Looking back with PhD Candidate Simon C. Pohl

LolMyThesis. If I had to summarize the main idea of my dissertation in one or two sentences, I would say: Somehow capital always finds new ways to undermine public control. Platforms have been concerningly good at it, but why, and what can we do about it?

It’s all about that space. The spatial figures and the concept of the “regime” are fundamental to my work. As digital network spaces, platforms often resist territorial control. This spatial constitution also allows them to order social life in similar ways to how states can organize it through territory. As a consequence, people need to consider both modes of socio-spatial ordering. The resulting relation between state and platform is the regime.

Looking back, the advice I would give to my past self, who was just starting a PhD, is to focus on what is actually important in order to get the PhD done. You can delve deeper during your postdoc, as well.

A day in a life. My typical day as a PhD is filled with coffee and way too much screen time, but not enough time to read.

It’s all about the spatial arrangement. My ideal setting to write is either on the couch or in the garden.

When you know, you know. In hindsight, the most surprising thing about doing a PhD was how short it actually was in terms of time. I always figured that three to four years would be plenty of time to delve into a topic. Actually, it’s barely enough time to feel confident about what you’re talking about.

Back to the future. The advice I would give to doctoral researchers just starting out is the same as above: Focus on what is necessary. You have a whole career to focus on the fluff. Things that seem obvious to you will probably surprise most other people. Don’t get ahead of yourself, it’s just unnecessary stress. Get frequent feedback from your peers, it really helps!

Author Bio: Simon C. Pohl is a doctoral candidate and research associate at the CRC 1265. His research focuses on the socio-spatial dimensions of the platform economy, especially in relation to regulatory efforts by state actors and platform operators.