Digital masks: screens, selves and symbolic hygiene in online higher education

Given the central role of digital devices and screens in academic work, their use our relationship to them are under-theorised mainstream research into education. The Covid-19 pandemic, however, rendered life ‘lockdowns’. This paper will consider relationships between anti-epidemic face masks, considering these artefacts terms functionality, subjectivities epistemic practices, drawing on sociomaterial perspectives, Goffman's categories lecturing self, history mask-wearing. I illustrate this with a vignette teaching via screens, given by member faculty an interview study exploring impact lockdown university staff. It conclude that screen may be viewed as ‘digital mask’; carrying out practical function, but also performing ideology hygiene reason. implications for higher education post-pandemic discussed.