Mireia
Fernández-Ardèvol

Associate professor and researcher Mireia Fernández-Ardèvol focuses on digital communication as a gateway to studying social peripheries. She analyzes groups that, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, are excluded from hyper-digitalized society due to a lack of representation or resources. In this context, the analysis of socio-digital inequalities constitutes one of the main pillars of her research activity. Her interests also include a critical examination of hyper-datafication and digital methodologies. She reflects on the potential and limitations of quantitative methods associated with big data, as well as on the new peripheries these methods may generate, reinforce, or eliminate. Furthermore, she has developed a significant international research agenda focused on the intersection between digital communication and aging. She studies specific forms of ageism, such as digital ageism and data-driven ageism. Her work aligns with the principles of the 2030 Agenda, particularly with the commitment to “leave no one behind.” Her academic output demonstrates a strong commitment to interdisciplinary approaches. With an initial training grounded in positivist and quantitative traditions—specifically in econometrics and applied economics—she has incorporated critical and qualitative perspectives through various research projects, always prioritizing the relevance of research questions over specific methodological tools. She combines her academic research with knowledge transfer projects that help inform public policy in the Catalan context.