Mary completed her master's degree in global studies at the Humboldt University of Berlin and the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences (FLACSO Argentina). She focused on the replication and exacerbation of structural hegemonies and social inequalities in the digital sphere, specifically documenting the communicative practices and semantic decision-making of lesbians on TikTok. Before her master’s degree, Mary worked on international development projects in the Middle East and South Asia providing psychosocial support and remedial education to children in conflict-affected areas. She is currently a doctoral candidate in Prof. Dr. Ruth Müller’s team for Science and Technology Policy at the Technical University of Munich (TUM).
During her time at TUM, Mary has focused on the social and academic discourse on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in Germany as a part of the ForFamily project. For her dissertation, she will explore the relationship between ACEs, epigenetics, and familial/societal responsibility with a specific emphasis on social justice, (anti)discrimination, and the social norms that influence long-term health and socioeconomic outcomes.
Time Frame: 2024-2027
Funding Institution: Bavarian Ministry of Science and Art
This project explores the academic and social discourses surrounding the long-term health effects of early-life adversity. In particular, we investigate how these discourses evolve and influence conceptions of family and responsibility.
Using a mix of social science methods, we investigate how family is conceptualized and positioned in the discourse surrounding the health consequences of early-life adversity, and what ideas about familial responsibility for health emerge. In this context, our research also analyzes which discriminatory narratives arise from these discourses. These narratives can not only disproportionately affect those directly impacted, but also overemphasize responsibility on groups, such as mothers. Finally, through a participatory workshop bringing together parents, researchers, and other stakeholders, we aim to intervene in the discourse and critically examine and reinterpret the relationship between family, childhood experiences, and health, particularly with regard to issues of social justice.
Jones, Mary Allison. “Algorithmic Bargaining: Negotiating Identity with Artificial Intelligence.” Transcience 15:2. https://www2.hu-berlin.de/transcience/Vol15_No2_S25_S47.pdf
- “Legal, Ethical, and Social Challenges of Biomedicine.” Seminar. Summer semester 2025: This seminar examines the role of biomedicine in contemporary society and the social, political, and ethical questions raised by new biomedical knowledge and technologies. Through case studies on topics such as reproductive medicine, genetic diagnostics, and neurobiology, students will explore how emerging biomedical innovations shape concepts of health, risk, responsibility, and regulation. Designed for students in biomedicine and adjacent fields, the course fosters critical understanding of the societal implications, opportunities, and tensions surrounding biomedical advancements.
- “STS 1: Practices and Politics of Science and Technology”, Winter semester 2024/2025 and 2025/2026: This course is designed as a comprehensive introduction to familiarize students with a range of STS theories and concepts.
- “Living in and with environments: Epigenetics, the biology of early life adversity and new notions of responsibility for health” Guest Lecture in seminar “Responsibility for Environment and Health: Social and Cultural Perspectives on Environment, Health, Science, and Technology”. Summer semester 2025: Provided a lecture and moderated discussions concerning responsibility for health in light of epigenetic advancements.
- “A Media Analysis of the Biosocial Embodiment of Early-Life Adversity and Stress in Germany” STS Italia, Politecnico di Milano, June 2025.
- “Early Life Adversity, Epigenetics, and Parenthood: New Familial Responsibilites?” co-held with Dr. Georgia Samaras, stshub, Berlin, Germany, March 2025.
- “Early Life Adversity, Epigenetics, and Experiences of Forced Displacement” European Society for Family Research Summer School, University of Luxemburg, September 2024.