# Melanie Lopez del Pozo

> Peruvian philosopher and communication researcher working on platform studies, testimony and digital cultures. UX Research Lead at Chakakuna Innovation Lab (Lima). MA in Communications, PUCP (thesis approved with distinction). Independent researcher applying to PhD programs in platform studies and HCI. Presenting "Testimoniability" at AoIR2026 (Mexico City, October 15, 2026).

Her research question: how do marginalized communities persist in expressing themselves within technologies built in contexts that never imagined them? Her main concept is Testimoniability, an emergent affordance through which platform features open space for subaltern subjects to recount their experiences on their own terms. Her empirical work is on TikTok during protests in Peru, from her MA thesis onward.

Name note: surname is "Lopez del Pozo" (the given name is Melanie). Site language: English.

## Main pages
- [Home (profile, papers, projects, contact)](https://melachay.com/): single-page site with About me, Papers, Projects and Contact sections.
- [Full text of the site in plain text](https://melachay.com/llms-full.txt): bio, education, research interests, publications and projects.

## Publications
- [Emerging techno-political affordances: Transformation of technical affordances on TikTok during protests in Peru](https://spir.aoir.org/ojs/index.php/spir/article/view/15225): AoIR2025, Selected Papers of Internet Research. DOI 10.5210/spir.v2024i0.15225.
- [Latin American creator (sub)cultures on TikTok: Visibility, resistance, and contextual research](https://spir.aoir.org/ojs/index.php/spir/article/view/15401): panel paper at AoIR2025 (her contribution: "Appropriating TikTok"). DOI 10.5210/spir.v2024i0.15401.
- [Everyday politics on TikTok: An analysis of political practices in content creation during protests against Dina Boluarte](https://tesis.pucp.edu.pe/items/05404acb-e08c-481d-ae33-fb0b96bbefd7): MA thesis, PUCP, 2024, approved with distinction.

## Upcoming
- [AoIR2026, Regeneration(s)](https://aoir.org/aoir2026/): "Testimoniability: The digital persistence of Andean testimonial traditions through TikTok's affordances", Mexico City, October 15, 2026.
- [CADi 2026, Interconexiones](https://www.cadipucp.com/programa/disenando-conexiones-desde-la-evidencia-del-territorio): participatory session "Diseñando conexiones desde la evidencia del territorio", Lima, October 22, 2026.

## Profiles and contact
- Email: hola@melachay.com
- [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/melachay)
- [Medium](https://medium.com/@melanieldp)
- [Melanie escribe (personal blog, Spanish)](https://melaniescribe.wordpress.com/)

## Optional
- [Sitemap](https://melachay.com/sitemap.xml)