How can young people learn from their experiences and reshape who they are in a digital world that never forgets?
That question will guide York University education scholar Mario Di Paolantonio’s research as a York Massey Fellow at the University of Toronto for the 2025-26 academic year.
The fellowship, awarded to full-time York faculty members on sabbatical or other leave, provides access to dedicated office space, library resources and full participation in the academic and social life of the college. Fellows hold the title “York Fellow of Massey College” for life or while mutually agreeable.
A professor in the Faculty of Education, Di Paolantonio will use the fellowship to advance research that builds on his 2023 book, Education and Democracy at the End. His work explores how digital technologies – particularly those that preserve personal data indefinitely – affect youth development and their ability to engage with education as a transformative process.
During his sabbatical, he will study how creative and thoughtful activities – like making art, exploring culture and asking big questions – can help young people take back control of their lives, push back against the influence of digital technology and learn how to grow and change in positive ways.
“Young people today are growing up in a digital environment where their past is always present,” says Mario Di Paolantonio. “This fellowship gives me the opportunity to explore how we can create space for reflection and renewal – where youth can learn to interpret their experiences differently and imagine new ways of being in the world.”
His research also explores how societies deal with past injustices in two interrelated streams. One research focus looks at how memorials, art and legal systems help communities learn from history, especially in countries that have experienced dictatorship. Another examines how the rise of digital systems and data-driven decision-making can weaken public trust and make it harder for people to connect and work together.
Di Paolantonio’s scholarship and published work cover topics such as education, curriculum, politics, law, memory and the arts. He is also an international research associate at the Centro de Estudios en Pedagogías Contemporáneas and the Escuela de Humanidades at the Universidad Nacional de San Martín in Buenos Aires.
Massey College is an independent academic community located at the University of Toronto. Its membership includes graduate students, faculty, journalism fellows, visiting scholars and leaders from various sectors. The college fosters interdisciplinary exchange and academic enrichment across disciplines and institutions.
“It is a valuable opportunity to join a community that brings together scholars from many fields and institutions,” says Di Paolantonio. “Being part of that environment will support deeper thinking about the challenges facing education today and help connect my research to wider conversations about democracy, technology and youth.”