Jamie Sherman

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About

Jamie Sherman is a critical scholar of technology whose work interrogates the cultural and social power embedded in algorithms and data systems. Centered at the intersection of science and technology studies (STS), anthropology, and media theory, Sherman’s research reveals how algorithms function not merely as technical tools but as objects of collective faith and desire. Her most-cited paper, "Algorithms as fetish: Faith and possibility in algorithmic work" (2018, 69 citations), draws on David Graeber’s revision of fetishism to argue that algorithms gain their transformative power through the promises we invest in them—turning mundane outputs, like a robotic vacuum’s route map, into symbols of order and care. This work has shaped conversations in critical algorithm studies, highlighting the affective and ideological dimensions of computation. Sherman’s contributions extend to examining how data practices reconfigure labor, agency, and everyday life. Her writing is known for its theoretical depth and ethnographic sensitivity, making complex ideas accessible to interdisciplinary audiences. With a growing citation footprint and a distinctive voice in technology criticism, Sherman is a vital thinker for students and researchers exploring the cultural life of algorithms.