By Felicia Wu Song and Ann Boyd

Felicia Wu Song: Restless Devices

"Part of my own journey is wanting to become a different kind of person who can be present to the people in my life." — Felicia Song

How do digital devices affect our journeys of spiritual formation — and what can we do about that? Join us for this conversation with writer and professor Felicia Wu Song as we discuss digital habits and the grace of establishing soul-shaping practices.

Let me invite you into a conversation with professor and cultural sociologist Felicia Wu Song, in which we talk about her recent book Restless Devices: Recovering Personhood, Presence, and Place in the Digital Age. Reading this book felt like a real spiritual journey for me with Felicia serving as a gentle guide . She describes the challenges that come with our compulsive use of digital devices, and then leads the reader into spiritual practices that help temper some of the harmful effects and reorient our focus back to connectedness with God and one another. It’s a beautiful and courageous and kind book, especially around a topic that could be filled with shoulds and oughts — and Felicia and I talk about why she decided NOT to offer a lot of hard and fast rules about managing digital devices. I loved talking with Felicia and I think you’ll enjoy our conversation too.​ So have a listen! We're so glad you're here.

— Ann Boyd

You can listen on iTunes or at All Shall Be Well: Conversations with Women in the Academy and Beyond. We hope you enjoy this conversation as much as we did.
 

Further resources for this interview:

Image from Ramon López Calvo on Pixabay.

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About the Author

Felicia Song is Associate Professor and Chair of the Sociology and Anthropology Department at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California. Having trained in History, Communication Studies and Sociology from Yale, Northwestern, and University of Virginia, and taught at Louisiana State University’s Manship School for Mass Communication, her research is oriented around the rapidly evolving digital technology industry and how the adoption of social media and digital devices fundamentally alters the landscapes of family, community, and organizational life. In addition to her book, Virtual Communities: Bowling Alone, Online Together (Peter Lang 2009), she has conducted research on expectant women’s online information-seeking habits and the evolution of “mommy bloggers” as social media professionals. Currently, she is working on a book project that explores how our contemporary digital habits form us and our imaginations about personhood, time, and place. When she is not working, she enjoys children’s chapter books, searching local consignment shops, and watching The Great British Baking Show with her husband and two children. 

Ann is the Women Scholars and Professionals Podcast host and the interim editor for The Well. She has worked for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship since 1997, exploring her interests in community, spiritual formation, and writing. Ann has a BM in Music Education from Northwestern University and lives in Chicago, Illinois with one husband, two spunky teenage daughters, and three snuggly cats. You’ll often find Ann baking sweet treats in the kitchen while listening to a podcast or audiobook.

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