state over the last five decades. The construction develops in two ways. First, it asserts control and dominance over the land and people of Papua through private indirect government that condones extractive industry, land grabbing and coercive military power, which includes theatrical torture and excessive violence with impunity against any opposition to the state. Second, Indonesian state power instills a mindset of inferiority in the indigenous Papuans toward the nation as a whole, characterizing Papuans as savages and labeling them with animalistic traits. However, the postcolony of Papua does not solely involve a binary opposition between the Indonesian state and Papua. Rather, it instills “the logic of conviviality” among all Papuans and Indonesians, creating a fluid power dynamic in which the state, Papuans, and Indonesians coexist.