Is Computer Science Made for Dudes? w/ Felienne Hermans

Computer Says Maybe · Jul 4, 2025 · 54m · transcript

Felienne Hermans calls herself an ‘involuntary ethnographer of computer science’. She studies the culture behind programming, and challenges the dominant idea that learning to program has to be painful. Alix and Felienne chat about the history of programming and how it went from multidisciplinary and inclusive, to masochistic and exclusive. They also dig into all the ways it excludes women and people who do not speak English.

Further reading & resources:

Scratch — a high level programming language aimed at kids

Hedy — the programming language that Felienne designed

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