Leona Nikolić
PhD Student, Communication Studies, Concordia University
2021 — M.A. Communication Studies (Research-Creation in Experimental Media), Université du Québec à Montréal
2014 — B.A. Art History with Minor in English Literature, Carleton University
Leona’s research focuses on the intersections between spirituality, magic, and algorithmic technologies. More specifically, she examines at the connections between divination (such as astrology) and artificial intelligences as methods of speculation, pre-diction, and forecasting, as well as the ways in which we assign legitimacy and authority to knowledge-making practices.
She is currently working as an editorial assistant for the Against Catastrophe project, directed by Orit Halpern. She has previously conducted ethnographic field work as a research assistant for the Explorations in Sensory Design project, directed by David Howes, and on the impact of artificial intelligence on extractive industries for the Reclaiming the Planet research studio, directed by Orit Halpern.
Leona has participated in academic conferences in Montréal as well as in Switzerland, Denmark, Mexico, France, and Turkey.
Nikolić, L. (2023). Book Review: Deceitful Media: Artificial Intelligence and Social Life after the Turing Test. New Media & Society, 25(8), 2277–2280, https://doi.org/10.1177/14614448231173310.
Nikolić, L. (2023). An Astrological Genealogy of Artificial Intelligence: From “Pseudo-Sciences” of Divination to Sciences of Prediction. European Journal of Cultural Studies, 26(2), 131–146, https://doi.org/10.1177/13675494231164874.
Nikolić, L. (2021) Exploring Hyperreal Transcendence through Research-Creation: The Smartphone as Spiritual Interface between the Real and Virtual Selves. MAST: The Journal of Media Art Study and Theory 1(2). University at Buffalo, State University of New York, 40–50, https://mast-nemla.org/archive/vol2-no1-2021/Exploring_Hyperreal_Transcendence_through_Research_creation.pdf.
