D. Fox Harrell: Narrative Imagining, Role-Playing, and Computing for Prosocial Impact
CDN Digital Narrative Summer School Keynote.
Main content
Digital media narratives and computationally supported role-playing shape who we can become—and what kinds of societies we might build. Drawing on case studies from the MIT Center for Advanced Virtuality, which he founded and directs, as well as allied collaborations and solo work, Professor Harrell reflects on how avatars, branching storylines, and generative AI both mirror and mold capacities such as social perspective-taking.
Across forms that include interactive narratives, museum installations, and games—illustrated by works like Sunken, Rising, Breakbeat Narratives, and The Nightsea’s Succor—he shares concrete concepts and design strategies, from identity modeling to conversational personalization, that move computing beyond entertainment toward creative and prosocial ends. Ultimately, the talk positions virtuality not as an escape, but as a workshop for critical awareness and thoughtful reflection—where well-designed interactive systems help catalyze prosocial conceptual change in participants and galvanize them to enact social change in the world.
Part of the Digital Narrative Summer School, open to the public.
About Fox Harrell
D. Fox Harrell, Ph.D., is Professor of Digital Media & Artificial Intelligence in the Comparative Media Studies Program and Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) at MIT. In addition, he is the director of the MIT Center for Advanced Virtuality.
