About me

I am an economic sociologist and Postdoctoral Researcher in Aalborg University’s Techno-Anthropology Lab. My work sits at the intersection of economic sociology, science and technology studies, and the sociology of professions.

I study how algorithmic technologies reshape market and organizational practices, and how public-sector AI infrastructures are developed and governed. I am particularly interested in why some algorithmic systems take root in organizations while others fail to gain traction, even when they are technically feasible and economically valuable.

My current project examines the development of public-sector AI infrastructures in Denmark and compares national AI initiatives across the Nordic countries. This research explores how states coordinate, govern, and institutionalize AI infrastructures, and how these infrastructures shape public perceptions of AI.

In my doctoral research, I investigated the adoption of AI in the life insurance industry. Drawing on economic sociology and science and technology studies, I explored how professional ideologies, ethical principles, and regulatory norms shape decisions about data use, algorithm design, and the boundaries of what is deemed a morally acceptable AI system. This work highlighted a striking paradox: while behavioral data and machine learning techniques are increasingly used for loss prevention, they remain far less common in pricing and actuarial risk-calculation practices, despite frequent discussions about their potential. My research traced this, what I call “uneven algorithmization” to the moral frameworks and professional cultures of data professionals.

Across my projects, I use a mixed-methods approach that includes participant observation, interviews, document analysis, and quantitative techniques such as statistical modelling, network analysis, and multiple correspondence analysis.

I hold a PhD in Economic Sociology from Copenhagen Business School, which included a research stay at SCANCOR, Stanford University. Before my doctoral studies, I completed my BSc and MSc in International Business and Politics at CBS. Alongside my studies, I was an analyst at the Happiness Research Institute, and I continue to actively follow the wellbeing and post-growth political movement.

Alongside my academic work, I currently serve as a consultative expert at the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA).

If you would like to know more about me, check out my CV, or send me an e-mail @ alexanderg@ikl.aau.dk.