Dr. James Riley is an economic sociologist.
He conducts ethnographic research to produce qualitative studies on the role of status, norms, social valuations, and organizational culture within innovation-driven organizations, creative industries, and cultural markets. His fieldwork aims to identify and distill complex informal governance structures and relational mechanisms to generate observationally grounded theories of organizational actors’ strategic behavior.
As a BKC Faculty Associate, he has had the pleasure of hosting and moderating an engaging panels at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University, such as a dialogue called "Shaping The Future of Music in the Creator Economy," featuring George Monger (CEO at Connect Music Group) and Professor Jabari "Naledge" Evans, Ph.D MSW (Assistant Professor at the University of South Carolina). This timely discussion was filled with insights, exploring how emerging platforms and artist-centered business models are transforming the music landscape. He has also enjoyed moderating a panel entitled, "Redefining Ownership: Navigating Rights and Governance in the Digital Era," featuring Professor Christopher Bavitz (Harvard Law School), Professor Jessica Silbey (Boston University School of Law), and Professor Nien-hê Hsieh (Harvard Business School). It was an exciting and cutting-edge discussion, bringing together a diverse group of thinkers to explore pressing questions at the intersection of law, technology, and business. Professor Riley earned a Ph.D. from MIT Sloan School of Management, an M.S. in Urbanization and Development from the London School of Economics, and a B.A. in International Relations from the University of Southern California.