Infrawereld

Infrawereld is a theoretical construct in information studies and media theory that denotes a layered infrastructural field shaping how information appears to and is interpreted by users. It emphasizes the interaction of technical infrastructure, interface design, and cognitive processing in producing subjective experience of data.

Etymology and origin: Coined in the early 2020s by scholars working at the intersection of infrastructure studies and digital humanities. The word combines elements of infra- (infra, underlying) with wereld (world in Dutch), signaling a world processed through unseen layers beneath the visible interface.

Conceptual framework: Infrawereld comprises three overlapping layers. The infrastructural layer includes networks, servers, data stores, and edge computing. The perceptual layer covers user interfaces, visualization, and interaction patterns. The psychic layer encompasses cognitive biases, memory, and cultural expectations that users deploy when engaging with information. Researchers study how changes in one layer reshape experiences in the others.

Applications and implications: The concept guides analyses of personalized feeds, recommendation algorithms, accessibility design, and transparency in data processing. It informs designers and policymakers about how infrastructure choices affect comprehension, trust, and autonomy, and it highlights the need for reflexivity about the unseen forces shaping information flows.

Criticism and status: Infrawereld is a nascent and debated concept, with critics arguing that it risks vagueness and reification of complex sociotechnical processes. Proponents contend that it helps map neglected connections between infrastructure and subjective experience.