The project examines how satellite technology shapes daily life in ways that often go unnoticed. “We have built a global surveillance system that most of us never think about,” Tokmetzis explains, “but it increasingly determines everything, from the price of bread to who gets bombed, and even whether someone can take out insurance.”
In Above Our Heads, Tokmetzis turns the gaze back toward the satellites themselves. He traces what they see, follows the paths of spy satellites, and reconstructs how individuals are tracked through their movements and actions. The book will also show who profits from the surge in observation, navigation, and communication satellites—and how space is gradually being taken over by tech billionaires.
Although he already has a detailed outline, Tokmetzis says the central concept—the “glue” of the book—still needs further development. He hopes that discussions with other NIAS fellows will spark new ideas and perspectives. “I’m looking forward to five months of talking, listening, thinking, researching, and writing,” he writes.
Through his residency at NIAS, Tokmetzis aims to shed light on the profound ways satellite technology shapes our societies—often from far above, beyond the range of ordinary sight.
About the Journalist-in-Residence Fellowship
The fellowship is designed for journalists with a keen interest in scholarly research who need an extended period to focus on a longer piece of journalistic work. It is offered through a collaboration between NIAS and the Fonds Bijzondere Journalistieke Projecten, providing journalists with a unique environment to combine academic resources with in-depth reporting.
